Is your grocery bill growing faster than your kids? With skyrocketing prices, if your family is like most, it probably seems like it. Don't worry. If you're having this problem in your house, there are ways you can re-gain control of your grocery bill. Follow these Do's and Don'ts to discover how to save money on groceries.
Do's and Don'ts to Help Save Money on Groceries
Do's
Do plan ahead. One of the biggest grocery budget busters is going to the store without a game plan. Before you ever leave the house, take time to sit down and plan what your family will be eating that week. Fill out a weekly menu and stick to it.
Do buy only the items on your list. Let me repeat -- stick to your list. It doesn't do any good if you get to the store and buy extra items.
Do buy the store brands. Give the store brand a try. You'll find the majority are just as good as name brands. If you find it isn't quite up to par you can always go back to your favorite name brand.
Do clip coupons for items that your family uses regularly.
Do compare prices between grocery stores. Many stores will honor or meet the sale price of items of their competitors. By doing this, you will not only get the lowest price, but you'll also save yourself time by not running from store to store.
Do check the discount bins. Most grocery stores have bins where they place items that are close to expiration. If you don't see one, ask the manager. Sometimes they will have it close to the back of the store and you can easily miss it.
Do shop early. Grocery stores will often discount the meat that didn't sell the day before. There's nothing wrong with it, it is just one day older. However, to get these great buys, you have to be there bright and early.
Do shop at discount or warehouse grocery stores. Just about every city has one of these. If your town is on the small side, you may have to visit a nearby large city. These stores carry food that was overstocked at chain stores or have been discontinued. You'll probably have to bag your own groceries, but the savings is worth the extra work.
Dont's
Don't buy the large size without comparing prices. At one time, it was always cheaper to buy the large "economy" size, but the large corporations caught on to this shopping strategy and now it is usually cheaper to buy the smaller sizes.
Don't buy at shopping clubs without checking the price at your local grocery store first. Customers go into shopping clubs with the mindset that everything is going to be cheaper -- not so.
Don't shop when you're in a hurry. This leads to grabbing whatever is the easiest to get to and you'll end up spending more money on less healthy food choices.
Don't shop when you're hungry. When you're hungry -- everything looks good! Make sure you eat at least a snack before you leave the house.
Don't impulse buy. Resist the urge to pick up items that aren't on your list. You know -- the one you made before you left the house and that you're going to stick to.
Don't clip coupons for expensive name brands. Many times, it is cheaper to buy the store brand than to bother clipping coupons.
By following the Do's and Don'ts listed above, you can easily shave off dollars from your food bill. Start by adding one to two of these tips to your grocery shopping each week. By doing this, you'll be able to save money on groceries.
