Supermarkets are designed to seduce consumers like us into spending more than we want to.
After all, everyone needs to shop for food, soap, toiletries and so on. But with a little bit of planning and budgeting, you can slash your grocery budget and save money. Here’s how:
Tips to Save Money on Groceries
1. Walk straight to the shelves that stack the goods you want. When you walk down the entire aisle, you get tempted to look around at the other things which you don’t want at all.
2. Remember to make a list before you go and moreover, write it when you are not rushed for time. The absence of a list will compel you to indulge in guesswork and you often end up buying extra things – or forgetting the important ones.
3. Look high and low on shelf for all the latest products. Most profitable goods are placed on eye level as this is where most consumers tend to focus. These goods are invariably the most expensive!
4. The word ‘SALE’ or ‘DISCOUNT’ lures consumers magically but there are often other products at cheaper prices than even the ‘sale’ ones. Buy only after you’ve had a look.
5. Choose a smaller trolley if the shopping list is short. Wheeling a larger trolley than you require entices you to spend more as you have more space available to fill up! Better still, take the basket instead.
6. Examine cheaper brands. Most of us tend to fall under the spell called ‘Brand hypnosis’. Just because a product is pricier does not mean that it’s better – it may simply mean that the company likes to make larger profits!
7. Avoid browsing near products that you don’t need. The attractive packaging lures consumers to ‘just see’ what the new product is about.
8. Never shop for groceries when you are bored or hungry. You will end up spending much more than you need to. Go for grocery-shopping only if you are running out of groceries at home.
9. As far as possible, try and keep a specific day of the week for grocery shopping. Make it a planned and organised activity as opposed to an ad-hoc spur-of-the-moment whim.
10. Always check the shelves at home before going for shopping. This way you are aware of what you need and what you have enough of.
Grocery shopping can be a money-saving endeavour and you can curb wastage by following the useful tips listed above.
Stock up on dry groceries when there is a special. Get rewards cards for every store. Active your banks rewards if they have. If your company has a canteen of which the prices are not too bad, you can purchase meals and eat it for dinner. Toasted ham, cheese and tomato makes with coffee also makes for a good meal. If you spend too much at a shop and don’t have discipline, take the amount in cash only and leave your wallet home. Use your phone calculator while you shop. Make space in your garage and make a stockpile for toilet paper and cleaning products. Have meatless Monday’s . If you have small children, shop online, even with the delivery charge it will still be cheaper than buying toys and sweets with every shopping.