10 Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store!

By: Tony Grijalva Jr
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:17:39
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10. Use coupons from newspapers and from snail mail advertisements.

If you must purchase a "National Brand," then use a coupon -- limit the items purchased to those items that have coupons. More often than not, grocery stores have their own advertisements inside Sunday's newspaper -- taking the time to plan out your shopping list in relation to the coupons available can save some real money.

09. Do your shopping on a full stomach.

Our sense of smell is keener when our stomachs are empty -- and this makes sense. We're more likely to make impulsive food purchases on an empty stomach because our noses are continually guiding us from one thing that smells good to another. Hunger clouds the mind and sharpens the senses with the purpose of filling our bellies.

08. Purchase what you need.

Yeah, I know. This one seems obvious. But when a habitual grocery list emerges that is composed of soft drinks, cookies, and ice cream, two things are known:

(a.) it's expensive and

(b.) it's probably influencing weight gains. How much sugar, and therefore calories, are being purchased and for what price? "Sweets" are acceptable treats, however, when "treats" become the "main course," one's body image and one's wallet suffers the price.

07. Skip the brand names.

Grocery stores make items that compete with "National Brands." For example, the same active ingredient in headache medicine is found in both the National Brand in the Store Brand. Just do a side-to-side comparison by reading the back labels of the two similar, but competing, products. Purchasing "national brands" means that you are helping to pay for its advertising. And while it's ultimately a personal preference when choosing between the two items, if it comes down to a matter of money, purchasing the "store brand" or the "generic brand" will save money. Perhaps you're likely to save even more money by purchasing a store brand than purchasing a national brand with a coupon.

06. Evaluate the items that you already have.

If you already have 12 boxes of macaroni & cheese in the pantry, you'd be wasting money by purchasing more before your current supply runs low. Take inventory of the stuff you already have and inspect them for freshness. Naturally, discard those items that are expired or "smell strange." When in doubt, toss it out.

05. Set a budget.

If you're serious about saving money at the grocery store, then you'll already have a set amount of money that you're going to spend. In order to meet this budget, previously discussed elements come into focus: purchasing what you need, taking inventory of what you have, using coupons when necessary, and purchasing generic brands as much as possible. All of these activities happen within the framework of a budget. It might be helpful to take a calculator and a notepad with you to the store if you're on a very tight budget.

04. Determine where you will do your shopping.

Prices vary on the same product for many reasons. Walmart, Albertsons, H.E.B., and the gas station down the street all have different amounts of overhead, and all of them have different profit margins in relation to their sales. In my experience, I have found the lowest prices on the great number of items at the Walmart Supercenter. However, H.E.B. seems to sell more Asian foods, and there are times when Albertson's is running a special on certain items. Each store is in business for a reason -- because people spend their money there. It's up to you to figure out what attracts other people to a variety of stores that sell the same thing at different prices.

03. Politely ask for help from store members.

If you can't find an item on your list, don't hesitate to ask a store member. In addition to the stock found on the shelves, there is always stock located in the back receiving area. The shelves are usually re-stocked at night, and sometimes, the pallets of items are waiting in the receiving area in the back of the store. If you're a polite customer, you're more likely to receive the cooperation from store employees. If you're a rude customer that abuses strangers because of your own lack of control in your own life, then you're more likely to be told that the truck hasn't arrived yet.

02. Items at eye level are generally more expensive.

Sometimes, in order to find the best deals, you'll have to squat and look on the bottom shelf. Grocery stores are like very well laid out and very complex websites -- everything is categorized, and sub-categorized. There are sections for food items, hygiene items, drug items, outdoor items, baby items, etc. Items at eye level are like optimized adsense banners that are designed to get the attention of visitors. Eye-level items at the grocery store generally offer the most profitable rate of return for the store. While this eye-level rule is not 100%, you will notice that more often than not, items at eye level are the more expensive "national brands."

01. Leave your children at home.

I'm serious. The grocery people aren't stupid, in fact, their quite smart. They know that if your child grabs a piece of candy, which was mysteriously within their grasp, you'll be less likely to take that item away. Why else do you think there are cartoon characters advertising cereal? -- Because children can't read! I mean, do you want to be that person with the crying child at the store? Do you want other parents and other people to stare at you and your mis-behaving child? No -- and they're counting on this. Why do you think that there are brightly decorated candy bars in the checkout lines -- you know, the checkout lines... where you have be still with your child while WAITING for your turn? The longer your child waits, the more likely it will be that they will reach out and swipe some candy.

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