Saving at the supermarket

Food shopping is something we all have to do, whether we like it or not. Unfortunately, it accounts for a large part of our budget, especially if we have a family to feed. If you want to cut down on your spending, you can use a few useful tips for shopping in the supermarket. If you find a way to save while grocery shopping, you’ll feel the positive impact on your budget almost immediately. Use these tips next time you’re in the store, and you may be surprised at how much you can shave off the total without sacrificing.

1) Scan the whole aisle: this sounds silly, but you should realize that stores are designed to get you to spent money. The most expensive items will be front and center, at eye level, and often on the end caps. The displays at the end of each aisle may try to fool you with a sale, promising low prices, but odds are you can find even bigger savings if you scan the aisle. Generic brands may be on the bottom, or top shelves, out of the sight of the shopper. Look for the lowest priced item, no matter what you’re shopping for.

2) Don’t go food shopping when you’re hungry: it’s hard to shop when you’re hungry, and you’re more likely to buy junk food and other expensive snacks because you’re craving them. If you go shopping with a full stomach, you can rationalize your spending and your purchases, without rushing to get out and go eat. Take the time to compare prices and hunt down the cheapest item, and avoid the unhealthy snacks.

3) Go generic where ever you can: ok, so you can taste the difference between the generic, and the brand name macaroni and cheese, but there are plenty of other items where you won’t notice the difference. For example, paper towels, flour, and even salt can all be the store’s brand. This is great for your budget, and it’s a change that you will never notice.

4) Stock up when there’s a sale: buying in bulk when it’s practical can save you big, but make sure it’s worth the money in the end. For example, eggs in bulk may be useful for a family, but if you can’t finish them before they go bad, don’t bother shelling out the money. Do the math and figure out what’s worth buying in bulk, and same goes for sale prices. If it has a long shelf life, get what you can and enjoy the long term savings.

5) Check for specials and coupons: coupon cutting may sound like an outdated thing to do, but you may be surprised at just how quickly those savings can add up. Many stores have their own sale paper, which offer special prices on certain items. Always check and buy what you can on sale. Another way to save is to check the produce aisle for mark downs. This will happen when they are going to expire, which means you can save big on tonight’s dinner.

This guest post was written by Holly Adams from Coupon Croc. Grab some John Lewis or Tesco discount codes before you go shopping next.