There are several approaches we can take when it comes to purchasing groceries. Of course, there is no one right way to do it, but there certainly are several very wrong ways to do it. Here are some strategies that have worked for us.
Don’t impulse buy. Shopping while hungry and without a list is a recipe for disaster when it comes to your pocket book.
Do make a list and stick to it. Not only will your list help you buy only what you need, but it will help you avoid extra trips to the store for things you forgot the first time.
Don’t rely on coupons to save money. Even with double coupons, you often spend more by purchasing name brands than if you bought the generic. There are rare times where an item is on sale, you have a coupon, the store doubles it, and you actually save money on the deal. In general, however, it’s not a cost effective way to spend your time.
Do purchase generics. The quality on these products for the most part is excellent. Sometimes, they are even made by their name brand counterparts sitting right next to them on the counter for a much higher price.
Don’t go to seven different stores to get what you need, just because of the sales they have going at the time. More stores mean more gas, more time, and more opportunities for unnecessary impulse purchases.
Do scan the weekly ads to choose one or two stores that have the best prices on what you really need to purchase this week. If there is a really excellent deal, be sure to stock up as long as you have room to store it, and you know you’ll use it.
Don’t assume buying in bulk saves you money. Always check the unit price to see if you are really saving anything. Also, make sure you’ll use a large amount of whatever you are buying. You’re not saving anything if you throw most of the product away.
Do remember that how much you save at the store is irrelevant. All that really matters is how much you spend.
Have any other good grocery tips? Comment away!
Kroger always doubles coupons that are under 50 cents. Marsh triple couponed any coupon that was up to 60 cents a couple of weeks ago and I saved $55! I spent $30 that day for a cartload of groceries. Several items were free or cost less than a dollar that day. Also, I belong to an online group called Kraft First Taste. They send me coupons to try new products for free. I also use shortcuts.com Those are electronic coupons that are added to your Kroger card. So you can use a paper coupon and the electronic coupon on the same item. And in other food news, for those of you who eat out, the Zoobook is the best purchase ever. I bought it at the State Fair in August and saved $25 that weekend on food, immediately paying for the book. It's much better than the Entertainment Book.
ReplyDeleteI stopped clipping grocery coupons. I mostly live on fresh meat and produce (rarely any coupons for these), and the ads were encouraging me to buy newfangled stuff that wouldn't have occurred to me to notice before!
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