Couponing! I have to confess I have done my fair share of coupon cutting, and it just has never worked for me. It takes too long to cut through all of the papers and then I end up eating nothing but Cheerios for the next month. I have a simple five step process that can help you save money on your groceries without cutting out a single coupon.
Know your budget
- If you don't have to keep to a budget, then does it really matter if you spend a little more on groceries? The first step is to look at your monthly income, then determine how much you can afford to spend on groceries. Once you know your allocated "food" amount, you make sure your grocery list fits inside your budget.
Look up prices
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It's worth it to take 15 minutes before shopping to look up the weekly ads of nearby grocery stores. Once you know the location of the cheapest products you can either:
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Go to those stores with the cheapest products or,
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Write down those prices and go to Wal-Mart to price match.
Plan your meals
- If the meals are planned, you can limit purchases to the groceries you will use, and you will not have food go to waste. This also eliminates the random shopping runs because you will already have all of the ingredients you need for your weekly meals.
Make a list
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If you know what you plan on buying at the store, then you are less likely to spend money on other things you don't need.
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Stick to your list - those unnecessary groceries can really add up!
Buy store brand products
- Often the store brands are just as good, or even better, than the name brand products, but the store brands are a lot less expensive!
If you follow these tips, you will be a super saver in no time!!
Everyone can learn how to save money during grocery shopping. It just takes a little bit of self control, some good weekly deals, and delicious dinners on the menu to help your shopping experience become less stressful and more efficient!
