The Complete Beginner's Guide to cutting your grocery bill

A year ago I was hopeless at cutting your grocery bill. What changed wasn't willpower — it was making the whole thing smaller and harder to skip.

Keep a simple checklist

Track just enough to stay honest, not so much that tracking becomes its own chore. A simple note or a checkmark is usually plenty.

• Write down your first step the night before
• Set a recurring reminder you won’t ignore
• Plan a backup for busy days

Find a rhythm that fits your week

Protect the basics first — sleep, a little movement, a moment to think. Everything else gets easier once those are in place.

Start with one small change

Remove as much friction as you can. The easier you make it, the less you'll rely on willpower to follow through.

Remove the friction

Pair effort with patience. Most changes look like nothing for a while, then feel obvious in hindsight.

Track what actually matters

Notice what's already working and do more of it. You usually don't need a new plan so much as a bit more of the old one.

The best routine is the one you’ll actually keep.

When you slip, shrink the next step instead of quitting. Two minutes, one line, half a rep — anything that keeps the thread alive.