Here are 10 shopping tips to help you save money on your weekly grocery bill:
Tip 1. Always have a list — About 45% of people don’t regularly shop using a grocery list. So many folks go shopping and just buy random things or whatever they get enticed into purchasing, including more expensive stuff. Know what your family likes and eats so you don’t waste food and stick to your grocery list to avoid overspending.
Tip 2. Shop the store perimeter — that’s where you’ll typically find fresh produce, vegetables, fish, etc. The center aisles have all the packaged stuff that is more costly and frankly not as good for your health. Buying quality food saves money and boosts your health.
Tip 3. Cut back on convenience items – nix those paper towels, fabric softeners, and anything disposable. Think: reuse, recycle and reduce. So use cloths that you can wash and reuse, and don’t feel likely you have to buy a ton of specialty products to clean your house.
Tip 4. Chop it yourself – anything you buy in the store that’s already cut up for you and packaged is more expensive. That goes for fruit and vegetables, meats and more.
Tip 5. Start cooking from scratch — anything you can buy in a box, package or at a restaurant, you can make yourself. From pancakes to breads to falafels. You can make it yourself. Google it or watch YouTube videos.
Tip 6. Shop by unit price — comparison shop in the supermarket, looking at the price per pound, per ounce or per unit. Don’t assume that buying in bulk is always going to be cheaper. Take a calculator to be sure you’re getting the lowest unit cost.
How to Save $1,000 at the Grocery Store
Tip 7. Take inventory of what you already have — check your cabinets, pantry, under the counter and take stock of what you already have or can use to make another meal. Maybe you already have a can of tuna fish or a box of ziti. You might already have half the ingredients to a delicious meal.
Tip 8. Watch your portion sizes — Instead of making a whole bag of spaghetti for just one meal, make just half a box or just enough to serve you or anyone else in one meal.
Top 9: Rethink those condiment sizes — Yes, you typically will pay a little less of larger sized condiments from the same brand. However, is it worth saving a few cents per ounce if that ketchup sits in your fridge for over 6 months. Buy a smaller size.
Tip 10: Watch your waste — pay attention to what typically goes bad in your fridge and make a point to buy less than that amount next time. Even better, you may be better off not buying that item altogether. You might be buying that item out of shear habit.
Watch me deliver these and more tips in my interview on CNN Headline News.
