by Keeley Andrushko

Created on: April 10, 2009   Last Updated: June 23, 2010

These days we are all penny pinchers. With the economy being the way it is we all need to save as much money as possible. Many people overspend on groceries they don't need or they don't look for better deals. Many people make simple mistakes that when fixed can save you a good amount of money on groceries. Here are my tips on how to shop for groceries.

1) Don't Buy What You Don't Need!- This is the biggest mistake that most people make. Do you buy a lot of food that you don't use or do you buy something and you never seem to use it? If so you are buying more than you need to buy. Buy the essentials and maybe a little extra just in case. To make sure you are buying what you need make a list of what you use each week; from there you can formulate a shopping list to fit your needs so you won't buy too much. If this doesn't work for you then try cutting out groceries you don't think you need. You'll start seeing that you have more money in your wallet and less junk filling up your kitchen.

2) Make a Grocery List- This will stop you from overspending. STICK TO THE LIST! Unless you forget something important. This will stop you from grabbing more than you need. This is the most effective way to make sure you are saving money on groceries.

3) Coupons- I know they can be a pain in the rear to cut out and save but they will save you tons!

4) Save Spare Change- Every penny counts. If you save your spare change and role your coins this can help pay for your groceries. If you save enough it could even pay for the groceries.

5) Grow Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs- If you grow a garden you won't even have to buy some groceries. By gardening you don't have to spend ANY money on groceries for what you grow. It is a way to get away from spending tons on groceries. Gardening is cheap and can be fun. Get the family involved or make it a hobby.

6) Search for the Best Deal- Just because something is the most expensive doesn't mean it's the best. Most expensive brands are the exact same as the cheaper brands; your just paying more money for the same product. So search for the best deal. You'll be surprised what you can save.

7) Pay Attention to Sales- Some stores have sales occasionally. If you keep track of these sales you can save a good amount of money.

8) Don't Buy Junk Food!- Besides it being bad for your health it is also expensive. So if you stay away from junk you'll protect your health and save money.

9) Try To Quite Unhealthy Habits- If you have the bad habit of smoking, drinking, or chewing attempt to quite if you are willing. This adds a huge amount of money to your weekly grocery list.

I hope you find this helpful in your quest to save money. Good luck.

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