The Average Weekly Grocery Bill Tops $200: 1 Easy Step You Should Take To Lower It
Written by
Angela Mae
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Amen Oyiboke
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A recent Popmenu study found that the average American spends $235 a week on groceries. This adds up to around $940 a month or $11,280 a year. This spending is in addition to dining out, which averages at $115 per week or $5,520 a year.
Keeping that in mind, the median household income in the U.S. is $83,730, as per U.S. Census Bureau data. If you’re spending $11,280 on groceries, that’s nearly 14% of your annual gross income.
Even if your household rarely goes out to eat, and even if you try to live frugally, chances are you’re spending more than you’d like on food. Fortunately, there’s a solution: Know where you’re shopping and the prices you’re getting at each place.
Compare Before You Shop
If you’re looking to lower grocery prices, you’ve probably already tried shopping with a list or shopping generic. You might also limit yourself to dining out to keep those costs low.
But one simple thing you might not be doing is getting to know your stores before you shop. This might take a little time upfront, but once you’ve got a good idea of where to shop — and where to avoid — you can end up saving quite a bit.
“Don’t stick to just one place,” said Laurie Hise, founder of the budgeting blog Passionate Penny Pincher. “For weekly groceries, Aldi is your best bet if you’re on a tight budget. Regular stores like Kroger or Publix are great if you’re a whiz at finding sales (think BOGOs!) and clipping coupons.”
And if you prefer buying in bulk, Hise suggested checking out club stores. This might be a Costco, a Sam’s Club, or even a BJ’s. It depends on where you live and what membership you might have.
If you do shop at club stores, be careful since overspending or impulse buying are still very real concerns. To make sure you’re not spending more than you should, Hise suggested the following:
- Make a plan before you shop
- Go in with a list
- Be mindful of your budget while shopping
- Buy generic
- Skip convenience food items
These tips are simple, but they’re surprisingly effective.
What Else Can You Do To Save?
If you want to save even more on groceries, take advantage of coupons and current deals.
“Most savings circulars come out a few days beforehand, so you can see what is on sale at which store and then find coupons to save more,” said Adam Schwartz of CouponSurfer, Inc. “I can usually save about 50% on these items.”
While you’re at it, you might want to rotate where you shop each week. Some stores will have items on sale that others won’t. As long as you need those items, switching stores will help you save. Even if they’re not on sale, the base prices of certain goods might be cheaper at one place than another.
“The trick is to buy enough so you can rotate stores each week so you don’t spend extra time and gas/electricity going to all three stores every week,” said Schwartz. “I typically save about $10-$20 each week.”
While you’re at it, use digital coupons if they’re available. You might find a digital coupon that works across multiple stores, meaning you can use it at more than one location. If you need more of a specific item, that’s even more potential savings right there.
Will Grocery Prices Continue To Rise?
Food prices rose by 3.2% in the 12 months ending in August 2025, according to the USDA. That’s a faster increase than most other consumer goods measured by the Consumer Price Index.
You can break this down even further. Food-at-home prices went up 2.7% in this period, while food-away-from-home prices rose 3.9%.
As for whether or not prices will continue to rise, there’s no guarantee either way — but experts think it’s likely.
“I do think overall grocery prices will rise,” said Schwartz. “Tariffs will have some direct impacts (and even some indirect impacts, such as [the] cost of production equipment, and rising utility costs will combine with higher wages for employees due to labor shortages.”
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