There is never a question if you want to save money, the answer is always yes. Of course, doing so in the state of our economy is no easy feat. Being armed with a little knowledge on tips of how to save money, can pay off dividends in the future. Most of us can cut costs on everyday expenses without making any major life style changes, you just have to know how and where to look to save money.
Cutting costs on grocery shopping is an easy way to save money, without having to go without. Here are some tips that you can use to achieve this:
-Coupons, with a warning-Using coupons is a simple way to save a lot of money on your weekly (or more) shopping trips. The Sunday news paper is usually full of coupons. You can also join free coupon sites on the internet like CoolSavings. Do a search for your favorite name brand products and most of the time; you can receive free coupons for signing up with their newsletters. Stores weekly flyers will also tell you the weekly specials as well as have coupons. Here is where the warning comes in, do not get roped in to buying a product simply because you have a coupon. If you usually do not use a product, it is a good chance you do not need to cut out that coupon. If you only utilize coupons for the products you use on regular bases it can save you a lot of money, but buy everything that you have a coupon for and you will end up spending more in the end.
-Be a comparative shopper-This should be one of your number one goals while shopping. Even if you have a coupon, if another brand is cheaper, then obviously buy the cheaper brand. Look at the weight volume, one item may cost $1.25 but have 8oz less then the $1.35 product. Scan the weekly flyers, shop at the store that has more of the items you need on sale.
-Make a list-One of my largest pitfalls was not making a list when I went shopping, I always ended up with duplicate items, and more things then I really needed. Meal plan for the week, search your pantry and fridge, and make a list of what you are missing, buy only those items. Make sure you ask family members before you go if they need anything, to avoid repeat trips that always add up to more useless items being purchased.
-Sign up for rewards-A lot of grocery stores have rewards cards, which allow you to earn special savings. Even if it is a store that you do not normally shop at, sign up anyways it is free and could save you money later on down the road. Look for the grocery stores that offer double and triple coupons to get the most out of the coupons you do cut.
-Generics are just as good-For most things the generic brand is just as great quality as the more expensive name brands. Check the ingredient lists and compare if you are unsure. The generic brand will usually be upwards of $1 cheaper (depending on the item). Store brands and generic companies also keep up on the latest trends, if a new item comes out that you love, it is a pretty safe bet there will be a generic brand coming out within a few weeks.
-Try using fresh meats-Freezing meat is great when there is a large meat sale, but it can end up biting you if you are not careful. First find out how long the meat is good for after you freeze it, date all of your packages and keep the oldest ones in front to be used first. This is where I got in trouble, I would forget to take something out of the freezer to make for dinner so I would stop for fast food or go to the store to buy meat to cook up. Then once I was cleaning out my freezer I had to throw away a lot of unused meats. If you have fresh meat in your fridge, you know it is there to cook up, and you will be inclined to use it before it spoils. On that note, make sure you always check the dates, and get the ones that will still be fresh several days later.
-Never shop hungry-I know everyone says it, but it bears repeating. Everything looks and smells so good when you are starving. This will always lead to more impulse buys.
-Set a budget-Set a food budget and stick to it. I actually take the money out of my account and pay with cash; it is so easy to overspend when you swipe a card. You are less likely to make impulse buys when you are extremely aware of the money you are spending.
-And finally, Know your store-Shopping at a new grocery store can actually cost you money. In a store you are familiar with, you know where everything is so you can go to the exact isle you need. If you do not know the store you must cruise every isle and you will be more inclined to purchase excess items.
-These are just a few ways to cut costs on something so simple as grocery shopping. Being a continence shopper can pay off dividends.
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