Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Uncover the benefits of top-up grocery shopping and learn how it can help you save time and money on your grocery bills
Recently, I filled out a grocery shopping experience survey for Zehrs and was asked about the difference between top-up grocery shopping and a large grocery shop.
After deliberating, I completed the survey to let the store know how they were doing.
I also wanted to gain insight into what Zehrs was interested in learning from its customers.
I’ve learned that we are a family that does a large grocery shop once a month and top-up grocery shopping in between.
While on Reddit, a user named BotaneyBay76 shared her tactics for reducing grocery expenses, which almost mirrored the process of top-up grocery shopping.
How does top-up grocery shopping save money, though?
Amazingly, there are pros to top-up grocery shopping; on the flip side, it can be costly.
Large Grocery Shop Vs. Top-Up Grocery Shopping
Although extensive versus top-up grocery shopping might seem straightforward to some, for others, it is a new concept.
Canadians (including ourselves) often get carried away, regardless of the shopping method chosen.
We have had lousy grocery shopping days and have admitted our struggles over the years.
It’s easy to have the answers to saving money buying groceries, but it’s another thing to put the strategies into practice.
It boils down to budgeting, planning, and the ability to walk away from what you didn’t plan to purchase.
When the Zehrs survey asked if we often shop to do top-up grocery shopping, in retrospect, I had to agree, yes.
Please take a look at what Reddit user BotanyBay76 shares about her grocery shopping habits.
Large Grocery Shopping List
At least once a month, we plan a large grocery shop that includes all the main ingredients we use and need replenishing.
Although I love to bake, our son is autistic and has a sensory processing disorder. Because of this, he only eats certain foods, which we are working on expanding with a therapist.
Examples of a large grocery shop for our household might include:
- Milk 2%
- Cream 10%
- Cheese and Cheese slices
- Frozen Vegetables/Fruit
- Eggs
- Sour cream
- Chocolate Syrup
- Instant Coffee
- Hungarian Salami
- Butter
- Spices and Baking ingredients as needed.
- Water
- iogo Yogurt Drinks
- Bread
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Yogurt
- Peanuts
- Pizza Gold Fish
- Organic Oatmeal
- Onions, Carrots, Radishes, Garlic, Celery, Ginger, Cucumber, Fennel, Spinach, Potatoes
- Apples, Bananas (always), plus seasonal fruit when on sale only.
- Oreo or Bear Paw Cookies
- Pickles
- Tuna
- Almond Flour
- Coconut Flour
- All-Purpose Flour
- Splenda Sweetener
- Allulose or Surkrin Gold Brown Sugar Substitute
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Mustard
- Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
- Chicken
- Sausages
- Ground Beef
We also source reduced foods from the Flashfood app before our large shop to see if we can save money.
For example, we could get a large box of mixed apples this week for only $5.00. Instead of buying apples at the grocery store as a staple item, we would order them.
Throughout the month, we continue to seek deals through Flashfood for our top-up grocery shopping.
Additionally, our significant shopping trip is to Costco once a month, which includes filling up the truck with gas.
If I buy beer, I use my monthly allowance to do so as I can spend it on whatever I please.
Top-Up Grocery Shopping
After shopping at Costco for the remaining three weeks of the month, we work with the remainder of our grocery budget.
Our grocery budget for two adults and one youth is $700, with a $25 Stockpile Budget.
Using a stockpile budget helps us to get extras IF we find them in-store, such as reduced products or manager specials.
These products are not on our grocery list but are a great deal. Typically, we use the money each month, as there are always deals.
When I started Canadian Budget Binder in 2012, our monthly grocery budget for two adults was $192. 78.
You can read my first monthly budget update from January 2012 that I wrote, but I warn you it’s far from what it is today.
Groceries- $192.78 Monthly Actual-$231.81
Over the years, our budget numbers changed once we switched to a zero-based budgeting system.
We scour the weekly grocery flyers for Zehrs, Food Basics, and No Frills for the remainder of the month.
Related: The Most Expensive Grocery Stores in Canada
Occasionally, we will buy top-up groceries from Amazon Canada, depending on whether they are the best deal.
Often, we visit Food Basics for specific top-up groceries, such as milk, bread, and fruits and vegetables, as needed.
We would only go to Zehrs for flyer specials or to pick up from Flashfood.
At this time, we shop around and may find foods that are 50% off, which we only buy if we can eat or freeze the products.
