Every decent shopper knows that using coupons and buying store brands are the best ways to save money on groceries. Here are five more tips that should help lower your grocery bill.
Stock up.
When non-perishable foods go on sale, buy more than you need so you won’t have to pay more for them later. A lot of perishable stuff can last for a long time in the freezer. Everyone knows you can freeze meats, but did you know that you can freeze milk too? I’ve personally never encountered a milk sale good enough to prompt me to buy more than a gallon at a time, but if the local dairy store goes out of business I just might have to clear up some space in my freezer.
Don’t shop hungry.
FACT: People buy 21% more food when they shop on an empty stomach. Ok, I just made that figure up, but it sounds reasonable doesn’t it? TRUE STORY: Once I went shopping on an empty stomach and found myself at the checkout counter with a jar full of peanuts…and I’m allergic to peanuts. Shopping on an empty stomach nearly killed me. Ok, I made that up too. But honestly, I have found that I buy more food, especially junk food, when I shop on an empty stomach. So it can not only affect your wallet, but it can affect your health as well.
Make a list and stick to it.
Grocery stores are designed to entice you into buying as much food as possible. There are so many appealing sights and smells that it can be hard to stick to the essentials. Making a list will keep you focused only on what you need, and it will get you out of the store sooner so you’re less likely to buy something you don’t need.
Shop by yourself.
When you brings kids to a grocery store, they’ll invariably want things that aren’t on your list. And unless you want somebody at the store to nominate you for the “Worst Parent of the Year” Award, you’re going to give in. Leaving the kids at home can save you a bundle. If you’re worried about supervision, just do what I do - tell them that you’re going to play a game of hide and seek, and then when they’re counting with their eyes closed, you make a mad dash for the grocery store. When you get back, just tell them that you never specified boundaries, so the grocery store was a legal hiding spot. Then do a victory dance.
Use your kitchen.
When given the choice between pre-made food and something that you have to make yourself, always go the do-it-yourself route. Sure, it’s a bit more effort, but it’s rewarding too. When I want soup, I don’t grab a can of Campbell’s. I buy some meat and some veggies and I cook it up myself. When I want a cake, I don’t buy one at the store. I buy the flour, eggs, etc. and bake it myself. When I want water, I don’t buy a jug from the store. I take two parts H and one part O and I mix that stuff together. Well, maybe not, but you get my point.