If you are a food lover (and who isn’t?) it can be tough not to buy every appetizing thing in sight at your local grocery store emporium. Even the most disciplined buyer can lose their financial cool at the grocery store. It can be very easy to surpass your weekly grocery budget with a single trip to your local supermarket. If you think you are spending too much on your grocery budget, here are some tips for staying financially fit.
Clip those coupons—and use them
Although they may not be sexy or cutting edge, coupons are still a great way to save on your grocery bill. Take advantage of those circulars and clip coupons on food and home items that you already use. Coupons are often used as a promotional tool to entice you to try new items. If you can get a good deal on an item you’ve never bought before, that’s great. But try to restrict yourself to items that already hold a space on your shopping list. You should also beware that many times coupons can help you save on name brand items only. Is the same item available as the generic store brand? Sometimes you can save more on your grocery bill by buying the store brand item rather than buying the name brand item with the coupon discount. Make sure you do a stringent price comparison before buying the name brand item.
Store brand items are usually just as good
Speaking of store brand items, did you know that they are almost always just as good as the name brand item? Store brands are held to the same quality standards as most of the other items on the shelves of your grocery store. Buying the store brand is an easy and effortless way to save money on a regular basis.
Shop at your local farmer’s market
Shopping at your local farmer’s market can be a great way to shop for fresh fruit and produce. Shopping at a farmer’s market is usually a great way to save money on fresh local produce, especially if you are lucky enough to live in an area with an abundance of farms, orchards and agriculture. Shopping at your local farmer’s market is also eco-friendly because the food travelled less distance to get to you, thus saving on fuel. This can be a wonderful opportunity to get to know your local growers.
To save money, buy in bulk
Buying in bulk can be a great way to stay financially fit and save money. If you have the space and money to buy in bulk, this can be a great way to save money on your grocery bill and save time as well. Be sure you are buying things you truly need and will use. It can be tempting to buy a four-pack of kitchen napkins if you see them on sale, but if you know that you probably don’t need that many napkins and don’t have the storage space, it’s probably better to opt for your usual buy. Of course, there are certain products that all of us can stock up on safely. Toilet paper, laundry detergent, soap and other essentials are safe bets when it comes to buying in bulk. Make sure that you don’t buy anything that will go bad within two weeks.
Consider a co-op membership or your wholesale big box store
If you have a local co-op store or wholesale store in your area, you may want to consider buying a membership. A co-op membership means that you have access to a wide variety of natural products and local organic produce. When you pay your member fees, you are effectively buying into the co-op and becoming partial owner.
