Here are the tips which will cut your grocery bill significantly if applied appropriately. In current economic conditions which are hard for many families, these tips should come in handy and please let us know if you have any more tips which we will include in this article if qualifies.
Do your Homework Planning before you head off to the supermarket will help you shop more economically. Take the time to do a quick inventory of your kitchen to determine the food that you need. Prepare your shopping list and make notations of applicable coupons that you may want to use. Read the newspapers and circulars to find the best deals.
Choose the Right Store For basic grocery needs many grocery stores now offer excellent product and price selection, frequent shoppers programs and double coupon days. However, when buying in bulk you may want to tackle the warehouse clubs or superstores. Non-perishable items are often at unbeatable prices at such stores. For the best prices on health and beauty products check the national drugstore chains and superstores.
Eat First Grocery stores know the power of the sweet smell of freshly baked bread. Just one sniff will ignite the appetite and send even the most hardened shopper down the aisle grabbing for anything that looks good. Remember, everything looks good when our stomachs are screaming, "feed me!"
Rebates, Coupons, Frequent Shopper Programs You can save hundreds of dollars a year by taking advantage of product incentives. Even the less enthusiastic coupon clipper can shave an average of 10 percent off their bottom-line by cashing in a small handful of coupons per trip.
If your store offers a frequent shopper program, why not sign-up? You will receive advanced notice of special loss leaders, double-coupon days and other money saving information.
Store Brands - Try it and You May Like it The days of generic type packaging and bland tasting food in store brand products is over. Companies have worked hard to improve their store label brands and often the taste is equal to the national brands. Do not be afraid to experiment. If you find the product meets your standards, you can save an average of 40 percent off your annual grocery bill.
Set Limits on Impulse Buying Avoiding spontaneous shopping trips is one of the best deterrents to impulse buying. Sticking to a well thought-out shopping list will help will help cut down on grabbing for things that you do not need. In addition giving yourself enough time to shop will help prevent dashing in and reaching for the first item that you come to. Setting a dollar limit for impulse buying will help soothe cravings without busting the budget.
Comparison Shopping To determine the true value of a product read the unit price, not just the package price. The unit price information is usually on a sticker located on the shelf that holds the item. The package price only tells you the cost of the entire item. The unit price shows the cost per pound, ounce, etc. Taking a moment to compare this information in similar products will help you get the best value for your dollar. Also, be certain to check "expiration" and "use by" dates to insure you are buying the freshest products. Check the deals and coupons sites like Hot Deals, Coupons @ http://www.DealsGlobe.com to find out money saving deals and coupons.
Marketing Strategies that you should be Aware of Avoid marketing gimmicks designed to draw your attention to a particular product. Knowing some of the tricks of the trade will ultimately save you money. Beware of end-of-the-aisle dump bins, island displays, recipe related item placement and middle-shelf items. This is typically where higher priced and impulse products are placed.
Read Labels Reading the product label is the best way to find out more than what is advertised on the box. Ingredients are listed in order by the quantity actually used when making the product. The ingredients used in the highest quantity are listed first. For example, if you are looking for avocado dip you will want to see avocadoes listed in the first part of the ingredient list, not the last part.
If you are looking to cut fat from your diet, be careful of words such as "lite" or "fat-free" which can have broad definitions. By reading the label you can get a better idea of what the fat-to-calorie ratio is as well as other valuable nutritional information.
Watch the Price Scanner It may mean you need to put down the magazine, because this is no place to get lax. Keeping your eyes peeled to the scanner has dual advantages. First, it will keep the cashier more alert. Secondly, it will allow you to stop the checkout process if an item is showing the incorrect price. Keeping the store circular nearby is also helpful in disputing an incorrect price. You can also ask the cashier to stop ringing while you accompany the employee to the aisle to check the price of an item. Find used items for sale @ http://www.AdsGlobe.com.
Buy Food in Bulk Many smart shoppers like stocking up on food items in order to save money on their grocery bills, but before filling up the cupboards (and every other possible space) with bulk items, you may want to review the average shelf life of the most common foods we buy.
Ask for Rain Check
How many times have you spotted an item at a great price in a retailer's advertisement, jumped into your car to go get it, only to find out that they are sold out? It is a frustrating experience and one that occurs too frequently. Ask a store employee to help you locate the item if you are unable to find it. If the item is sold out, ask for a rain check or for a similar item at the same sale price. Smart shoppers will ask for rain checks everywhere they shop.
Author Resource:
I am Virginia Chou. To learn more about me, please visit ShoppersGlobe.com. For free classified advertising , please visit AdsGlobe.com. For deals and shopping , please visit DealsGlobe.com
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")