Families are struggling with making ends meet and paying the bills. Saving money by becoming a super shopper can help families do this. It may seem overwhelming at first, but all families can cut back in the area of grocery shopping.
Plan Ahead: Saving Money When Purchasing Groceries
Families can save money when purchasing groceries in many ways. When a family plans ahead, it makes it easier to save time and money when shopping for groceries. Listed below are some ways that families can plan ahead and save money when purchasing groceries:
- Decide what the grocery budget amount will be.
- Decide which items will be paid for through the grocery budget.
- Determine what to do with the money saved from lowering the family's grocery expenses. According to Mary Ostyn, author of Family Feasts for $75 a Week (Oxmour House, Inc., 2009), this will provide a goal and reminder of what the family's overall goal is.
- Plan ahead meals in a menu format.
- Include all main meals, snacks, and deserts in the menu.
- Either use handwritten menus or a website (i.e. Living a Better Life and The Home School Mom) to develop the menu.
- Develop a menu based on what is currently on-hand at home and what is on sale.
- Sign up for store specials on the store's website address; sometimes a family can receive additional coupons or find out about great deals.
- Clip coupons from a local newspaper, Internet site, etc.
- Check the Internet for grocery or store ads (sometimes there are additional ads or ads posted only on the Internet).
- Write a grocery list before going to the store and stick with it (some grocery stores provide a feature that will allow families to develop and print a shopping list on the Internet).
- Place grocery list with coupons attached to it in a purse or billfold prior to going to the store.
Helpful Tips: Saving Money to Become a Super Grocery Shopper
There are many ways to save money so that a family can become super grocery shoppers. Listed below are some tips on how a family can become a super shopper and save a family some money:
- Use coupons at the store.
- Purchase items when they are on sale and have a coupon for that item (make sure to stock up on those items).
- Shop at a variety of stores (discount stores, ethnic food stores, grocery stores, hardware stores with grocery departments, gas stations, bread outlets, etc).
- Find out from store employees when certain items are placed on clearance (i.e. bread, bakery items, meat, etc).
- Check expiration dates on all perishable items.
- Check with store staff about which items can be frozen and for how long (i.e. bread, cheese, meat)
- Take coupon organizer to the store.
- Be flexible.
- Shop at a wholesale warehouse such as Sam's Clubm or Costco.
- Shop with another family at a wholesale warehouse to split costs on grocery purchases and sometimes an annual membership.
- Try to shop during "dead times" (i.e. during the weekday, early morning, late at night).
Saving money on groceries should not have to be a difficult task or feel like another chore. Taking the time to plan ahead and use some new approaches not only will help a family out and save them money, but it will also allow them to become super shoppers.
Tracy Criswell - Tracy Criswell is a stay-at-home mother of four, ages two to nine. Prior to becoming a stay-at-home mother over a year ago, she was a ...
