Grocery Shopping Money Saving Tips
Believe it or not, I’m one of those people who loves to grocery shop, but every trip to the grocery stores these days seems to get more expensive. Since we all continue to eat, what can we do to combat the rising prices? There are simple steps you can take when grocery shopping to help alleviate the costs.
Store Brand vs Name Brand
For years this was a tough transition for me. If I didn’t recognize the brand name, then I wasn’t going to buy it or try it. Little by little, I decided to test the store brands for taste and quality. It was a pleasant surprise for several items. Most major grocery stores have their own name brand. Sometimes they may have better nutritional qualities, less preservatives and produced locally. Start by trying the following staples, oats, flour, sugar, oil, frozen vegetables and fruit, dairy products, pastas, and rice. Make it into a game by substituting the store brand for a name brand product and see if your family notices. According to some industry sources, you may save up to 25%, that’s a win in my book.
Buy in Bulk
When I was growing up, my dad always bought in bulk. Everyone used to tease him and frankly I didn’t understand why he did it. Now I know, with 6 members in our family, it was more economical. This is where the freezer becomes your best friend. Freezing extends the shelf life of products. Watch for sales at the grocery store, buy in quantity and freeze for the future. Start with baked goods, bread, tortillas, cakes, and cookies. Did you know you can freeze nuts, butter, cheese, fresh vegetables, and fruit? Most importantly, the big-ticket item is meat, buy in bulk when it’s on sale and store for the future. Overall, this can save time and money, with less trips to the store. Make a list and be thoughtful in purchases, buying items you and your family frequently consume.
Give these simple grocery shopping steps a chance. What could be better than saving money and finding great new products at the same time. Watch for our next blog about gardening and growing your own produce.