Hey, guys. Are you ready for some money rehab? Wall Street has been completely upended by an unlikely player, Gamestop. And should I have a 401k? Because then I- You don't do it? No, I never- No. You think the whole world revolves around you and your money? Well, it doesn't. Charge for wasting our time. I will take a check. I got a old-school check. You recognize her from anchoring on CNN, CNBC, and Bloomberg. The only financial expert you don't need a dictionary to understand. The Cole Lappin. So over a year ago, I told you about my golden guidelines for a spending plan. Here's the breakdown, and of course, there is alliteration involved. Of what you spend, 70% should go to the essentials like rent, utilities, car payments, and so on. 15% should go to the extras, which, of course, is the fun stuff like vacations, eating out with friends, that jacket you had your eye on. And that last 15% is your end game, and that's retirement, savings, a college fund for your kids, a new roof for your house, the big expenses that won't hit until the distant future. Pretty simple, right? Within that category of essentials, though, the biggest expense is probably your rent or mortgage.

And then the second biggest expense is probably food. Food is, of course, a critical expense. You got to eat to survive. And that's, of course, what makes it such a sneaky financial spot for a lot of people. You go to the grocery store and you think, Girls got to eat. So you spend $25 on saffron because Bon Appetit told you to. Fast forward to dinner time and you just spent more on groceries than you would have if you had just gone out to eat. Well, that stops today. You already know the common budgeting advice for the grocery store. Coupon clipping using coupon apps, buying generic, and meal planning. But if you're looking to level up your budgeting game for food, I have some fresh tips for you. And I want to make myself extremely clear here. I am not saying that you should buy less food that you need. That is not how to budget. In fact, if you're budgeting correctly at the grocery store, you should be able to buy exactly as much food as you need. So let's get into it. Here are my eight favorite ways to save on food. Number one, get Blue Apron, or a similar bill kit.

There are so many out there. You're surprised to hear me say that, aren't you? You thought I would just tell you that the only way to save money on food to do your own grocery shopping, no meals out, no food delivery service, no fun. Boo. No. With a subscription service like Blue Apron, you can easily make a budget because your weekly food spending will be pretty much the same every week. Plus, with Gaspray right now, it might be cheaper to have meal kits delivered, everything portioned out, all the spices, so you don't splurge on that saffron, and stay at home. Number two. If you're shopping in store, don't shop at eye level. Grocers to put the most expensive stuff at eye level, and brands actually pay for that placement because products sitting pretty much at eye level are what shoppers focus on first. So squat on down or get on your tipped toes to find the best deals. Number three. Rethink buying in bulk. You may think big bulk buy save you money in the long run, but do you really need all that? A 10-pound tub of peanut butter? Really? Because let's be real, when we buy in bulk, we often end up throwing out whatever's excess, and usually that's a lot.

This is a huge phenomenon. Americans throw away $165 billion worth of perfectly good food every year. In fact, 40% of all the food in the United States today goes uneaten. Are you guilty of this? I mean, it's not too hard to do it, right? You go grocery shopping without a list and you buy random ingredients that don't actually work with anything you have at home, or you find a new recipe that you just have to try. So you go grocery shopping again, and all of the food that you just got on your last trip gets pushed into the no man's land section of your fridge. So don't overbuy and think you're saving. Just because it seems like a good deal doesn't mean it's a good deal for you. Number four, leave the kiddos at home. Sorry, parents, I know this sounds harsh, but you know what I'm talking about. With the kids at home, you can focus on the task at hand, comparing prices and getting quality food for good meal prep. Kids begging for expensive unhealthy items derails that mission faster than you can say fruit rollups. Number five, eat healthier. Quick, what's cheaper?

An apple or bag of Cheetos? Sadly for us snackers out there, it is the apple. Meat is often the most expensive item, so it might be a good time to try plant-based. Studies have shown that buying healthy food and cooking at home, as opposed to cheap fast food and prepared meals, are actually less expensive in the long run. A typical family of four will spend nearly $30 for a meal at a drive-through window, while a basic and nutritious meal of rice, beans, and fresh vegetables makes enough for a few days' worth of leftovers for less than $10. Winner-winner, Tofu Ditter. Plus, you'll skip those hospital bills that may incur it if you get a kidney stone from all that salt or turn Cheeto orange. Number six, negotiate at the store. Yes, I have said it before, and I will say it again, everything is negotiable. If it's a perishable item that's nearing its sell by date, ask for a discount. The worst thing the cashier could say or the manager is no. So why not try? Number seven. Stock social media. We all know how to Instagram stock in our personal lives. We'll now do it for the brands you like to save money and sign up for your your favorite grocery stores or restaurant's email lists.

I'd recommend setting up a separate email for promotions and loyalty programs so you're not bombarded every time you log on to email. Number eight. Order curbside pickup so you stick to what you need and you aren't tempted by that candy aisle at checkout. Especially do this if you're hungry. Plus, it saves you a ton of time, and we all know what time is. For today's tip, you can take straight to the bank. If You Can Take Straight to the Bank, if you liked this episode So check out episode 39, Overcome your financial blind spot, for more tips on saving money on groceries, and the best app for finding cheap or even free food near you. We spend our money, money, money. Money Rehab is a production of iHeartRadio. I'm your host, Nicole Lappin. Our producers are Morgan Lavoy and Mike Coscarelli. Executive producers are Nicky Etor and Will Pearson. Our mascots are Penny and Mimsy. Huge thanks to O. G. Money Rehab team, Michelle Lanz for her development work, Katherine Law for her production and writing, Magic, and Brandon Dickert for his editing, engineering, and sound design. And as always, thanks to you for finally investing in yourself so that you can get it together and get it all.

You spend my money, money, money. You spend.