Eight Tips for Grocery Savings

If you are pinching pennies, working at grocery savings becomes very important. After all, this is where a very large chunk of the family income is going. Grocery expenses are probably the most flexible area in a family’s budget. Working to cut costs at the grocery store can free up a significant amount of money.

Here are some tips for grocery savings.

1) Plan your meals ahead of time. Buy items that you can use in more than one meal. By planning ahead, you avoid impulse buying. Make use of leftovers whenever possible. Write down what you are planning to buy and stick to your list as much as possible.

2) Check what you have on hand. Plan meals around what you already have in the house.

3) Experiment with generic brands. Many generic items are just as good as name brands. You may occasionally find some you don’t like as well, but keep an open mind. Generic brands can be as much as 50% off the name brand.

4) Pay attention to sales flyers. Keep a small notebook and take notes if you need to. If the store offers a loyalty card, make sure you use it. Items on sale can be dramatically cheaper by using the card. Stock up on meat when it is on sale.

5) Wal-Mart and other large chains have become very competitive with grocery stores, and you will find many items offer significant grocery savings at Wal-Mart. Know your prices.

6) Use coupons. Coupons have many benefits, as described in this article. Take the time to clip and organize them from the Sunday paper, ladies’ magazines and make sure you pay attention to coupons being dispensed in the store. Make a note of which stores double or triple coupons.

7) Minimize the use of convenience foods. Making items from scratch costs a lot less.

8) Check your cash register receipt. If an item rings up wrong, or if a store’s loyalty card isn’t acknowledged by the register, many stores offer discounts, or may even refund the full price.

Remember, with a little effort and creativity, you can enjoy significant grocery savings. If you don’t believe me, keep track of what you spend for a few weeks without making any changes. Then, make a conscious effort to save money when you do your food shopping. You’ll be surprised how much you can save.