Spend Less at the Grocery Store
I stumbled upon this great article today: “Twenty Ways to Slash Your Grocery Bill.” Here is just a sampling of the suggestions:
Know when to use a list. For staples, stick to what you’d already planned to buy before you walked into the store. “The only time to go off list is if you can combine savings factors (store sales, double coupons, etc.) and get a good buy,” says Kay.
Know when not to use a list. When it comes to produce, take the farmer’s market approach: Buy what’s fresh, inexpensive and in season. Then adapt your menus accordingly. That way, you get good buys and your family gets the freshest food.
Grocery stores are for groceries. “Avoid purchasing nongrocery items at a grocery store,” says Steinback, who advises consumers to weigh convenience vs. cost when they pick up supplies like painkillers, contact lens solution, mouthwash or toothpaste at the grocery store. “I know it’s convenient,” she says. “But, you double your cost.”
Take a rain check. If you know that your store is offering a great price on something you use, but it’s all gone when you arrive, get a rain check, says Kay.
Know the system. When does your store mark down goods that expire, like meat or bread?
“You can get significant markdowns on meats if you buy things that are about to expire that day,” Foreman says. The deal: Use them that night or freeze them, he says.
Your store might also have a small section where they discount products that aren’t as popular as the manufacturer had hoped. This area can be a gold mine for bargain hunters, Foreman says.
Realize that more isn’t always cheaper. “It’s not uncommon for readers to say they found things in lots of 24 where the unit price was higher than if they bought one,” says Foreman. “The days that you could take one big package and know you were saving money are over.”
His credo: “Unless you’re better at math than most people, shop with a calculator.”
Request price matching. Want to get the best prices on everything without driving all over town? “Find a store in your area that will honor all competitors’ ads,” says Kay. You’ll save money, time and gas.
This is also a good way to get bargains on things like meat or vegetables, where coupons are rarely an option.
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