Been grocery shopping lately? If you have I’m sure you were stunned by your grocery bill. Let me tell you, you are not alone. We typically see a 3% yearly inflation rate, which probably doesn’t sound like a lot but when it is added up in all areas it can be daunting. Especially when inflation affects the items we use most like gasoline and groceries. There are always some things we can to save money. We’ll share some tips that may help you control your grocery budget.
Make a List and Stick to the List
The best thing that you can do for yourself is to go into the market with a “game plan” and a grocery list. The night before you do your grocery shopping take a few minutes to plan out what you’ll need for the week. Plan your meals so you know exactly what you will need, this will save you from spending money something that is not needed. Be specific as possible so you are less likely to forget something. Stick to the list, this will not only help you in saving money it will help you to save time as well. We all know that time is money.
Find the Deals Before you Shop
Take a few moments to scan the sales paper of your favorite grocery store. You can even do this online if the store you shop at has a website. By scanning the local ads you can see if what you need is on sale and make sure it hits your grocery list. You can even combine the sales items that you find in the circulars with coupons you may have for extra savings.
Stockpile the Super Savings Items
When you find super savings on non perishables, such as toilet paper, paper towels, and other regular necessities stock up. These items don’t go on sale too often and it would help you in saving money by stocking up if the price is right.
You can stockpile food items as well. If you see super savings on food items that you will use and can freeze or store it would be a good idea to stockpile. If you see that boneless chicken breasts are on sale for $2.99/lb. compared to $5.99/lb, it would be a good idea to buy more than you can use this week.
Try the Store Brands
Most people I talk to are skittish about trying store brand items. I have found however that most of the store brand items are just as good, if not better, than the name brands. Of course there are some items I will not switch but for the most part store brands rank high on my list and I really don't notice much of a difference. Give them a try and you'll be surprised at the quality and savings.
Utilize Manufacturers and Store Cards
I know cutting coupons may seem time consuming and a lot of people may have steered clear of this task. But you can really save a lot of money utilizing manufactures coupons and in store cards. Check your local paper for coupons you can use. It only takes a few minutes to scan through them to find coupons for the products you use. There are a lot of coupon sites online that you can easily search for the coupons you need and print them from home. Some grocery store chains have programs where you can add manufacturers’ coupons on to you store discount card which is an awesome time saving resource.
Shop on a Full Stomach
Have you ever gone shopping hungry? If you have you know that everything looks good, you add the items to your shopping cart and you’ve spent more than you intended too. If you don’t feel like shopping after dinner, have a light snack before you go, or go when the samples are out at the grocery store. It can be fun walking up and down the aisles trying sample products, most are good and the best part is they are free. By going shopping on a full stomach you will save money by not buying unwanted items.
We hope you find these tips helpful in saving money on your grocery bills. Feel free to add your tips as well.
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