Save Money on your shopping bills

One universal of humanity, no matter who you are or where you come from, you have to eat. Unless you grow your own food, you will have to go to the grocery store to get it. That means money. Here are some very simple but highly effective methods for saving money on the food you buy.

Coupons

While you can find them everywhere, people rarely use coupons. If you are one of those people who does not use coupons, this phrase may change your mind. Free money. That’s exactly what coupons are, free money. If someone were to put money in your hand, no matter how small the amount, you wouldn’t throw it in the trash. That is exactly what takes place when you throw away coupons for things you buy; you throw away free money that the manufacturer gives you for buying their product. That $0.30 here and $1.00 there starts to add up.

Plan Your Meals

It sounds like it is unrelated to saving money on groceries but planning you meals for the week goes a long way toward helping you in this area. When you have a specific plan for what will be eaten each day, you can avoid falling into the trap of buying food that no one eats. Planning your meals does not have to be complicated. It can be as simple as saying, “Monday – Chicken and pasta”. From there, you know what to buy and are less likely to be tempted to stray from you money saving plan.

If your concerned about saving money while shopping for food at the super market, there are a few simple tricks that can help. First, always make a shopping list before you leave to the store. If you stick to your list, you will avoid buying those impulse items that look appealing while you are shopping. Make your list based on discounts in stores and stock up, this way you will avoid paying extra for food that you might need in a hurry. Experts also recommend that you shop the perimeter of the store first because this is typically where necessity foods are located such as fruits and veggies, meats, dairy and breads. The aisles are where you find things such as junk food and condiments which you are less likely to over purchase once your cart is full of other foods.

Supermarkets also like to trick you into buying pricier items by placing expensive brand names at eye level which makes you more apt to purchase them. They also place items that are appealing to kids at kids eye level, so watch out for this too. Next time, instead of buying the first item you see, look at the whole length of the aisle and you will find other brands which are cheaper, and of the same quality.

Any smart shopper will always go to the store on a full stomach. Shoppers who are hungry enter the supermarket and smell fresh bread and meats are more apt to shop impulsively. You should also leave your kids at home, because they will only egg you on to buy more goodies to please them that you wouldn’t ordinarily buy. Another great tip would be to go grocery shopping with cash. If you have a limited amount of money to spend, you won’t be tempted to over shop with the help of an ATM card or credit card.

By following these simple rules you should be able to cut down on your monthly shopping bill. Remember to keep an eye out for coupons in the newspaper and flyers and to shop around at different stores that have better prices for different items. After this, it should be smooth sailing.