You’ve probably checked your grocery receipts and wondered how in the world a few bags of food could have costed you so much. Sometimes, you don’t even get to finish using all of your groceries before they spoil. Even if that’s not your case, we’ve all been there before. Shopping at a grocery isn’t always a walk in the park, but there are plenty of ways to reduce the amount of money you throw away on unused and unneeded goods.
We at The Flats at ISU want to share the following way to save money on groceries the next time you take a trip to the supermarket.
Set Up a Regular Budget
Not having a weekly or biweekly budget for groceries is a huge mistake. Limiting the amount of money you spend at the grocery store helps buyers become more aware of what’s going into their shopping carts. It doesn’t necessarily mean less items in your cart, it just means you’ll be spending more efficiently. Budgeting is extremely doable and a fun challenge to give yourself while you shop.
Writing Down a List of Grocery Essentials
Whether you want to write it on a paper or save it on your phone, making a grocery list of essentials is always a smart idea. For one, it’ll prevent you from forgetting the bananas for your daily smoothie or anything else you might need. Having a list will also prepare you to focus on what you need and not on what you see while you walk down the aisle.
If you gather all of your essentials first, you’ll be able to figure out how much money you can spend on extras. It might not be much, but it can save you a few ten-dollar bills.
Plan Your Meals Before You Shop
Planning your meals before heading to the grocery store can help you build that list of essentials we talked about. You don’t have to plan for every day of the week (3 to 5 days), but you’ll notice a difference afterward.
Limit Your Amount of Trips to the Grocery Store
Another great way to save money on grocery shopping is by buying enough food to last you a week or two. If you visit the supermarket several times a week, you’re more likely to spend on unnecessary items. Limiting the number of trips you make will help you save on gas, time, and pesky taxes!
Take a Friend to Monitor Spending
This may seem a little extreme, but it’ll help you stick to your spending limit at the store. Just ask a close friend, spouse, or family member to accompany you down the aisles to help you keep track of groceries. You might even have a conversation that’ll help you forget about the chocolate chip cookies you always fall for.
Shop On a Full Stomach
Many grocery shoppers don’t know that shopping on an empty stomach might run their bill up. This is because we as shoppers, are more likely to add foods that we’re craving into our shopping carts. If you shop on a full stomach, you’ll be able to make wiser choices and control any impulse buys. You won’t feel the need to buy so many snacks for later.
Use In-Store and Online Coupons/Offers
With the technological advances of today, you can find coupons almost anywhere online. There are also plenty of grocery stores with in-store coupons and offers you can find at entrances and store aisles. If you do your research right, you’ll be able to save a few dollars every time you go to the grocery store. Even if you can’t find coupons for your grocery store, you can check to find out when their next big sale is going to be.
Groupon has great coupon codes for popular grocery stores.
Buy Whole Products
There’s a noticeable difference between prepackaged food and whole products. Instead of buying shredded cheese, cut fruit, and seasoned meats, buy the whole product and prepare it a home. Grocery stores usually add on labor prices that will have you paying more for four slices of apples than a whole bag of apples. This also works the same for any other all-natural foods you may run into.
PLEASE NOTE: The information being provided is strictly as a courtesy. When you access this link you are leaving our website and assume total responsibility for your use of the website you are linking to. We make no representation as to the completeness or accuracy of information provided at this website. Nor is the company liable for any direct or indirect technical or system issues or any consequences arising out of your access to or your use of third-party technologies, websites, information and programs made available through this website.