I found these tips and wanted to share. I’m
not the best at saving money, but these are easy enough to keep in mind when
shopping.
1.A Little Homework
Planning before you head off to the supermarket will help
you shop more economically. Take the time to do a quick inventory of your kitchen
to determine the food that you need. Prepare your shopping list and make
notations of applicable coupons that you may want to use. Go online and look at
the circulars for the best deals.
2.Know your Store
For basic grocery needs many grocery stores now offer excellent
product and price selection, frequent shoppers programs, and double coupon
days.
3.Eat First!
Who can resist the power of the sweet smell of freshly baked
bread. Just one sniff will ignite the appetite and send even the most hardened
shopper down the aisle grabbing for anything that looks good. Remember,
everything looks good when our stomachs are screaming, "feed me!"
4.Coupons, Rebates, and Frequent Shopper
Programs
You can save hundreds of dollars a year by taking advantage of
product incentives. Even the less enthusiastic coupon clipper can shave an
average of ten percent off their bottom line by cashing in a small handful of
coupons per trip. In addition, if your store offers a frequent shopper program,
why not sign-up! You will receive advanced notice of special loss leaders,
double-coupon days and other money saving information
..
5.Store Brands - Try it, You May Like it!
The days of generic type packaging and bland tasting food in
store brand products is over. Companies have worked hard to improve their
private-label brands and often the taste is equal to the national brands. Do
not be afraid to experiment. If you find the product meets your standards, you
can save an average of 40 percent off your annual grocery bill.
6.Setting Limits on Impulse Buying
A well thought out shopping list that you stick to will help
cut-down on grabbing for things that you do not need. Setting a dollar limit
for impulse buying will help soothe the craving without busting the budget.
Make a list online and bring it with you to the store.
7.Comparison Shopping
To determine the true value of a product, read the unit price, not just
package price. The unit price information is usually on a sticker located on
the shelf that holds the item. The package price only tells you the cost of the
entire item. The unit price shows the cost per pound, ounce, etc. Taking a
moment to compare this information in similar products will help you get the
best value for your dollar. Also, be certain to check "expiration"
and "use by" dates for the freshest products.
8. Be a Label Reader
Reading the product label is the best way to find out more then
what is advertised on the box. Ingredients are listed in order by the quantity
actually used when making the product. The ingredients used the most are listed
first. So for example, if you are looking for avocado dip you will want to see
avocadoes listed in the first part of the ingredient list, not the last part.
If you are looking to cut fat from your diet, watch being sold with words such
as lite or fat-free which have a broad usage allowance. By reading the label,
you can get a better idea of what the fat to calorie ratio is as well as other
valuable nutritional information.
