Trying to save money is always a good idea. You may be looking for deals, cutting back on spending, and saving up everything. Sometimes, you may even go the extreme route in trying not to go broke. Parents should always teach their kids how to deal with money. One way to do that is to save money while grocery shopping. That sounds easy, right? You would be surprised. The good news is that lessons on saving money don't have to be too hard. Here are five tips that parents can use on saving money while grocery shopping.
1. Stick to the List
Always make a list before you go out shopping. Look around your home for everything that you need. Once you have what you are going to buy, it's time to go out and start your trip. This is where it starts to get complicated. It's tempting to go and stray away from the lists. Grocery stores have so many things. Sweets and goodies are screaming at you to buy them. If you give in, your shopping bill is going to go up before you know it. Take your list with you and try to stick to it. If you take your kids with you, explain to them why you aren't buying things from off the list. Also, it's not a good idea to go shopping while hungry. You will be tempted to buy more things than you need.
2. Compare Prices
Another common problem with grocery shopping is not looking at the prices. People just go for the first item they see. Maybe they want to hurry with their shopping or they are just tired. Either way, you end up spending too much money on your shopping trip than you had planned. You don't have to blow too much money on the things you need. Take the time and look for the lowest price on the items you need. Look for reduced prices and deals. There are many sites that offer tips on how to compare prices. It might make your shopping trip take a little bit longer but it will be worth it if the goal is saving money while shopping.
3. Use Coupons and Codes
Another way to save money is to use coupons and codes while shopping. Take the time to look for coupons in your paper and cut them out. The trick is to use them before the deadline. Look for the expiration date on the bottom. If it's past the date, it's not going to work. If you do your shopping online, take advantage of codes to get the best deals.
4. Go Once a Week
Fight the urge to give in to impulse buying. You can shop to hold you over for the entire week. Your house will have plenty of space to keep it. Better Homes and Gardens says that the average kitchen has about 30 cabinets. It is even okay to skip shopping for a week. Just pay attention to the things that you need and plan out your trips in advance. This should combat the urge to need to go shopping many times a week.
5. Try and Stick to Generic Brands
Brand-name products can really add up with the costs. You will have to go and look for more generic brands in stores. Sometimes, the more generic brands can last longer than the big brand names. Before the days of refrigeration, fruits and vegetables could only go about 50 miles from the farm where they were grown. You would either have to use them up right away or throw them out. Generic brands are kind of like that in a way. They have a better chance of lasting longer and doing a much better job than brand-name products. Plus, buying generic brands will help you save more money in the long run.
There is a lot of stress going on in life. In the US alone, between 40% and 50% of marriages end in divorce. Your life could change on a dime. Saving money while grocery shopping should not have to add to the stress. Follow these tips and you will be able to save money while shopping for groceries.
No comments:
Post a Comment