Table of Contents
· Planning Your Grocery List
· Effective Ways to Save Money
· Using In-Store Ads for Steals
· When to Buy in Bulk
· Benefits of Seasonal Shopping
· Using Digital Tools for Smart Shopping
Planning Grocery List
Making an exact list beforehand could save you from impulse buying and distraction by clever displays. In fact, studies show that once thought out, a list can actually trim up to 23% off your grocery bill. By using a tool like a weekly grocery ad, it’s pretty easy to plot out what you’ll buy based on what’s on sale to make sure you’re saving in the biggest possible way.
Start off with an inventory of what you already have in the house, because most likely you will already have some pantry staples, and you won’t want to purchase duplicates and discard food. Next, map out your meals for the week, writing down all of the ingredients you will need. For ease, plan dinners first and expand to include lunches, breakfasts, and snacks. It takes a little time to get used to, but the more times you do it, the faster and easier it becomes. You also can make things easier for yourself by organizing your list into categories based on where items are located in the store: produce, dairy products, meats, etc.
Effective Ways to Save Money
Savvy shoppers make use of coupons, shop during sales or special offers, and price-match. In due time, these little steps will grow into significant amounts of heavy savings. Many times you catch sight of the best items that are on discount regarding staple items and special promotional items that would help you in planning what to buy and at what time. Another excellent advice is to purchase store brands, where possible. Most of these are as good as name brands but come at a fraction of the cost. Use a reward credit card that gives cashback or points with grocery purchases. Just remember to pay off the card balance each month so that you are not charged interest. Take full advantage of loyalty programs from the grocery stores themselves.
Most of these programs offer additional savings and benefits such as personal coupons and discounts according to your shopping trends.
Using In-Store Ads for Steals
The price guidance and the exposure to hidden discounts are facilitated by utilizing weekly ads. These store ads show where you get the best bargains of staple items and special promotions, making advance purchases a worthy asset. Make it your practice to go through the weekly ads of your favorite stores before planning your grocery trip. With this, you can find where the best discounts are and prepare your meals with those in mind.
One great way to incorporate the deals from the store ads is by meal planning, based on sale items. For example, if chicken breasts are on sale, you might want to cook chicken-based meals for the week. This ensures that you are getting the best value for money yet enjoying your variety of meals.
Many grocery stores rotate sales on particular items, meaning that if there is something you can stock up on, you should do it during its sale time.
When to Buy in Bulk
Buying in bulk may be economical, but one has to know just when it saves money. Items like grains, canned goods, and cleaning supplies are generally better bought in bulk. However, perishable items should be handled with care to avoid being wasted. Consider how much storage room one has before bulk buying, lest the lack of it can render goods to spoil without one reaping any money value from them.
Items like rice, pasta, and beans will be staples, generally don’t spoil easily, and can be purchased in bulk. They are also more inexpensive when bought this way. Produce and dairy products can go bad before you are able to use them, thus eliminating any discount you would have set aside. Be sure that you have adequate storage or room for the items – especially dry and canned goods – to take advantage of a longer expiration date.
Benefits of Seasonal Shopping
Shopping for fruits and vegetables that are in season will not only help you support sustainability, but it can also allow you to save some money. Items that are in season are fresher, taste better, and generally cheaper because supply is so plentiful. Eating seasonally often promotes a varied diet that contributes to good health. Produce is sometimes more nutritious because it is picked at its peak ripeness for better flavor and higher nutrient content. This would make shopping more fun and budget-friendly if one meal-planned their meals based on seasonal produce. For instance, berries and melons are best in spring and summer, while carrots and potatoes are tastier in fall and winter. Farmers’ markets are fine sources of fresh and seasonal produce, often quite competitive to grocery store prices. Supporting local farmers also helps give back to the community and sustains less harming agricultural practices.
Using Digital Tools to Boost Efficient Shopping
The invention of different kinds of apps now allows you to track the prices of items for creating lists, finding deals, and so on in a digitized world. Price comparison apps and coupon aggregators can be used to make the process of shopping that much smoother while helping to get more bang for your buck. Examples are Flipp, Ibotta, and Honey, which will let you compare prices between stores, find digital coupons, and get cashback on purchases. Many chain grocery stores have now developed their own apps, complete with integrated shopping lists and store-specific coupons, to make finding the best deals easier than ever. Even beyond that, apps offering cashback on grocery purchases can further enhance your savings. Such apps pride themselves on offering personal discounts based on your shopping habits, where you can save on the things you buy most frequently. Keeping yourself abreast of state-of-the-art technology will reduce your grocery budget or make shopping easier.
