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Saving money seems to be at the forefront of nearly everyone’s mind these days. Sure, you can scale back in extraneous things like cable TV and fancy restaurants, but groceries are a necessity. However, you can become a smarter grocery shopper and save significantly. Here are ten ways to get started:
1. Use coupons, but use them wisely. If you’re buying a product simply because you have a coupon, you may not actually be saving any money. Sometimes the store brand product still costs less than the brand name product with the coupon. Having said that, coupons can save you a lot of money on food; especially at stores where they double the value, or when combined with a sale. You can find a plethora of coupons online at websites including Coupons, CouponMom, GroceyCoupons, and SmartSource.
2. When you find a true bargain, stock up. This works especially well for items that last for a long time such as canned goods and non-perishables. Anything that is sealed such as cereal, pasta, dried beans and other boxed items, or even cleaning supplies, can last a rather long time in your pantry as well.
3. Go vegetarian on a regular basis. There are plenty of healthy, tasty and satisfying ways to prepare a meal that is easier on the pocketbook. If you’re looking for easy, family friendly vegetarian recipes, visit AllRecipes, VegetarianTimes, or VegCooking.
4. Never shop without a budget and a list. You should budget for your food expenditures just as you do everything else. Reward yourself occasionally for saving money with an evening out. When you go grocery shopping, take a list and stick to it as carefully as you can. Grocery stores count on extra money they get from impulse buys.
5. Don’t be afraid to buy store brands. If you’re afraid it just won’t be the same as the name brand, give it a try and see if you can tell the difference. Chances are you won’t be able to.
6. Consider a trial run at The Grocery Game. This service matches a weekly list of the lowest priced products to manufacturers coupons and specials that are both advertised and unadvertised. You can try it for four weeks free of charge to see if it works for you. You’ll also find a blog, message boards, and free coupons on the site.
7. Pay closer attention to the expiration dates on food that you’ve already purchased. It is estimated that we throw away 14 percent of the food we buy, which is practically astronomical compared to a generation or two ago. If something is about to expire, but you can’t use it in short order, freeze it and save for a later date.
8. Study your local supermarkets and their sale trends. Grocery stores generally feature sales by categories, and a category tends to go on sale once every twelve weeks or so. Study trends in your stores and stock up when the sales are particularly good, rather than just buying things when you need them. Note the difference between stores that tend to have lower prices on a regular basis and stores that you consider more expensive. The more expensive stores may actually have better sales on select items.
9. Don’t just grab the first item you see on the shelf. Stores will purposely put higher priced items at eye level where they’re easiest to reach and see. You might have to bend down and examine the lower shelves a little more closely to spot the bargains.
10. Pack a lunch for work. It’s all too easy to simply run out and grab something from the local deli for lunch, but that can add up quickly. Instead of the standard cold cuts sandwich and chips, make lunches extra special so that you’ll be more inclined to actually want to bring a lunch to work.
The Internet can be a great resource for finding more ways to save money on food and other things you buy on a regular basis. Simply Google phrases such as “saving money on groceries” or “how to save money everyday” and you’ll find a whole host of ideas out there just waiting to be implemented. |
