Save Big on Groceries

It’s easy to spend much more than you anticipated while shopping for groceries, especially is you’re shopping on an empty stomach. But with the price of gasoline through the roof, savvy shoppers everywhere are looking for ways to cut back at the register. With a little leg work, we’ll show you how to keep the cost of food down.

Create a budget. It’s important to know exactly how much money you can and are willing to spend on food for that particular pay period or month.

Start by making a list of one to two weeks worth of groceries and stick to it. Don’t be influenced by sales, just because it’s half off doesn’t mean you need it. Straying from your list will only hurt your efforts to save. Going into the store without a plan is a guaranteed way to forget crucial items as well as buy things you don’t need.

Eat before you shop. Shopping on an empty stomach will most likely result in the addition of junk-food and other unnecessary items in your grocery cart. Avoid letting hunger pangs dictate what goes into your shopping cart.

Shop on Sunday’s. With a fresh batch of the day’s coupons from your paper and weekly sales circular, you could save some serious cash. Shopping for items at an already discounted price can be reduced even more if you’ve got a coupon. Don’t forget to search online for printable coupons. The internet has revolutionized couponing. When you find a coupon you like, simply print it and take it with you on your next grocery store visit.  According to a Consumer Reports survey, consumers who combined coupons with marked down items saved an average of $678 a year.

Compare prices. Some items such as deli meats are sold in various places throughout the grocery store. You can pick them up at the deli counter, or in your grocer’s refrigerated section. In some cases, the price may be cheaper in one section than the other.

Buy generic over national brands. According to a story published by the Wall Street Journal, many store labels are produced by the same manufacturers that make the brands you know and love. Chances are you won’t notice the difference in taste, but you’ll definitely notice the difference in price. Brand named items typically cost $1 more than their generic equivalents due to higher marketing and packaging costs.

Buy in bulk. Invest in a membership at stores such as Sam’s and Costco’s. The trick to buying in bulk is to purchase non-perishable items. The last thing you need is a stock pile of expired food.

Pay close attention to the price scanner and always double check your receipt. According to a survey conducted by Consumer Reports, 6% of respondents were overcharged at the grocery store check-out. Some grocery chains will even let you have the item for free if it is scanned incorrectly, but it’s up to you to catch the error.

Eat your leftovers. There’s no better way to throw your hard-earned money down the drain then to toss your leftovers. Bagging them up for lunch the next day will save you from spending the $5-$10 you would have spent eating out, and in most cases your sack lunch is probably healthier than anything you could grab at a fast-food place.

 

How do you save at the grocery store? Share your tips with us in the comments section! We’d be honored to read them!