Easy Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store

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Groceries are a major expense for many families and individuals.  While this expense is necessary and will never be eliminated, there are many different strategies that can be used to save money at the grocery store.  By using a few of these simple techniques, you will find that you can save money on groceries while still getting the things that you need.

It is a simple fact that every time you go to the grocery store you will spend money.  Unless great self discipline is exercised, every trip will result in one or two unexpected purchases.  To cut down impulse spending at the grocery store, limit your trips to the store.  This solution sounds very simple and it is.  However, to be effective at cutting back on trips to the store, it is important to plan trips carefully.  Make a list and be sure to include all needed items on the list.  This will help to ensure that nothing is forgotten and that additional trips will not be needed to pick up items that were not purchased.

The second strategy to saving money at the grocery store is to make a list.  Having a list makes it easier to say no to unexpected purchases.  A list will focus the shopping trip and will result in fewer impulse buys.  Impulse purchases add up and the simple elimination of these items can save hundreds of dollars each year.

Grocery store ads can be a great money saving tool.  Consult your weekly ads before shopping trips.  Plan your weekly meals around items that are on sale.  If an item is on sale that you know you will need in the next several weeks, stock up while it is on sale.  By shopping sales and using these sales to plan meals and purchases, you can save valuable money without clipping coupons or sacrificing the items that you love.

Never go to the grocery store when you are hungry or rushed.   Go to the store when you will have time to evaluate purchases and needs.  Hunger will always result in many items purchased that are not needed.  When you are in a rush you will not have the time to evaluate prices and find the best deal.

Consider using store brands when possible.  Sometimes name brand products are a higher quality.  Other times you are only paying for the label.  Try a few store brand products and see if any will work for you.  These products can save you quite a bit of money without compromising quality.

There are many different methods that smart shoppers can use to save money at the grocery store.  Apply a few of these strategies into your shopping routine and start saving today.

 

Save Money On Groceries At Wholesale Clubs And Grocery Stores

Searching to cut your household costs so, you can just pay the bills? Feeling like the only thing left to cut is your monthly grocery bill? You can cut your grocery spending as much as 50 percent if you know where to shop, how to shop, and when to shop.

First, there is usually more than one place to do your grocery shopping every week. Even in the smallest burgs of America, you do have a choice. Grocery stores carry most of the standard food and non-food items, but prices vary from week to week. Wholesale clubs such as Sam’s Club, Costco and Gordon Foods sell food and non-food items in bulk packaging and are found in larger cities and metropolitan areas. These stores normally do not advertise sales, but typically accept manufacturers’ coupons. Convenience stores like Circle K and 7-11 are simply convenient to purchase one or two items and fill up with your favorite beverage while traveling or shopping. These types of stores do not offer sales on grocery items and charge more on standard grocery items. Then there is the online option. Yes, now more national retail chains are offering online shopping; they will either ship the grocery items or have them available for pick up if located nearby.

Knowing where to shop to save the most money on your weekly bill is the most important step. One does not have to buy groceries at the same place week after week and month after month. Even if you must travel a few miles, you may be able to save on your monthly food spending. Retail grocery chains such as Albertson’s, Kroger, Giant Eagle, Publix, Safeway, and others run an ad circular each week advertising select brands for a specific price; many also include their own brand items on sale as well. Check each circular for the items you buy the most and compare the prices. Buying only the items that you need and that are on sale will also save you money. It is important to know the price range for items you buy frequently, so you know which store is offering the best price.

Second, wholesale clubs can be more affordable on items that you use more often or specialty items. Canned food items including soups, beans, and drink mixes are sometimes cheaper to buy in bulk than at your traditional grocery store. When comparison-shopping, do not look at the ticket price alone. Wholesale clubs base their prices on volume (ounces or pounds), which can be found on the shelf price sticker. Compare the volume price to the weekly price at your grocery retailer over the course of a couple weeks since grocery chains vary their prices from week to week.

A comparison of several products between a Costco and Giant grocery store was conducted by AOL Money & Finance, which found many of the bulk products were much less expensive at the wholesale club.

Sample of products compared:

Tropicana Orange Juice, no pulp – Costco savings of $.60/quart Maxwell House coffee – Costco savings of $1.54/pound Fillippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Costco savings of $9.93/quart Nabisco Oreo Cookies – Costco savings of $1.55/pound

 

Be aware that the above savings are for volume pricing only, and these savings do not represent the actual prices. Your state may charge additional fees including sales tax on food or non-food items. Wholesale or warehouse clubs also charge an annual fee, which varies at each club.

