How to Save Money at the Grocery Store?
Have you ever read stories about the Mother of five exiting the grocery store with carts of food and having spent only a pittance of money? You might have even stood behind one of the behemoths of the coupon world as she plunked down what looked like hundreds of coupons. While some of these stories may have had some exaggeration, the savvy shopper can address the question how to save money at the grocery store and not anger the customers behind you.
In today's economy we all want to save. Groceries are one of the top monthly expenditures in every household and learning the tips on how to save money at the grocery store can reap big rewards.
Don't Shop When You're Hungry
It's a proven fact that if you are hungry you will add all of the items that you are yearning to eat. This adds unnecessary dollars to your bill. So eat before you leave.
Establish a Budget and Stick With It
You know how much you can spend, so stick to your budget. Grocery stores love it when you say that you only came in for a few things but you walk out with three more bags than planned.
Make and Take a List
Taking a list of necessary items will help you make your purchasing decisions. Visit the specific aisles where the items are located and don't wander around joy shopping. Use the banners at the top of each aisle to locate what you need. If your store offers them, look at the cost-per on the shelf price list. You can compare shop and get the least costly.
Get In and Out Fast
In Florida, the older and retired people use shopping at the grocery store as part of their social outing. I have learned not to go to the grocery store on Wednesdays, because that's when they have the free samples. You can get stampeded by the retired group heading for those little sample tables. Traverse through the grocery store quickly and leave as fast as you can.
Ignore the End Caps
Did you know there are special departments where people hover over ideas that they can present to you on an end cap? They know if its eye catching, you might just have a weak moment and buy the item. They are usually the higher margin brand items and the stores get dollars back to them for premiering them on an end cap.
Membership Cards Aren't All They Are Cracked Up To Be
Be careful of those members only discount cards. It might have been a good idea on paper, but many stores don't really give you the discount-at-checkout for the items that qualify. Loyalty cards can be worth it because you earn points that can be converted to a nice dollar amount off of your purchase.
Be a Bargain Shopper
If you see an item at a good discount, you can go ahead and buy it if this is something you have to get normally. An example might be toilet paper. Save more on the purchase now, even though it was supposed to be on next week's list.
Use Brand Names With Coupons
You don't need to buy the brand name of an item. The off brand items are often made at the same plant, but just under the discount label. This might require a bit of trial and error, because some off brands simply are not as good. If you do need to use coupons, get them in order before you leave for the store. With a little thought, you can organize them by types of products. Compare the coupon discount on the brand item with the actual savings of the off brand.
Buy Bulk and Two-Fers
Manufacturers know that people prefer to buy in bulk because they think it will save them in the long run. This is not always the case. Be sure to compare the bulk price as opposed to individual price. Also, just because it says Two For The Price of One, doesn't mean you have to buy two (unless it's a requirement for the deal). You can get one item at the same discount.
