|
|
Ways to Slash your Food and grocery Bill-Part 1Jul 27 '00 Write an essay on this topic.When I was in college I had to learn the value of a penny and how to stretch it! I started by cutting costs at the grocery store, and I have found that many of the things I do weekly have helped me save a lot of money over the years. I am amazed that the grocery stores main objective when you enter their store is to separate you from as much of your money as possible everytime you set foot in their store. They have spent millions of dollars doing research and consumer testing to stack the cards against us as consumers. Every element of a grocery store is strategically mapped out to encourage as much impulse buying as possible. If you notice staple items that are needed by most individuals are located throughout the store so that you have to walk the entire store, and they are in hopes that a few more items will catch your eye and be placed in your cart. So, with that in mind let's start saving money with these simple tips: Go Shopping Once a Week Impulse buying is the enemy, so it only makes sense to limit the number of times we place ourselves in front of temptation. Not to mention that you waste your time and gas money to travel to the store for a few items at a time. If you tend to eat a lot of perishable items then it is hard to go to the store only once a week. But, remember to do the bulk of your shopping in one trip and on subsequent trips go directly to the item that you are intending to buy and once you have gotten the item you entered the store for...head for the check out and get out of there! Shop By Yourself The next time you go to the grocery store watch couples as they walk along. You will notice that most of the time the lady will be following her list and placing only those items in the cart. Her partner on the other hand is reading labels, roaming the aisles, and slipping a few items here and there into the cart. Children are also bad at adding things to your cart and are sometimes harder to say no to. "But Mommy I have to have it I just saw it on TV and is supposed to be G-R-E-E-A-T!" Bend and Stretch Okay..I know you did not come to the grocery store to do your weekly workout but you will find that if you look above and below eye level you may find better buys. All to often the bottom shelf contains these items that cost less. Keep in mind those individuals who stock the shelf do not like bending over any more than we do...so, the faster moving items are placed in an easy to replace area and that is eye level. Do Not Shop When Hungry Eat before you leave to go shopping! We have all heard of this one, but I guarantee that if you go shopping on a full stomach you will be less likely to buy foods impulsively. Start With a List If you want to save money then you must make a list and stick to it...no way around it! One way to make your grocery list more efficient is to write your list in the order you will find them as you are in the grocery store. For instance in my grocery store the produce is first and the milk is last so that is how I would write them on my list. This will help you keep to those items on the list and you will not waste time trying to scan your entire list at each aisle and should make grocery shopping quicker and more efficient. So, to avoid impulse buying never shop without a grocery list. Buy Seasonally You can buy just about any item at any time of the year these days but remember that when an item is out of season the price is also. So, if you love watermelon then eat it when it is in season because at any other time you are paying too much! Buy Seasonal Items and Freeze Them If you love berries for instance then when they are in season buy a few extra pints and freeze them. It is simple to do. Just simply wash the berries, dry them, place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer, and when they are completely frozen place them in a ziploc baggy! Buy Generic If you buy generic you can save lots of money each week. The problem is that all of us like the taste of quality name brand products. So, keep this in mind when thinking about generic verses name brand. Some generic foods taste just as good as the name brand foods. So, buy one can or one box of cereal and try it. If you like it then great. If not, then stick with the brand you prefer and try to save in other ways. Watch prices at the Check-out Prices at a grocery store change each and everyday. So, be sure that the price you are willing to to pay is the price you are indeed paying. So, if an item rings up incorrectly speak up immediately. Some stores even give you a free item or a few dollars off if an item rings up incorrectly! Coupons The verdict is still out on coupons and can be debated. Some people feel that coupons take too much time and that all too often all the coupon is enabling a person to do is to buy a lot of products that he or she probably would never buy. Nevertheless, I feel coupons can save you hundreds of dollars a year. Be sure to take advantage of those stores that offer double coupons and look at all the weekly sales ads to get the best prices on items. Often stores will meet or beat prices so take those sale ads with you. Refund Offers Well we all know that refunds are often time consuming and a pain but remember this the next time you see a refund: Coupons you redeem at a store save you money and refunds offer you cash. Refunding really does make sense. I can honestly say that my husband and I got 1,000 of items free last year because of refunds! (Some items we never had any intention of using but sold at a garage sale and converted that free item to cold hard cash!) Shop at a Thrift Shop for Bakery Items You will find that the day old bread at a thrift store is 40 to 50 percent cheaper than retail prices. You will also find things like buns, cookies, snacks, and muffins! I am not asking you to buy stale bread. But step foot in a bakery thrift shop and you will save many and get quality products...I promise! This should be enough to get you started at saving at the grocery store, but stay tuned for Part 2. Get going, what are you waiting for! Let's go save some money!  |
| Read all comments (4)|Write your own comment |
|
Ads by Google
|