When you join and shop at warehouse or wholesale clubs, jot down what you buy, the date purchased and the date the item was completely used or the packaging was thrown away. This will give you an idea how long the product lasts and the cost to replace it on a monthly basis.

Lastly, knowing when to shop or which week has the best sale items is crucial. Typically, retail grocery chains will charge more the first week of every month. Why? Through observation and experience, retailers know this is when most people get their paychecks and Food Stamps are uploaded the first ten days of the month; therefore, people are likely to spend more on groceries. The best time of the month is to shop the third to fourth week when people are running low on cash and need to get through the rest of the month until payday. Oftentimes grocery chains will offer their 10 for $10 sale, which sometimes are good deals. In addition, they are more likely to sell multiple quantities of the same product for a reduced price.

Get more and spend less when you know where to buy groceries, when to shop during the month and how to stretch your budget throughout the month.

Saving Money with Grocery Coupons

You know what is on the spotlight nowadays? Why, its grocery coupons to print? Even Oprah Winfrey can speak good things and good opportunities about free grocery coupons on her site. This is because coupons are real money savers and they have been really helpful in fighting the rising costs of grocery items. So, take this piece of advice, start checking out the printable grocery coupons that you can use next time you go shopping for your food supplies and other grocery needs.

Why Coupons for Groceries?

You probably ignore the idea first. However, you will be amazed that by doing certain strategies in collecting and availing the value of coupons you will cut the costs of your grocery bill. To get started with your ultimate guide in shopping using your free grocery coupons, learn to plan your meals and include on your shopping lists the items that are featured on your coupons. To have a good guide, you can get some fliers from the nearest grocery store that will serve as your basis in completing your grocery list.

You have to be very particular with the brands on sale, too. Try to be flexible with the items you want to purchase and this can be done by careful planning. A detailed plan is a must because if you just hit the supermarket out of whim it will totally ruin your plan and get frustrated. Take note, with grocery coupons and other fre coupons on your hands, you can also fight back impulse buying. Also try restaurant coupons e.g. Domino’s and Pizza Hut coupons to save money while you eat.

Consumers nowadays are becoming smart and you are lucky to become one of them. You have discovered that you can have as many printable grocery coupons and use it to make various purchases. The internet has a long list of sites that provide free grocery coupons apart from the ones you get from your newspapers and magazines.

Pritable Grocery Store Coupons Yield Profits

Collecting coupons to save money is not just about cutting out coupons from your newspaper. It is about being disciplined and living a frugal lifestyle during these times of economic difficulties. There are more coupons out there that you need to grab for your own benefits. Not only will you save a lot of money but you can also make it as your source of extra income. Yes, after enjoying the lower costs of your bills and flowing supplies of grocery items, it is time to become business-minded. You are aware that you don’t actually need a huge sum of capital to start a business because you already saved enough with your coupons. So be frugal and find some nice grocery coupons to print.

There is no doubt that having grocery coupons in your possession is already one way to reduce your bills and cut off your expenses whenever you do your shopping. Stores in your areas would give you more good deals by presenting to them the coupons you have gathered and enjoy as much as 30%-70% off from your bill. It is only a huge bonus to use your coupons in starting a small business that can possibly turn into a lucrative one.

Save Money on Grocery Shopping -Tips for a Tight Budget

It is easy to overspend when grocery shopping. It’s probably the place where we do the most impulse shopping. So we tend to buy things we don’t really need and there goes the budget. If you would like to be a more frugal shopper, here are some things that will help guide you when buying groceries.

Make A List

Most People have certain things they eat regularly. So making a basic menu plan should be fairly simple. You know you have to eat dinner 7 times this week. So write down 7 dinners. Think about what you need to make those things. Make a list. Look in your pantry and fridge to see what basics you are out of. It helps to keep an ongoing list inside your cupboard of things as you run out of them. Making a list will help make sure that you get everything in one trip. Statistics show that you spend more the more trips you make to the store. When you go in for one item that you are out of, and you come out with a whole lot of other things. Plan to go grocery shopping two to three times a month. Sometimes it will be necessary to shop in between trips to the grocery store. If you have a problem with impulse buying, then maybe try getting your milk and bread at a convenience store where there is less to tempt you.

Should You Buy Already Prepared Food

It is usually better to cook from scratch when you have a large family. When I cook for my family it is generally cheaper to not use prepared foods. A big pot of stew is very inexpensive to make, but to buy cans of stew can run into money. However, if the choice is between going out to eat or prepared foods, then definitely prepared is better.

