No, you’re not imagining that groceries cost more nowadays. Food inflation hit an all-time high during the lockdown, and experts expect the trend to continue in the coming years. How do you recover? By following our grocery shopping tips!
That means you’re in for another year (at least) of dropping a mini fortune at the grocery store. With other expensive bills on your plate, it’s never been more important to address your shopping habits to save money.
While the rising prices may be out of your control, how you shop is something you can influence. Cutting out these mistakes from your routine could take a bite out of your grocery bills.
Why Do I Need Grocery Shopping Tips?
Think about this – you are trying to save money for a dream of yours but there’s the other side of you asking you to live in the moment. This may be a bag of chips you’ve been avoiding or that pasta recipe you did not want to go grocery shopping for.
Grocery shopping tips are important because they help you save money, effort and time while ensuring you are being mindful. These healthy and intentional choices work wonders in the long run – you’ll see a difference within weeks!
Be it your physical or financial health – you will see a healthier side of your life with smart grocery shopping tips. with the help of these tips, you can avoid:
- Overspending
- Food waste
- Going over your budget
- Impulse buying and regretting later
These also help you plan meals effectively, ensuring you only buy what you need. Grocery shopping tips help prioritize nutritious and fresh ingredients, too!
In addition, these shopping tips prevent giving in to your cravings and support mindful eating habits. With the help of these tips, you can make your weekly shopping experience stress-free and efficient.
Grocery Shopping Tips You Need To Save More!
If you are looking forward to getting personal loans, let us go through the tips that we will discuss it. Here are some of the grocery shopping tips that will help you save a ton:
Tip #1: Using Personal Loans or Lines of Credit
Sure, groceries are getting more expensive daily, but you should never reach for a line of credit or instalment loan for bad credit at the supermarket. These financial products help people with bad credit handle unexpected emergencies when they’re out of savings and other options.
In Mississippi, the state with the lowest average credit scores in the country, financial institutions like MoneyKey offer online instalment loans for Mississippi residents who need help with unexpected household or auto repairs and emergency medical expenses.
They don’t recommend using installment loans for groceries because it’s an expected, regular expense you’ll have to face once a month, if not more frequently.
Before dipping into credit, try cutting discretionary from your budget instead. Anything you manage to cut will free up more cash for food.
Tip #2: Shopping at Luxury Stores
You can wind up paying a lot for your groceries simply because of the sign on the building. Shopping for produce at the organics luxury brand Whole Foods costs 25% more than going to Walmart.
Walmart joins the following stores as the cheapest places to get your groceries:
- Aldi
- Market Basket
- WinCo
- Food4Less
- Costco
Tip #3: Buying in Bulk All the Time
Time and time again, financial gurus recommend buying in bulk to save at the till. On the surface, this is sound advice. Most bulk food items are cheaper per ounce than you can get a lot for less. But in practice, bulk food can cause you to spend more than you realize.
While the price per unit may be lower, the price tag of a bulk bag of rice is more expensive upfront than a smaller bag with a higher per-unit cost simply because of its size.
If you’re already struggling to make ends meet, you may be unable to afford the upfront price to snag the long-term savings.
For another thing, you can wind up wasting food. If you aren’t prepared to go through a tub of mayonnaise the size of your torso before its expiration date, you could be throwing away money along with the mouldy container.
So, the next time you think about buying bulk, avoid perishable items unless you can guarantee you won’t waste them. Focus on pantry items and consider shopping with a friend or family member.
You can split the cost of a bag of onions without worrying about going through them before they go fusty.
Tip #4 Plan Ahead
Make a List: Prepare a detailed grocery list based on your weekly meals. This helps avoid impulse purchases.
Check Your Pantry: Take stock of what you already have to prevent overbuying.
Tip #5 Set a Budget
Determine a weekly or monthly grocery budget and stick to it.
Look for discounts and use coupons or cashback apps to save money.
Tip #6 Shop the Sales
Check Flyers: Review store ads or apps to see what’s on sale.
Buy in Bulk: For non-perishable items like rice, lentils, or canned goods, bulk purchases can be cost-effective.
Tip #7 Don’t Shop Hungry
Shopping on an empty stomach often leads to impulse buys, especially unhealthy snacks.
Tip #8 Stick to the Store’s Perimeter
Grocery stores are often arranged with fresh produce, dairy, and meat along the perimeter. Focus there to prioritize healthier options.
Tip #9 Buy Seasonal Produce
Seasonal fruits and vegetables are fresher, more affordable, and often tastier.
The Takeaway
If you make any of the abovementioned mistakes, it’s time to embrace our grocery shopping tips. Flipping the script on your usual shopping routines could take a big bite out of your next grocery bill.
Remember this as you see the cost of groceries rise in the coming months. They can help you weather food inflation better than most.
Read Also:
