Grocery Shopping
So you have decided to start a household budget. That is a very good way to track the flow of your money. The first category you can start with is grocery shopping. You need to eat, but you don’t have to overspend to eat well.
Below are a few tips on how to save on your grocery bill:
- Join your grocery store’s saving program – Most groceries have saving programs. Usually these are free and they can save you hundreds of dollars during the year. These programs can also help with paying for gas.
- Buy generic – We know some people love their name brands foods, but give generic foods a try. Generic foods are cheaper and taste very similar (if not better) than their expensive counterparts. Sometimes you may get more quantity with generics as well.
- Use coupons – Whether you clip coupons from your Sunday paper or collect them at the checkout. Using coupons can save you money over time.
- Comparison shop – Comparison shopping can be time consuming so you may want to use this method for costlier items. It is important to pay attention to what local stores are charging for the same item. You don’t want to pay more than you need to.
- Set a monthly dollar amount – Know how much money your household can comfortable afford to spend in groceries. For some people it may be $150, while others will need to spend $400. Once you know the amount, stick to it!
- Make a list – Before you step foot in any store, you should have a list. Without a list you will overspend and forget items you truly need.
*Helpful hints* If you tend to buy the same items, keep the receipts. When you are planning a grocery list put the amount of the item next to it. This will help you estimate your grocery bill and you won’t be surprised at checkout. It will also allow you to track increases or decreases of prices.
Don’t buy too much processed food – Try to buy foods that you have to prepare yourself. When foods are already prepared (cooked, sliced, etc.), you will pay a price for it and the packaging. For example, buy a whole pineapple instead of buying pineapple already diced in a plastic container. You will get more pineapple and it will be fresher. All you need to do it cut it yourself, which only takes about five minutes. Don’t know how to cut pineapple. Check out Youtube!
These were just a few tips to utilize to save money on groceries. Do you have a tip to share? Put it in the comments section below.
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