| No matter how much you trim your budget,
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| | Try to eat something before you go, or
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| one expense that's sure to remain is
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| | at least drink some water.
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| food. But how much you spend on groceries
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| | " ... Purchases often are impulse buys
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| each month is not fixed, and can vary by
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| | that can add to the grocery bill
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| 15-20 percent or more. So because the
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| | unnecessarily," said Higgins. "Impulse
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| grocery stores consider it their job to
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| | purchases also can increase when shoppers
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| get you to spend more money, it is your
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| | are hungry or shop without a list."
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| job to keep your wits about you to avoid
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| | Look at the whole shelf. Stores place the
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| getting ripped off (especially on those
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| | items they want you to buy most--the
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| grocery trips when you just wanted a
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| | ones that give them the most
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| gallon of milk, and left with five bags
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| | profit--where they're easiest for you to
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| full of impulse buys).
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| | see: between knee- and shoulder-height.
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| It's surprisingly easy to save a
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| | "The highest markup items are the ones at
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| significant amount of money on your food
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| | about chest level--to make it really
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| bill (even up to $100 a month). Here's
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| | easy for you to grab it and toss it in
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| how.
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| | the cart," says Foreman.
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| Check your receipt. Scanned items do not
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| | Be sure to look at products on the upper
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| always ring up at the correct price.
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| | and lower shelves, too. This is where
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| Watch the prices as they come up, and
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| | you're likely to find a good product at
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| then check your receipt for those you
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| | a lower price.
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| missed, to be sure sale and other items
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| | "The old saying, 'look high or low to
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| come up at the right price and quantities
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| | save dough' still fits," said Higgins.
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| are correct.
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| | Buy generic. Often, generic products
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| "I can't say it's widespread, but I do
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| | contain the same ingredients as
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| get reports of people saying they check
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| | name-brand versions at a fraction of the
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| grocery bills, and very often they find
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| | price. They may even have come from the
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| mistakes ... And, 4 to 1, they are in
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| | same factory. All you need to do is
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| favor of the store," says Gary Foreman,
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| | compare the nutrition information on
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| publisher of "The Dollar Stretcher" Web
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| | packages. If the ingredients are the
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| site.
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| | same, the product probably is as well.
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| Resist Impulse Buys. Grocery stores
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| | Do watch out for extra additives or
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| purposely set up enticing displays of
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| | imitation ingredients, though--some
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| expensive cookies, crackers and other
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| | generic versions, for instance Parmesan
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| packaged foods hoping to coax you into
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| | cheese in a carton, may contain lower
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| buying something on a whim. Making a
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| | quality ingredients or more additives
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| list and sticking to it will help you to
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| | than the real thing.
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| avoid such impulse buys.
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| | Make sure sales will save you money.
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| Also be aware that grocery stores
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| | Don't assume that just because something
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| purposely place common items all the way
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| | is on sale (or comes in a "bulk"
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| in the back of the store, so you have to
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| | container) it's a good deal. Sometimes
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| walk down the aisles to get there. The
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| | the generic version or a different sized
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| more snacks, cereals and other processed
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| | container will be a better deal than the
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| foods you're exposed to, the greater the
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| | sale item. Check the unit price (usually
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| chances that you'll grab something not on
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| | found right on the shelf's price label)
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| your list. One way around this is to
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| | of each item to find out how much you're
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| only shop at the outer perimeter of the
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| | actually paying. And, if the item turns
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| store. This is where you'll generally
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| | out to be a bargain but the store has
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| find the lower priced, and healthier,
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| | run out, you can, and should, request a
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| items like meat, produce and dairy.
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| | rain check to use on your next visit.
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| Processed foods are generally on the
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| | Only buy groceries. Grocery stores are
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| interior.
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| | best saved only for groceries.
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| "Organize the shopping list to match the
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| | Toiletries like toothpaste, shaving
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| layout of the store to minimize time
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| | supplies and soap and other health and
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| needed to retrace steps and to decrease
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| | beauty products are typically
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| impulse purchases," said Mary Meck
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| | significantly cheaper at drugstore chains
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| Higgins, Kansas State University
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| | than at grocery stores.
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| Research and Extension nutrition
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| | Find a store that matches prices. Some
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| specialist.
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| | grocery stores will match competitors'
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| Don't Shop Hungry. Even with the best
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| | prices, though they may not advertise
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| intentions, it will be hard not to
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| | this practice. "Find a store in your
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| over-buy when you grocery shop on an
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| | area that will honor all competitors'
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| empty stomach. Grocery stores know this
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| | ads," says Ellie Kay, author of "Shop,
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| and may entice you further with the
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| | Save, and Share."You'll save money, time
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| smell of fresh bakery items and breads.
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| | and gas.
|
