Once a week, or twice a week you get to do your grocery and yes it’s sometimes a little bit stressful when budget is involved in the process. Luckily, I have compiled 10 Money Saving Grocery Hacks that you can use on your next trip to the grocery.
1. Buy a larger cut of meat then have the butcher trim it for you – It would save you money if you buy a bigger cut of meat and let your butcher do the trimming for you. It’s way cheaper than getting ready-cut meat.
2. Start shopping in the middle of the store – It is said that stores normally put the produce upfront because of the vibrant and enticing colors. You need to start at the middle of the store where boxes and cans are located.
3. Don’t be afraid to use coupons – Coupons were created for a reason and that is to help you save extra dollars. (related post: Reduce Paper Clutter)
4. Look shelves up and down – It is said that eye level products are the priciest so you also need to check the bottom or higher shelves for cheaper options.
5. Don’t do grocery when you’re hungry – What happens if you do? You tend to buy things out of your grocery list and you will definitely break your budget.
6. Stay away from Pre-prepared food – If you can do it yourself then don’t go and buy them. They cost way more expensive than getting them directly from produce and doing it yourself.
7. Consider having your own herb garden – If you use herbs a lot then instead of buying them, grow your own. The cost of growing your own is cheaper than buying them.
8. Listen to your own playlist – Studies show that stores play slow music so customers would walk slowly through aisles. When you walk slowly you tend to look at shelves and go on impulse buying.
9. Don’t feel the need to fill up your cart – Stick with your grocery list. If you have a short list then use a basket. You don’t need to feel guilty if your cart or basket is half full. Just stick with your list.
10. Spend time to plan your grocery list – It is crucial to have a grocery list because you can easily identify the key items you need to buy. This would reduce your impulsive buying plus you can have a quick estimate on how much your grocery for the week would cost.
References:
TheKitchn.com
Huffingtonpost.com
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I would love to hear from you! What other hacks do you do in order to save money while doing grocery?
Hit me up on the comments below!
Elaine Fernando is a Professional Organizer, a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and a member of APPO (Association of Personal Photo Organizers). Elaine may be reached at 908-630-8995 or [email protected]