Related: The least expensive grocery stores in Canada
Unfortunately, this can also work against us as we could spend more than anticipated if a deal sparks our interest.
For example, if we find reduced prices on ground beef or whole chicken.
Catch Up Grocery Budgeting
However, what we spend one month on will save us in the future only if we balance our grocery expenses throughout the year.
For example:
- Grocery Budget $700
- Actual Amount Spent: $800
There is $100 overspent on groceries, meaning we must save the overage for the remainder of the year.
- $100 overage October, Spent $650 November = Overage now $50 , December $650 = Caught up with the overage.
Creating A Large Shop with Top-Up Grocery Shopping
- How much can you spend on groceries?
- Meal plan for the month (Do you have regular recipes you rotate? Try one new recipe each month).
- Create a Pantry List, Refrigerator List, and Freezer Inventory List
- Write down the core ingredients, including spices (free printable spice list), needed for a large grocery shop once a month. Use my free budget binder printable grocery list to create your list of core ingredients.
- List the top-up grocery shopping items you may need each week by keeping a list on the refrigerator or in your mobile phone. Add to it as items are needed each week and use these as top-up groceries.
- You may need to alter your large grocery shop based on the top-up groceries required, so always keep track of what you buy often.
- Use coupons, flyer specials, in-store discounts, multi-buy, bulk purchases, and mobile apps to save money. Flipp App – Free! Compare prices at grocery stores with the Flipp app or a grocery price book.
- There are many grocery-saving mobile and survey apps that you can use to save money to spend more or put the money towards overage.
- Checkout51
- Sign Up For Caddle
- Daily Rewards For Canadians
- Nielsen Homescan
- FlashFood App
- Sign up for Swagbucks
- Receipt Hog
- Join LEO
- Sign up for Survey Junkie
- PC Optimum
- Join Pinecone Research Canada
- Ampli Cash Back For Canadians
- Join Harris Poll
- Great Canadian Rebates
- Sign up for Branded Surveys today!!
- Shopper’s Voice Review
Read over 300 grocery blog posts in my Ultimate Grocery Shopping Guide For Canadians.
Can Top-Up Grocery Shopping Save Money?
That is how it should work out mathematically in a perfect world, if one wants to stick to a 100% grocery budget.
Unfortunately, it’s not that easy, but certainly possible, especially when someone is on a tight budget.
Perhaps it would be easier if we didn’t have the extra money in our bank account.
I know that sounds like an excuse, and perhaps it is, but we are dedicating next year to a mindful, tighter budget.
We plan to continue with extensive grocery shopping, including top-up shopping, but without making spur-of-the-moment purchases.
Regarding budgeting, regardless of the category, we can all learn a lesson and work towards improving the outcome.
We learn something new each year about how we spend money on groceries.
Not perfect, but better.
Discussion: What type of grocery shopping do you do each month?
Please leave your comments below for other readers.
With a teenage boy and tween boy, our grocery spending has risen sharply over the years. I tend to follow the grocery top-up strategy as well, if I have just completed a hefty haul from the supermarket. For the top-up trips, I go with a strict number in my head for a budget limit and I will actually start to remove items from my cart or avoid items altogether though tempting they may be. I avoid what we already have in duplicates or triplicates. It’s difficult because I love a good deal and I like having a healthy pantry and full fridge. However, I rarely feel guilt at a large grocery bill because that amount is always going to be lower than eating meals out at restaurants frequently. I also use the top-up strategy when filling up the car with gas. So, after a full fill up when the gas prices are high, I top up when the tank is down just a bit so the cost to top up won’t be exorbitant. I will use that strategy as long as the gas prices remain high (no draining the tank, and just keep adding small amounts to keep the tank full). It’s how I manage to keep more cash in my pocket, though I know it’s still spending the same amount in the long run, but that I am just stretching my dollar out longer. Survival in an expensive city comes down to these penny-pinching strategies!
Hi Angelina,
Great idea about the petrol top-up as it’s a great way like you mention to stretch your dollars rather than filling up all in one go. I can’t remember the last time we ate at a restaurant as it’s just not realistic for our budget. I can’t fathom spending $150 on a dinner for 3 when I can buy a load of groceries for that amount. If we are out of town we will eat out but we stick to the mom-and-pop type restaurants. You’re right about not feeling guilty for a big shop because it will always be lower than eating out. Thanks for sharing your tips for other readers, especially your petrol tip. Mr. CBB