There isn’t anyone who doesn’t want to save money at the grocery store. Some ways take a lot of work and planning, other tips can be done quickly and with just a little work. Follow Ann’s tips below to help lower that grocery bill.
Smart Ways to Stretch Your Dollar at the Supermarket
By Ann Martin
We are all looking for ways to save money at the grocery store. Especially now with these recent hard economic times, every penny counts. Here are some tips and helpful suggestions on how to cut down your grocery bill.
Make a List – and stick to it. It may seem simple enough, but if you go to the supermarket without a list, it is very easy to pick up all those extras that you really do not need.
Shop Where the Sales Are – When making your list, compare supermarket circulars with one another and make sure you are getting the best deal on what you need to purchase.
Match Sales Up With Coupons – If you see an item on sale that you usually buy, make sure you have a coupon to use on that item to double your savings.
Speaking of Coupons – Thanks to the internet, there are no even more ways to save. Check your local grocery store online for printable coupons. There are even other websites, specifically designed for online grocery coupons. Check some of these sites out and see what savings you can find. Check the back of your receipts after check out. Sometimes there are additional coupons and savings on the back. When your receipt does print out after check out, don’t throw away those wades of paper the clerk hands to you. Supermarkets now print out additional coupons with your receipt based upon your purchases. See if you use these products and capitalize on it. Don’t feel though that you have to purchase those products just because you have a coupon – remember you are trying to save money, not spend more. Be sure to buy your Sunday paper and cut out grocery coupons. The paper pays for itself typically when you use one $.75 coupon and the store doubles it. Make sure when using coupons, to try and use them when your store doubles or triples them in order to maximize them completely.
Use the Store Savings Card – They are free and you can just go to the customer service desk and sign up for one. You will receive the savings off particular items when you use their store card.
Compare Bulk Pricing – for items such as toilet paper, paper towels and canned goods. It may be cheaper to buy these items and other items in bulk rather than individually. Make sure you do the math to see which route would be cheaper. When your supermarket has a huge sale on meat or poultry, buy in bulk and freeze it. This will help you not pay full price when you do need meat or poultry.
Look For Discounted Items – Sometimes when food products are close to reaching their shelf life, instead of the store taking a loss, they will sell the products to you at a substantial discount. For example, fresh baked goods. If you purchase them, use within a day or two, or plan to freeze them if you can. If you purchase meats nearing their expiration date, the same idea applies, use them or freeze them as soon as possible.
As you can see, these are just a few ways to start saving on your bill at the supermarket. Once you get the hand of saving money at the supermarket, try challenging yourself in other ways to save money. Those pennies really do add up!
Ann Martin is one of the top contributors for Dinnerware Center, an online store which specializes in dinnerware sets, such as the Oneida Easton and the Oneida Juilliard. Ann is also a freelance writer for other culinary and home sites. When Ann is not writing, she frequently entertains in her home and enjoys cooking.
Thanks Ann for another great article. These are all tips I use and swear by personally! Do you have a tried and true quick tip for saving on groceries?
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