I don’t buy a lot of stuff. What I do spend most of my money on is food. I love food. LOVE! Almost as much as I love sleep, and I would marry sleep if I could. Even though I spend most of my money on food as opposed to buying clothes or going out, I still try to make every penny count.
I’m not much for clipping coupons or anything like that, I just don’t have the time or patience for that, but I do have a few tips on how to save money grocery shopping that have helped me over these past few years which I will now share to you (though I’m sure you know most of these already):
1. Make a list.
When I don’t make a list, and don’t check what I already have in my fridge and pantry, that’s when I spend $100 more than I set out to and buy way more cheese than I can ever possibly eat. Make a list people! It only takes a few seconds, and you’ll thank yourself later.
2. Never shop when you’re hungry.
I’ve done this before and it’s just not a good idea. I end up buying enough food for a family of eight. Eat something, even a granola bar or an apple before going to the grocery store, otherwise you’ll want to buy everything in the store (and probably will).
3. Compare size to price, and no-name brand stuff is good stuff!
Say you want to buy some salsa. If you’re like me, you won’t really care about the brand but zero in on the price first (which includes seeing what’s on sale and what’s not). Then you’ll compare the portion size of each container of salsa, eventually deducing which one is the best bang for your buck. I seriously do this for almost everything I buy when grocery shopping, but I think it’s definitely worth the extra effort and time.
4. Avoid the non-necessities.
That’s why you make a list! So, you won’t get sucked in to buying a $5 magazine or $3 chocolate bar at the checkout. You don’t need all that crap anyways, so stick to the list and necessities.
5. Get a free store card.
It seriously baffles me when people don’t have Save-On or Safeway cards. They’re free first of all, and they automatically save you money on your grocery bill. All you’ve got to do is remember to bring it with you and show it to the cashier to scan. It’s sooo easy people! Plus, most of those types of cards also have point systems, meaning you might actually be making money in the process. That’s how I got my lovely down pillows and iron when I moved out. My mom used her points to buy them, so they were essentially free!
Alrighty, now to the contest portion of this post. In partnership with Saving Advice, myself and a number of other bloggers are giving away $100 either through Paypal or an Amazon gift card. Make sure to enter, as I’m sure $100 might come in handy during this expensive holiday season.
