by Marie Bywater

Created on: March 22, 2009

How to save money at the supermarket

I have often heard it said that if we did not eat we would be rich, and this certainly seems to be the case. Groceries and food in general seem to be getting more expensive every time you visit the supermarket, and with the temptation of luxurious food items it is very easy to impulse buy. Despite this the good news is that there are several ways you can cut down on your grocery bill and avoid impulse buying.

1) Plan your meals

Before you head to the local supermarket decide what the family will eat for the next 3 or 4 evening meals. This helps you to focus on what food you actually require rather than walking around the supermarket and falling to temptation of all those treats.

2) Make a grocery list

After planning out your meals make a list of everything you need from the supermarket. The idea here is to not buy anything that is missing from the list. This will help you save money by cutting down on your impulse buying.

3) Take a set amount of money to the supermarket

With your newly made grocery list in hand, do a rough calculation and work out how much your shopping will cost. If it comes to $20 take no more than $25 to the supermarket with you. By taking excess cash you may be tempted into making a few impulse buys which will send your grocery bill sky high.

4) Use coupons or money off vouchers

Collect any vouchers you get and make sure you use them on products you would normally eat. These coupons arrive via the post and are also present in local newspapers.

5) Eat smaller portions

Instead of over indulging and eating large portions cut down on the amount of food you are actually eating. Not only will this save your grocery bill, it will also help your waistline.

6) Buy cheaper brands

Do not buy special brand foods. These often do not taste any better than the cheaper brands, you are only paying for the name, and it is not worth it.

7) Buy in bulk

When buying items look out for cheaper offers for slightly bigger items, for example buy a 750g box of Corn Flakes for $3, rather than the 500g for $2.50. Here you are making a 50 cent saving on one item. This only works with items with good best before dates and items which can be frozen.

8) Buy items when they are on special offer

If items are available at buy two get the third free then make sure you take advantage.

9) Do your shopping in set space of time

Allocate a short time for your shopping trip. The less time you have the less likely you are to impulse spend on items you really do not need.

There are many ways to save money on your grocery shopping, and this is by no means a complete list but should help you save quite a bit each week. The key is to plan and be organised.

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