Marie Loiseau | On August 28, 2015
Entering the real world means doing your own grocery shopping. This is a new concept to many and can become expensive if done without prep or planning. Your first tip, which I’m sure you’ve heard before, is to avoid grocery shopping when starving.
But there are other tricks, too. Some additional ways to save include:Sign up for the store bonus card.
Almost every grocery store offers some membership or discount store card, allowing shoppers to tap into the main pool of deals. Obtaining such a card is usually a five to ten minute process, completed at the store’s customer service desk. Give your name, address, etc., and in exchange the store will give you a card to scan at every checkout. The discounts are typically displayed below individual products throughout the store. Keep your card in your wallet or on your keys, so you won’t forget it.
Prepare a list in advance.
Know what you want before you walk into the store. This will keep you from going on a wild, impulsive shopping spree that ends with only a ton of junk food, like Doritos and Moose Tracks. Make a list and stick to it.
Buy sale items in bulk.
If you have a favorite item, one you find yourself buying every single week at the grocery store, consider buying in bulk. This could mean going along with a friend to Costco and buying the store’s biggest pack of toilet paper, almond milk or crackers. This could also mean taking advantage of super sales at your own grocery store.
For example, if you buy a certain cereal each week, and there’s an incredible sale, consider buying multiple packages. Don’t buy in bulk for perishables that you won’t eat in time and can’t freeze.Buy frozen produce.
Speaking of freezing things, buying frozen is the way to go. The products will last so much longer, and they’ll cost less, too. I buy frozen strawberries for my smoothies and frozen broccoli for my stir-fry. There’s minimal (if any) taste difference and they keep for months in the freezer. If fresh produce is on sale, I’ll buy that and then store it in my freezer when I get home.
Check for brand coupons online.
If you have any brand loyalty at all, check online for coupons. While generally I have very little consideration for brands, I use coupons for my specific brand of dog food whenever it’s time for me to buy more. You can knock off a few dollars, which is better than no savings at all.
Think of meals before buying perishables.
As you are drawing up that grocery list, think about the meals you’ll be making. Buying a few apples and bananas for breakfast is one thing, but blindly buying garlic or cauliflower or pork shoulder—without any meal plan in the future—can lead to items going bad. Only buy perishables you know you’ll eat.
Buy items from the back of the shelf.
When it comes to bags of lettuce, milk or eggs, reach for the bags or cartons toward the back of the shelf or display. The ones in the rear (or farthest out of reach) are the ones most recently added to the shelf or, in other words, the fresher options. It may make no difference, but sometimes the expiration dates are a few days or even weeks after the items in the very front. The fresher the item is when you buy it, the longer it will keep in your refrigerator at home.
Give the generic brand a try.
Generic brands often get a bad rep. In reality, many generic items have the same ingredients (and thus very similar flavor) as the main brand (and more expensive) varieties. Give the generic a try, whether it’s a food, cleaning product, drink or something else. If it doesn’t work out, don’t ever buy it again.
Check for expiration date, package tears or broken eggs.
Too many times I’ve left the store only to go home and discover my milk is out of date, one of my eggs is shattered or an important seal has been broken. You can usually bring these items back and return them (with a receipt), but it’s easier to just not buy spoiled or broken products. Check before buying to save money and frustration.
Don’t buy more than one if you’re not sure you’ll like it.
A really great deal may tempt you to buy fifteen of a single product. But if you’ve never tried it before, hold off. Buy only one to start. You may get home and discover that, despite the great price, you hate that particular item. It’d be a shame to waste any money on something that won’t get consumed.
And there you have it. You can now tackle the grocery store with confidence, and leave with more money in your wallet.
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