Saving Money at the Grocery Store

InCharge Institute of America, Inc.

If you are saving money by bringing your lunch to work and dining out less often, you may have noticed that you are spending more at the grocery store than before. It's not a bad thing, because you are most likely saving money by eating at home. Still, you can take steps to easily save money on groceries, and one way is through comparison shopping.

Comparison shopping is a lot easier than it sounds. By comparing items and prices from different brands and different stores, you can find out where you will get the most for your money. In this article, we will explain how you can choose the right items, brands and stores to get the most for your money.

Stores:

• Compare the average prices of the items you purchase on a regular basis at different stores. When you find the store that consistently has lower prices, it may prove beneficial to frequent that store more often. But, make sure that the savings are offered on the products that you use consistently.
• Try to limit your grocery shopping to one or two stores. Driving across town will cost you more in gasoline and time than spending an extra dollar or two on your grocery bill.
• Get thousands of dollars in special benefits as a member of the
  Avoid purchasing non-grocery items, such as paper goods or cleaning products, at the grocery store. These are usually much less expensive at larger, chain retailers.
• Some club stores sell bulk quantities at discount rates to their members. This can save you money if you are shopping for a big event or a very large family dinner. If you buy food at these wholesale stores, make sure you preserve the quality of any leftovers by freezing or otherwise preserving your meal.

Items:

• Look for items that take some preparation on your part. Although these items may take a few extra minutes of your time, it will be worth its weight in savings. For example, a popular item is peeled baby carrots in a ready-to-go package, which can be pretty pricey. You can save money by purchasing regular carrots, and peeling and chopping them yourself.
• You may save money by purchasing a larger quantity. For example, if your family eats cereal every day, buying one 24-ounce box costs less than two 12-ounce boxes of cereal. You may spend more at the time of purchase, but you can save money in the long run.
• If you do buy a larger quantity to save money, be sure you don't purchase more than you can use. Letting items spoil by not using them promptly would be a waste of your grocery money. If you over-purchase at the grocery store, items such as meat, milk, fruits and vegetables can spoil, and snacks can go stale.

Brands:

• Store brands are often just as good, if not better, than some premium brands. You can easily save money by purchasing store-brand cereal, dairy products, bread, etc., without sacrificing quality.
• If you have a coupon, compare the price of that product with that of the store brand. Even with thirty or fifty cents off the regular price, it may be less expensive to purchase the store brand.