Eight Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill
"U.S. News & World Report" reported in July 2010 that 6 percent of grocery store shoppers were overcharged at the checkout because of scanner errors. Knowing these kinds of facts can make a huge difference in your grocery bill. Even if food costs continue to rise, shaving dollars off the final bill is as simple as knowing how to compare prices and choose brands.
Other People Are Reading
-
Combine Coupons with Sales
-
Manufacturers' coupons are one way to cut grocery bills, since they offer discounts on specific products. Combining these coupons with in-store sales results in a deeply discounted product price. Coupons are not hard to find; often grocery store chains will stock coupons next to the display of already-discounted products.
Buy Generic
-
Store brands and generics are cheaper than name brands by 10 to 50 percent, according to MSN Money. Buying generics does not mean sacrificing quality; the manufacturers of discount and pricey brands are sometimes the same.
Stock Up on Sales
-
Product sales work in regular cycles, according to "Smart Money" magazine. Most products will go on sale about once every 10 to 12 weeks; seasonal items every week or two; and highly competitive items such as cereal every three to four weeks. A household that regularly uses a product will save money by stocking up during a sale instead of waiting until it's needed and buying at the regular price.
Check Unit Prices
-
Buying the larger size of an item does not always translate into a cheaper per-unit price. Comparing the dollars spent to the weight and volume of the product will help determine whether it is more economical to buy one big size or several smaller ones.
"Buy Now" Items
-
Food nearing its sell-by date is deeply discounted so stores gain revenue on products they would otherwise throw out. This food, usually meat, dairy and bread products, is still safe to eat for several days after purchase if it has not yet expired.
Shop the Entire Store
-
Products sold in several areas of the store will be cheaper depending on how they are packaged. Cheese in the dairy case, cheese counter or deli will have a different per-unit price in each section. Checking prices and buying the package that's cheapest will cut the grocery bill.
Track the Prices of Items Before Checkout
-
Scanners make mistakes and overcharge; if a customer spots an error, many stores will give the product to the customer for free. Keeping a list of the prices of all items as you collect them throughout the store and comparing them to the scanned price will help you catch any errors.
Make a Shopping List
-
Making a list of required grocery items, and sticking to it, reduces impulse buys. Although it can be a benefit to search the store for unadvertised sales, limiting the purchase of things not on the list will keep the grocery bill in check.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
