Grocery Shopping

Let’s discuss a bit about grocery shopping, especially in the area we live. Have you ever noticed that some of the same stores have different pricing on some things at their different locations? This is due to the economics of the neighborhood they are in. Some even have $1 aisles? Of course you want to be careful and look and compare the labels and weights of the bargain foods to the brand names. Personally, I am careful to look where the product was made because of the problems there have been on the overseas items. The same holds true with the grocery items at the $1 stores.

Basic Grocery Shopping: Maybe you know many of these already, so think of this as a reminder. Grocery are one of your controllable costs. You can save a lot of money if you plan ahead and cook from scratch….besides it is a lot healthier.

· Do not go to the store when you are hungry, as you tend to pick up a lot more items than you need and are not as careful about the pricing. Hungry people seem to end up with a lot of unhealthy and fattening junk foods.
· Do not shop on a daily basis, as you will end up spending more, not only on groceries, but in gas and time.
· Take a list and stick to it! (A food budget is a good thing!) Do an inventory of what you actually need. Leave the husband and kids at home unless you can keep them from adding to the cart and budget.
· Get into the habit of developing a menu for the week and use the ads to give you ideas. If you have a menu you will not have to hang out with the fridge door open wondering what you are going to make for dinner and takes the stress out of what to make each night.
· Plan ahead for leftovers. Leftovers are great for making your lunch. Or for example, that roast beef will also work great for sandwiches for the next meal, or put in a stew etc. Taking a lunch is not only going to save you money, but you will be eating healthier. Put lunch together when cleaning up the kitchen.
· If you do not like leftovers, do not make more than you will eat or freeze them for later. Don’t let them sit in the fridge and throw them out later. Think about how much you are throwing out on a daily or weekly basis and how much it actually cost you. Portion control is a good thing, especially if you are trying to diet.
· Stock up on non perishable items when they are on sale……..YOU ALWAYS NEED TP!
· Try generic brands, just buy a can or two to try, you may find you like them as well as the name brands. If they are used in a recipe you probably won’t notice the difference.
· Coupons are only good deals if you actually use the product or just want to try them.
· Check out the short coded products, produce and meat for discounts.
· Many manufactures have cut down the product inside of the package, but the packaging stays the same size. Bigger is not always better…..some manufactures are charging more per ounce or serving size, so compare sizes of products.
· If you are serious and want to cut your grocery spending, make a price book to keep track of pricing, size, sale price, the date and store, then you know when you are really getting a good deal.
· Just because a product is in an ad, it does not always mean it is actually on sale!
· Use printable grocery lists for inventory and for shopping. If any of you would like my list done in excel.

Give it some thought. Saving money in one area gives you money for another. Budgeting and frugality will help you buy the things you really want and need without going into debt.

Please post your comments and any ideas you would like to add.