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Prices for anything from groceries to gas have
been soaring the past few ones and our
hard-earned dollars are challenged to
stretch further. Now, we may be able to ride
a bicycle around town if we can’t put gas in
our cars. But, we have to eat. There’s no
getting around that. So, we have to find
ways to spend less on groceries while still
getting the things that we need to feed
ourselves and our families. Here are six
money saving tips to try the next time you
go grocery shopping.
1. Clip coupons. They put those in the
newspaper for a reason. If there are new
items you want to try, use a coupon to get
it at a discount. If you like it, you have
saved some money. On the other hand, if you
don’t take a liking to it, you didn’t pay
full price. For me, coupons save an average
of ten or more dollars per visit. That’s
money in my pocket that I can put towards
gas for the car.
2. Buy more staples than prepared foods.
It is easier to buy a box of macaroni and
cheese, but is it more economical? A large
box of macaroni and a block of cheese will
make more servings for your family than one
box of prepared macaroni and cheese. The
next time you go shopping and pick up a box
or bag of an already prepared item, ask
yourself if you can make that at home for
less. If you can, then put that item back in
favor of less expensive staples.
3. Buy in bulk. Consider the food items
that you use most often. Cereals, meats,
vegetables, condiments, juices, and paper
products can be bought in bulk usually at a
lower price at food warehouses like Costco,
BJ’s, and Wal-Mart. If you have a coupon,
you’ll save even more money.
4. Don’t shop when you are hungry. This
is a definite no-no. Shopping on an empty
stomach means that you will pick up more
things than you need. You are more likely to
pick up that bag of chocolate chip cookies
or that box of donuts when the growling gets
underway.
5. Take a grocery list with you. This is
another protection against picking up things
that are too costly. Check your cabinets and
the fridge to see what you need and write
them down. Remember, the goal is to stick to
the list as much as possible.
6. Shop at the same stores. This is more
of a frustration reliever. In a new store,
you spend most of your time looking for
things and walking up and down every aisle,
which oftentimes leads to forgetting an item
or two. Going to the same store each time
makes you more familiar with the prices so
you can estimate your bill as you write your
grocery list.
Rising prices don’t have to mean a lean
dinner table. There are ways to make your
food dollar go further and if you take the
time to implement the ideas listed above as
well as others of your own, you’ll see
savings each and every time you shop.
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