As we do grocery shopping, you might often wonder, “How can I save money on grocery shopping? “Are there any sustainable ways to save money when shopping for your groceries?” you might question. Well, this article is for all those conscious shoppers. They are looking to save a buck while shopping for their necessities, even daily!
20 Ways to Save Money on Groceries
When it comes to saving money on groceries & other essentials, small acts of smartness go a long way! You can be an intelligent customer at the marketplace & be vigilant or be thoughtful back at home & be proactive for the same purpose. Let us take you through 12 ways to save your money while shopping for groceries quickly!
Tips to Save Money While Shopping in the Store
No 1 – Make a Grocery List when Shopping.
Always have a list of essentials based on the availability of each item stocked at your home. Then, go through the inventory and list only the necessary items in required amounts. Hoarding stocks will only result in extra costs & wastage! This way, you will not be distracted by attractive yet not-so-economical offers & promotions at the grocery shops. Additionally, having a grocery list will allow you to analyze your grocery costs at the end of the shopping run. This will enable you to see which items can be replaced with economical alternatives or which items can be ditched next time. Bonus Tip – Use a grocery list app that is widely available for smart devices online. This will allow you to backtrack your grocery shopping history.
No 2 – Keep your Shopping runs to a Minimum.
Suppose you are a person who visits Target, Walmart, or even the tiny grocery or convenience shop in the corner daily. Then, this tip is for you! Do not shop for groceries more than one time per week. Keeping your grocery runs to the Minimum will allow you to save more money on gasoline budgets for the month! Bonus Tip – Cars nowadays have Fuel economy gauges & ODB ports, allowing drivers to measure fuel consumption in real-time. Use an ODB Monitoring tool to have a better idea of fuel consumption for excessive grocery runs. Trust us; it will surprise you!
No 3 – Bring your Grocery Bags.
As Many countries have banned polythene bags, vendors & supermarkets have provided the option of having their grocery bags with their branding. However, unfortunately, most Supermarkets & Hyper Market places charge a small amount for environmentally friendly & long-lasting grocery bags. If you are a frequent shopper who shops almost daily for small items, this will affect you & your wallet in the long run. Imagine you pay around $1 to $2 for every shopping run, just for grocery bags. That would be a nightmare at the end of the month! Therefore, the best & the only option for you to save money on grocery bags is to bring your grocery bag when shopping. This way, you will be able to save a considerable amount of money during a whole month!
No 4 – Go for Genetic Brands.
As we know, Well-known brands are sometimes expensive. But have you ever wondered why they are so expensive?’ or “why are they all well-known?” The simple answer is Marketing. Well-known brands are backed by a considerable marketing budget which sales will ultimately cover. Therefore, mainstream brands have jacked their prices to compensate for their marketing expenses & maintain the brand quality perception. But, when you consider a generic or lesser-known brand, the product quality is not that different. However, the price is considerably low compared to the “Major brands.” So, utilize that opportunity & always try to go for generic yet quality products when you shop for groceries while saving money.
No 5 – Bargain for a Better Price.
Try to bargain the price if possible. The majority of local grocery stores are open for a bargain. This allows you to get a better price if you buy a more significant amount from the same item. You can ask for a decent discount for larger purchases & if the amount is reasonable, the shop owner or the manager will be happy to provide you with the same. If you pay by cash, it will further enhance the chance of receiving a better price or a discount as cash payments have fewer taxes for shop owners. So be a savvy shopper & capitalize on that advantage for your benefit!
No 6 – Always Read the Receipt or the Invoice.
Don’t forget to read the receipt or the invoice provided by the cashier at the checkout. Humans make mistakes & machines are not 100% accurate at times. So, it is wise to go through the receipt in the Store or at the parking lot before heading home. Also, check for missing items or if you are overcharged. These are common mistakes in grocery shops & even in giant hypermarkets.
No 7 – Don’t forget to ask for Discounts.
Always ask for discounts when buying items from the discount aisle. It’s better to mention the discount amount in the price tag to the cashiers when you checkout. This will show the cashier that you know your privileges as a customer allowing you to take your buying journey. You can bring the old receipt & ask for the same discount as most hypermarkets provide regular price discounts for selected items in their inventory. In addition to that, cross-check prices on the website or the Store’s app & see if they offer the same product at a discounted price. You can ask for the same discount by being reasonable!
No 8 – Sign Up for Loyalty Cards.
Suppose you are not a part of the loyalty program of your regular grocery shop or the hypermarket. In that case, you are missing out on some fantastic offers & discounts! Most grocery vendors provide attractive discounts & offer to retain customers and increase the average basket value. Therefore, it is good to be a part of their loyalty program or discount card scheme in the long run. Since the Store has your contact details in their database, they will surely share their upcoming offers & ongoing discount schemes with you online. This will indeed allow you to save money on grocery shopping.
No 9 – Say NO to Impulse Buying.
Impulse buying is buying goods without a prior plan or intention. As we all know, Supermarkets, hypermarkets & even the little grocery story will play all their tricks to manipulate customers. This will push them into buying something that they do not require. This strong marketing & branding practice has cost money to everyone at least one time in our lives. By being mindful of the concept of “Impulse Buying,” you can save money & not end up with something you did not plan or budgeted before visiting the Store. But, again, being mindful is the key! Bonus Read – How to save & manage your money
Tips to Save Money When you are out of the Store
No 10 – Make & Pack your Meals for the Week.
Meal prep is a widespread practice among athletes & bodybuilders who consume a massive number of calories through food. Meal prep allows them to save money on groceries & food while saving a considerable amount of time which otherwise is spent cooking & preparing food. This same method can be adopted for regular people who wish to save money on groceries. One can allocate Sunday afternoons to prepare meals for few days ahead & be efficient in saving time and money. Packing your meals at once will save you a whole six days of cooking if done correctly!
No 11 – Search & use Online Coupons.
Major hypermarkets provide coupons for selected grocery items online. You can find them if you are willing to spend few minutes on the internet searching for them. This will help you save money in grocery shopping as shops nowadays use online coupons as a marketing tool for customer retention. To make things easier, you can use browser plugins specialized in searching for online coupons in your area. Additionally, App purchases & referrals allow earning online coupons as well.
No 12 – Grow it yourself.
This is a different yet practical approach. Most semi-urban citizens have the luxury of having a front or back yard on their property (At least most of them!). This allows you to save money on a few simple yet necessary food items such as Bell Papers, Berries, Tomatoes, Cabbage, or even Garlic! Gardening your fruits & vegetables has its perks as well! It will help you burn those extra calories that came with yesterday’s Big Mac or the Whopper! This will also be a great way to spend quality family time with your loved ones as well!
In Conclusion
Shopping for groceries is an unavoidable necessity as we go on. The only logical solution for the question “How to save money on grocery shopping?” is not a single answer but a combination of intelligent acts! Be mindful of what you do in-store as well as back at home. Be prepared & organized when going grocery shopping. Be a reasonable & proactive consumer when grocery shopping & it indeed pays you back with considerable savings in the end!
