SAVING MONEY ON GROCERIES AND GETTING THE HEALTHIEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Whenever I go out to the grocery store, I can't help but overhear people say things like, “If only we didn't need to eat, do you know how much money we would save?” or “Wow, that $100 really went fast!” While it is true that you cannot avoid paying for your food, it is also true that there are ways to get around the high costs of grocery shopping.

You will learn some great tips on how to do that in this chapter.

Buy Skim or 2% Milk and Pay Attention to Size

The prices of milk can sometimes get pretty costly. I don't know if this rings true for everybody, but where I live, gallons of whole milk are often a couple cents more expensive than gallons of 2% and skim. 2% and skim milk are usually healthier for you anyway. Another great way to save money on milk is to be aware of how much milk you actually use. For those who go through a lot of milk, it would be better to buy gallons. However, if you use a decent amount of milk in a week but a gallon goes bad before you can use it all, check around your local stores and see what kind of deals you can get. Around me, you can get two small plastic bottles of milk for a deal and if you don't go through too much, you won't waste as much by buying smaller, therefore getting more value for your money. You can also switch to almond or rice milk, which can stay fresh for many months at a time!

Buy Lean Ground Meats and Pay Attention to Dates

While ground meats with the labels 73/27 and 80/20 are cheaper than 90/10 or 93/7, they are usually not as healthy for you. Organic ground, the best option, meat is often a couple dollars more expensive. Pay close attention to the dates on the labels. If you can find one that is going to expire within two or three days and you bring it to the manager's attention, he or she will often mark it right down for you. Grocery stores will always try to mark something down that is going bad before they count it as a total loss.

Coupons

Most grocery stores have their weekly fliers available at the entrance and many of them contain coupons. Many people don't even think to grab a flier when they walk inside. Just beware: only use a coupon if you actually need that product! Using coupons to get the best discounts can be tricky. Check out this video for an expert opinion on how to get started and be successful in using coupons—How to Start Couponing: A Realistic Approach. You can also call many corporations on the phone and simply asked them to mail you coupons. The same is true for many other online retailers, you can try e-mailing them and asking them for a discount.

Buy in Bulk

When you can, buy dry grocery products in bulk, but only when it makes sense or its on sale. For example, in some stores, you can buy individual packs of Ramen noodles for 0.45 cents each but in other stores, you can buy 12 packs for $2. Before buying anything in bulk, be sure it is something that you or your family uses a lot of and it is something that will not go bad quickly.

Don't Fill Your Cart

Although it can be tempting, don't fill your shopping cart when you go grocery shopping. Make a list of exactly what you need and make a conscious decision to stick to it. You may find it helpful to use a hand basket or no shopping basket at all. The less space you have, the less you're likely to carry and overspend on! Even when you are filling your cart with low-priced items, it can be very easy to go overboard and you may end up negatively surprised at the checkout.

Review Order While Waiting in Line

While you're waiting in line, review what you've picked up and don't be afraid to put anything that you don't really need back. As you're unloading your items on the belt, ask yourself, “Do I really need this item? How will it affect my health? My family? Can we live without it?” This is a good strategy to prevent yourself from overspending on junk food and extras.

Watch Personal Care Product Prices

Personal care items such as toothpaste, toilet paper, shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, etc. are often overpriced in grocery stores. Check your local pharmacies or online retailer to see if they offer them for a lower price. Some dollar stores also sell good-quality toiletries at a discounted price. For example, you can get name-brand shampoo and conditioner from a local dollar store $1.29 per bottle whereas other places will try selling the same kind of product $3.29 per bottle. The key is to keep your eye on the prices and find the best places to purchase various items that you use regularly.

Buy Private-Label and Generic

When you buy name-brand grocery products, you're usually just paying for the name. Most grocery stores offer private-label and generic products that are essentially the same thing, but much cheaper. For the best comparison, just compare the nutritional labels. If you absolutely swear by your favorite name brand products, pick your favorite and only spend money on that one. Buy everything else generically.

Avoid Prepared/Pre-Packaged Ready-To-Eat Foods

Avoid buying any foods that are already made and ready-to-eat, such as macaroni salad. Often times, you can buy the ingredients and make it yourself. This usually yields a bigger serving size and making food fresh nearly always tastes better!

Grate Your Own Cheese

When you buy grated or shredded cheese, you're often paying for the convenience of preparation. By buying a cheap yet durable cheese grater and going for block cheese instead, you can usually save a good amount of cents. At my local grocery store, you can buy a block of mozzarella cheese for $1.99 but the bags of shredded mozzarella cost $3.29. That right there is a local savings of $1.30!

Don't Shop While You're Hungry

Going shopping while you're hungry can cause you to make more impulse purchases, therefore racking up your final bill at the checkout.

Ask About Rain Checks

Sometimes when a grocery store offers an item on sale and it runs out before the sale is over, they will issue you a rain check, which allows you to purchase the item at the sale price whenever it comes back in stock. Not all stores offer rain checks and every policy is different but it is always worth inquiring.

Use Filtered Water Instead of Bottled Water

Investing in a water filter that you can use on water that comes right out of your faucet can save you hundreds of dollars a month if you're a person or household that goes through a lot of bottled water. It's essentially the same thing and it's also doing a great favor to the environment. My favorite water filtration system is: Zero Water.

Shop After Holidays

Shopping the day after a holiday can net you some great deals. Many grocery stores mark down holiday-themed paper products and foods, sometimes down to less than a dollar just to get rid of it. If you need anything in particular that might be floating around near a holiday, be sure to go try and snag a deal.

Freeze Excess Food

By freezing any excess food that you have already cooked, you can keep food for longer and waste less, therefore getting good value out of your money. Most fresh foods are freezable, such as meat, fruit, and vegetables. A good idea is to make an investment in vacuum-sealed freezer bags to keep your food as fresh as possible.

Eat Vegetarian

A great way to save on food is to go vegetarian a couple of nights a week. Meat and chicken can often rack up your food bill but vegetables and other vegetarian options are often much, much cheaper, especially if you do some price comparisons at your local grocery stores and markets.

Aside from the usual techniques in saving money, like keeping it in your pocket, there are plenty other ways to cut down costs effectively.