When it was just me and my husband, it was probably cheaper to buy prepared foods rather than buy all the different ingredients that we would need for a smaller batch. The food almost always went bad before we could use it, because there just wasn’t enough people to eat it. You can only have spaghetti for so many nights in a row.

Buy Basic Food Products

It is healthier and more cost effective to buy more basic things when shopping for groceries. Buying a bag of rice will save you money compared to a box of flavored rice. The prepared foods usually contain preservatives that are not good for your body. If you prepare the food yourself, then you can control exactly what is in it. Oatmeal is allot less expensive than instant oatmeal and it is better for you. Processing takes allot of nutrients out of food and it is quite a bit more expensive. Although, if you are not willing to take the extra time it takes to cook these foods, then this tip will not be helpful for you.

Check Adds Before You Go

Check your adds regularly. This will help you to know what is a good deal and what is not. Some stores are better to buy certain items at than others. I have a particular store that always has eggs on sale for a good price. That’s the only place I will buy eggs. Grocery stores adds start on the same day every week for the most part. Planning your menus around these specials can help you save as you shop. Generally the front page of the ad has the best deals. They’re designed to get your attention and make you want to come to that store. Just because an item is in the add does not mean it’s a good deal, that is why you need to check them regularly. Buying produce in season will also help you save money. If it is something you can freeze, then do so. Out of season fruits and vegetables are expensive and not good quality.

Store Discount Cards and Coupons

Many grocery stores have cards that give you a discount on certain items, especially items that are advertised in their ads at a sale price. If you don’t have a card, you’ll be charged a higher price, which is listed in the ad in tiny print beside the item’s picture. The cards are useful to shoppers. Many stores have registers that print out coupons for future purchases of items that you have bought that day if you are using the store card. The cards are easy to get; you have to fill out a sheet with some basic information at the register or customer service desk, and then just remember to use the card when you check out.

If you get the Sunday newspapers, it often includes coupons for dollars off on groceries. Most coupons are for processed foods and new products, but you can find them for many different items. You can use a coupon while an item is on sale, so you can double your savings. It does take a little organization though. If you’re on a budget, however, you could save quite a lot of money if you buy several items on sale with coupons.

Take A Calculator

How many times have you been shocked by the price at the register and wondered what did I buy? Well taking a calculator with you to shop could help you if you’re on a budget, especially if you’re an impulse buyer or have small children who distract you while you shop. If you’re good at math, you can try to keep a running total. But if your like me, a calculator would be great. As you add an item to your basket, punch the price in the calculator. Using a calculator will help you to make wiser choices; if you see that your total is rising rapidly, you can put something back and choose a lower priced item. Using the calculator will prevent any shock at the register.

Compare Brands

Many grocery stores have their own brand name products, and these products are usually made by well-known manufacturers. Store brand products are almost always less expensive than name brand products, and if you look at the ingredients, they are probably identical. Buy one of the store brand products, taste it, and if you like it you can save money next time you need that item. You can save by buying store brands on food, over-the-counter medicines, cleaners, and other household products. It is common for stores to put all of their store brand products on sale at one time.

Larger Quantity

If a grocery store puts a nonperishable item on sale at a very low price, buy extras. Basic foods like flour, sugar, beans, rice, canned and frozen goods will last quite a while if you use them regularly. If you buy enough, then you won’t have to buy it when it’s not on sale.

Buy your snack items in bulk instead of putting money in a vending machine regularly. Joining a wholesale club means you must purchase a member’s card, but a few trips to the club can save you lots of money if you buy items you use frequently in quantity. The clubs offer samples of certain items frequently, so you are able to try something before you buy it. This is great, because you don’t want to buy a ton of something you might not like.

On Sale

Just because it is on sale, doesn’t mean it’s a good deal. If it is not something you usually eat, then it may not be a great sale for you. When Kellogg’s goes on sale, it still may not be as cheap as the private label brand that you usually buy. You can save by buying items on sale, but it won’t be a savings if you don’t like the product. Only buy food that you know you or your family will eat or you will have wasted your money. Be careful that you don’t buy large quantities of perishable items. If half of it gets waisted before you eat it, you won’t have saved any money. Always check the date on sale items. It is very common for stores to put product on sale when they are close to going out of date.

Don’t Go To The Store Hungry

Make sure you have already eaten when you go to the store. Everything looks good when your hungry and your grocery bill will show it. It’s easier to resist junk food when your tummy is full.

When you have a plan, you are one step closer to sticking to your budget.