Money-Saving Tips - Part 2 - Groceries

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No one will deny that it's a pain in the wallet to go grocery shopping these days. Here are some tips for getting the most for your money. You may have heard of these before; but it doesn't hurt to repeat them! GROCERIES *Never go grocery shopping without a list and stick to it. Wandering aimlessly around the store will tempt you to buy something you don't need. *Join the reward or loyalty program at your store. Ours offers a % off groceries or fuel perks (reduced price at the pump). *Clip coupons and/or use eCoupons. *Shop from the sales flyers. Instead of planning meals and then shopping for ingredients, plan your meals based on what's on sale that week. You'll save a lot more money that way. *Check the fridge, pantry and freezer before putting an item on your list. Buying duplicates just wastes money unless there's a huge sale on that item and you know it will get used up. *Don't shop when you're hungry. It's too tempting to put unneeded snacks, etc. in your cart. *Use a calculator to keep track of your spending. Round out prices as you shop to get a nice surprise of a lower bill at the checkout. *Check unit prices. That "bargain size" package may not be the best buy. *Read labels. Try to avoid items that are high in sodium, fat or a lot of preservatives. *Avoid pre-packaged items. That cut-up fruit or appetizer platter is loaded with extra cost. The same goes for meats like beef stew. Instead, trim and cut up a chuck roast instead of buying the beef stew meat already processed. *If you find yourself throwing out fresh produce at the end of the week, consider buying frozen or canned vegetables and fruit. *What about warehouse memberships like Costco or Sam's Club? Memberships are not cheap. Don't get one unless you can shop there on a regular basis and can use large quantities of items. As always, check unit pricing. Watch out for coupons offering discount membership pricing via direct mail or in magazines. **SHOP GENERIC. I stress this one because you can save a bundle by buying generic items. There are still a few items where we prefer brand names; but we purchase generic items whenever we can. For example, buying Morton Salt will cost you about 62% more than a generic salt. Pharmaceuticals is another area (supplements, vitamins, eye drops, bandaids, etc.) in which we save a lot. *Look up and down. Stores usually stock higher priced items at eye level. Look for generic items on the higher or lower shelves. *Shop in season produce. Prices should be lower. *Are you too tempted when in the store? Shop online and pick up your groceries at the curbside pickup. *Limit your grocery shopping trips. Try and get EVERYTHING you need on a trip. Otherwise you will go to the store again for that one item and be tempted to pick up items that you don't need. *Meat is expensive. Try a Meatless Monday once and a while. Mac and cheese with a couple of veggies is one example for a meal. *Use your credit card wisely. If you get cash back at grocery stores, pay by credit card; but be sure to pay the whole bill when it comes in. *Use rebate apps like Ibotta and Rakuten. *And last, but not least, use up what you buy. There's nothing worse than having to throw out food. @TheSojourner was great at showing us how to do this. What tips do you have? Photo Credit: Pixabay