How to Cut Costs on a Grocery Bill

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By JanCast2007
eHow Community Member

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(12 Ratings)

The times we live in have made us more conscious and aware of our spending habits. It is almost mandatory that we become more frugal with the way we shop at grocery stores. There are definitely some good ways to pinch a penny when you go grocery shopping, and cutting costs on a grocery bill can take a bit of stress off the financial noose that strangles many families.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Calculator
Coupons

Step 1

Make a precise and detailed list of items you need to buy, and then discipline yourself to stick to the list. It is that little bit of diversion from a grocery list that can have the cost skyrocketing on the bill. Also, stick to a budget and try not to go over it. You can keep track of what you are spending by using a calculator while you shop.
Step 2

Learn to stock-up on grocery items that are on sale. Purchasing a 1 month to 3 months worth of items that are on sale can bring you a savings in the long run. For example, when toilet paper is at a sales price, you can stock-up on it and therefore will not have to buy it when it goes back to normal cost. Too many people stick to weekly shopping and this can cost them more to do.
Step 3

Pay close attention to pricing errors. You may notice a grocery store flyer has an item at a lesser price than what the shelving price displays. Or, when you are going through the check-out, an item may scan at a different higher price. Make sure you bring these errors to the attention of the cashier.
Step 4

Read the print accurately. Do not just browse grocery store fliers and coupons to look for the picture of an item you may need. Reading the print may show you that the sale or coupon is not just for the pictured item, but for “any item” from that manufacturer. Also, look out for “on any 2”, because you may not have planned to buy two of that product and have little use for more than one, and in this case it will be little savings to you to buy more than one.
Step 5

Try to shop at superstores and other places that sell groceries, but their main focus is not being a grocery store. Interestingly, at places where groceries are not the main focus, they are often priced less than at a typical grocery store.
Step 6

Use coupons. Collect coupons from the Sunday paper and through coupon clubs. Then, when you make your shopping list, try to find a coupon for most of the items you have on the list. However, check for sales prices while you are shopping, because sometimes there may be items on sale that will cost you less on a different brand other than the one your coupon is for.
Step 7

Look at the damaged shelf at the grocery store. Here you maybe able to find items that have a slight damage to the packaging and are sold at less the store price.
Step 8

Watch for non-name-brand items or store brand items. These items are generally the same quality as the top-name-brands, but are sold at generously lower cost to the consumer.
Step 9

Shopping for holiday meals should be spread out over time. Many people purchase their holiday feasting items at one shot. It may save you to distribute items like canned foods and other non-perishable items over a few months instead of lumping them all onto one shopping list. Forecast ahead each time you shop and look to see if those items are on sale as well.