Saving money on your food bill entails more than just knowing which meals are good for your budget and your waistline. It also entails knowing how to make the most of your time in the supermarket in order to avoid overspending. Here are five suggestions for staying inside your budget’s spending limits at the store:
- Take a look at the fliers and stock up on coupons
- Make a to-do list
- Go shopping by yourself and get ready for your trip.
- Go shopping during a busy time.
Look at fliers
Every week, several grocery stores publish sales fliers that list which meals are on sale. It’s a good idea to glance through the circulars to see what’s on sale that week when you’re making your grocery list. If specific foods, such as canned or dried beans or frozen vegetables, are on sale for a reasonable price for one week, it can be worth stocking up on them.
Stock up on coupons for meals
When it comes to saving money on groceries, coupons can be a double-edged sword. You’re good to go if you can discover coupons for goods, you frequently purchase. However, many coupons are for things that you may not want to purchase or would not consider purchasing without the coupon. Cutting out or printing out coupons exclusively for goods you use frequently is the easiest way to go about couponing.
If you don’t need the item for which you have a coupon right away, one approach to get the most bang for your buck is to wait until the meal goes on sale. Simply keep an eye on the expiration date to ensure that you use it before it expires. Make a list of everything you want to do: When you go shopping with a list, you avoid buying stuff you don’t need, and that will throw your budget off. Using a list also reduces the likelihood of forgetting an item, reducing the likelihood of having to return to the store. The fewer trips to the grocery shop you make, the less likely you are to overspend.
Shop alone and prepare for your trip
Shopping with a spouse or children can be difficult, as can sticking to a budget and a list. Your children may request items that aren’t on the list or are out of your budget. Your children may add products to the shopping cart without your knowledge until you reach the checkout line.
When you go to the store alone, it’s much easier to stay focused and just buy the items on your list that you know you need. However, there’s still a risk you’ll be swayed by a discount item or a display of delectable-looking baked goodies in the store.
It’s a good idea to go shopping with a full stomach to avoid impulse purchases. Before going to the shop, eat a meal or a snack to make treats and snacks less appealing. You might want to listen to a podcast or music while shopping to avoid being sidetracked by a visually appealing in-store display.
Shop meals during a busy time
If you’ve ever tried to shop at a grocery store on a weekend afternoon, you know how difficult it can be. Stores are packed, lines are long, and the entire procedure takes longer during peak hours. You may become irritable or weary, making you more susceptible to impulse purchases.
When you go to the grocery store late at night or early on a weekday morning, on the other hand, the aisles are almost empty. You have more space to find what you’re looking for, and navigating the store takes significantly less time. The whole experience is usually far more enjoyable, and you spend less time in the store, which means you can go in and out without going over budget.
You can save money on meals if you understand the price tags.
There’s more to a grocery store price tag than just the selling price. The price tags displayed on the shelf beneath the item you’re buying not only tell you how much you’ll pay for it, but they also offer you an indication of how the price of a particular brand or product compares to similar things, which can help you stay to your food budget.
The retail price or the sale price is displayed on each tag. The unit price, which is how much an item costs per ounce, pound, or other units of measure, is also stated on the tags.
One option for Greek yogurt has a retail price of $0.80 for an 8-ounce container, according to the price tag. $0.10 per ounce is the unit cost. Greek yogurt, on the other hand, is $2.75 for a quart (32 ounces). $0.085 per ounce is the unit price. The quart-size container is more expensive overall, but it is less expensive per ounce.
When you need to buy a large quantity of something, understanding the difference in unit price can be useful. If you only need an 8-ounce container of yogurt, buying 32 ounces is a waste of money because the additional yogurt will rot. If you eat yogurt on a regular basis, however, the larger, less expensive container will be more cost-effective. If you eat yogurt on a regular basis, however, the larger, less expensive container will be a better deal.
