Grocery Saving Money Tips

One of the necessities in every household budget is groceries. Whenever we analyse our budget and search for ways to cut costs, the areas for doing so are limited. Groceries don’t have a set cost each month like rent or a mortgage payment, so that is a budget category we always look closer at for money savings.

Food and groceries are expenses we can’t avoid. These things are necessary to our lives, but all too often we find we have more in our kitchens that we actually need. We wonder how we accumulated ten bags of potato chips, or 15 pounds of coffee when we know we haven’t actually bought that much. If you’re trying to find new ways of saving money on your weekly trip to the supermarket, give these tips a try:

1. Avoid dining out. Dining out can be expensive, especially if you select restaurants with wait staff that require tipping. Many of the foods available in restaurants are not always nutritious, either, so it is not always putting your money to good use.
2. Do not go shopping for groceries when you are hungry. It leads to impulse buying that should be avoided. Plan all meals for the entire week, make a shopping list, and adhere to it at the grocery store. Don’t allow children to push you into buying groceries you do not need.
3. Impulse buys. All the stuff they have sitting at the check out counter? It’s there specifically to entice you to buy it before you leave the store, while you’re sitting in line waiting. Unless it’s specifically on your list, don’t give in. Chances are, you don’t need the gum/candy/magazine. Honestly think about it – You live a mile down the road, are you going to die of thirst before you get home, or do you really need that soft drink between now and then?
4. Shopping list. Before you go shopping, make a list of the things you need. Include everything you need, nothing you don’t. Stick to that list, even if you find a great sale on something you thought about in passing a few weeks ago, but scrapped. It will go on sale again, so you’re not missing much.
5. Prepared foods. The deli and bakery departments in the grocery store are loaded with prepared foods. Generally these are not the healthiest choices and they cost more. There are many meals you can make in a short time, including salads, sandwiches, soups, and so much more. A nutritious and tasty meal does not have to take hours to prepare.
6. Avoid bottled water. It is costly due to the marketing, packaging, and stocking of the product and not so great for the environment. You can buy an inexpensive filter for your faucet and enjoy filtered water that costs pennies per glass. The filters do require replacement periodically, but even so the cost is much less than bottled water in the grocery store.
7. There is a reason for the merchandise at the checkout counter of the grocery store. These products are there to tempt you and especially your kids into impulse purchases. If there is a line at the checkout that requires waiting, there is more time to tempt you. Resist the temptation and avoid buying candy bars, magazines, chewing gum, and breath mints in the checkout line.
8. Buy meat in bulk. If you don’t have a large freezer, you might consider buying meat in bulk with neighbors and relatives. This way you still get bulk prices without worrying about storage space. One of the best money savings tips in a supermarket is in the meat department. Generally, by buying more, you’re saving money. Take chicken for instance. Instead of buying parts of the chicken, but the whole chicken and learn to use it. Use the chicken breasts for one meal, the legs and wings for another and the rest of the carcass to flavor a chicken stock that you can use to make soup another day. Economy cuts of beef and steak are great places to save money as well. Trim off the fat and try to avoid frying them and you’ll get just as much from economy cuts as you will the better cuts.
9. Don’t be too quick to toss leftovers. It is very easy to cook a little extra and then prepare a plate for lunch the following day. You can also create new dishes from the leftovers. If you serve baked chicken for dinner, use leftover chicken to make a chicken taco or a chicken sandwich on a bun with tomato, bacon, lettuce, and mayonnaise.
10. You can save both time and electricity if you cook for the week. For instance, prepare two whole chickens on Sunday and pull the meat from the bones. Then prepare chicken stew Sunday night, chicken salad sandwiches on Monday, chicken enchiladas on Tuesday, and chicken spaghetti on Wednesday.
11. Try different brands. Some generic products taste just as good as brand names. You can save on groceries by trying out some of these generic food items. If you see generics that are on sale, give them a try and see for yourself if they are as good, or nearly as good, as the usual brand you purchase.
12. Check the circulars. Every week a circular is distributed from your local grocery store that shows you the specials being offered. If you usually buy the food that is on sale, you will save money. Don’t be tempted to purchase any food you really don’t need simply because it is on sale. This will only end up costing you more money.
13. Sales. Do what you can to find out which stores have sales on which days. If there’s a day that’s particularly full of sales, try to go shopping on that day. You’ll save more money on the things you need that way.
14. Comparison Shop. You’ll see unit prices on most price labels these days – such $X.XX per ounce. If you compare the prices and you’re willing to give a generic brand a try, you can save a lot of money. Often, the generic or store brands are at least as good as most national brands. You can save a good amount of money here are things like milk, bread, soups and the bare essentials that you always keep around. They almost always taste just as good and they’re much cheaper than the alternative.

By following these simple tips when shopping at the supermarket, you’re setting yourself up for a whole lot of money savings. That’s money you can put toward your credit card payment, your mortgage or investments. Stick by these, and you’ll be living better in no time.

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