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Groceries on a Budget
It’s not hard to slash your grocery bill with these money-saving supermarket tips and strategies.
The way prices are these days, who hasn’t had the experience of walking out of the supermarket with just a couple bags of groceries, but a receipt showing that you spent more than a hundred dollars? With some money-saving supermarket tips and strategies, you can slash that grocery bill and still have plenty of delicious food to feed your family.
Make a list: Be prepared! Before you even walk into the store, have a list of what you need to buy—and then stick to it. Don’t be tempted to add this or that other delicious-looking impulse buy to your cart. (Hint: It’s easier to bypass those tempting come-ons if you’re not hungry, so consider having a small snack before leaving the house.)
But be flexible with that list: If you had planned on pork chops, but there’s a great deal on chicken breasts, see if you can change your menu a bit to use the chicken.
Stick to the perimeter: As much as you can, stick to the perimeter of the store, where the fresh produce, meat, fish, bread, and dairy sections are. You want to keep purchases of expensive processed foods and convenience items (found in the inner aisles) to a minimum and focus on the less-processed (and cheaper) fresh foods on the outside.
But avoid prepared fresh foods: Steer clear of those “ready-to-cook” foods in the butcher and fish cases: You’ll pay a premium if you buy meat already cut into kebabs and skewered, or fish fillets that have been marinated. It’s cheaper—not to mention tastier—to season and prepare food yourself.
Watch for sales and bargains: This may seem like a no-brainer, but remember to look for sales on staples with long shelf lives (think: cereal, pasta, dried fruit, canned goods, paper goods, cleaning supplies) and stock up. And if you have the freezer space, don’t pass by those deals on “family-size” packages of freezer-friendly food like chicken legs, salmon fillets, and ground beef.
Shop a warehouse store: If you have extra pantry space and a freezer in the basement, you’ll want to join one of the warehouse stores (such as Costco, BJ’s, Sam’s Club) where you can save plenty by buying in bulk. Just keep these tips in mind:
• Get familiar with the store layout. Some stores can be huge and wandering all over the store looking for what you need can waste a lot of time.
• Buying in bulk can be seductive, so make sure you actually will use all the goods you are buying. A case of tomato paste is no bargain if you only use one can a year.
• If you're short on space at home, share a portion of your purchases with a friend so you can both take advantage of the savings on quantities you have room to store.
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