How to Cut Your Grocery Store Costs

Here are 14 ways to buy what you need while spending less. Highlighted from Nancy Dunnan's book Recession Proof Your Financial Life.

Before Leaving Home

1. MAKE A LIST. Jot down what you really needs helps you reduce expensive impulse purchases. Check your list again against your inventory, so there is nothing miss out.

2. HAVE A MEAL OR AT LEAST A SNACK. If you are hungry, you are automatically buy more than you need.

3. ARRANGE YOUR FAMILY TIME SO THAT YOU CAN SHOP ALONE. Or shop without the children in tow. Kids are great in talking their parents into buying something unnecessary.

4. PUT A CALCULATOR IN YOUR PURSE OR POCKET to keep running tally of the items in your cart.

On the Way to the Store

5. GET CASH. Using credit cards automatically makes it easier to spend more. Put the amount you have budgeted for groceries in an envelope or a special section of your wallet.

 

At the Store

6. PICK THE RIGHT STORE. Check out food warehouses as well as supermarkets.

7. STUDY THE STORE'S LAYOUT. Typically milk, ice cream and other dairy products and also meat are at the rear of the store. This is intentional because it means that you must walk by a lot of other items before you get to your destination.

8. RESIST BOTTLED WATER. Most cities and towns have decent tap water. Buy a filter, if for some reason you don't care for your local water.

9. GO FOR SOFT DRINKS IN LARGE BOTTLES because it is much cheaper.

10. SKIP THE P'S - prepared, precut, peeled. Do your own slicing and dicing. Mixed cubes of watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple and strawbery in a plastic container are priced to include the cost of labor.

11. SKIP THE G'S - grated items. Grate your own carrots, cheese and potatoes.

12. BEND YOUR KNEES. Higher-priced items tend to be at eye level. Lower-priced groceries are often on the bottom shelf.

13. WATCH THE BILL. Make sure your amount match on the scanner.

14. LOOK THE OTHER WAY AT CHECKOUT. Do you really need those magazines, recipe booklets, candy bars and gadgets?