HEALTHY LIVING TIPS

Every week we all have to go grocery shopping, its just one of those things we all have to do whether we like it or not. The trouble it we can become complacent by the routine of it and forget to check what is actually going into our baskets and how much we are paying for it.

Inn these times of price rises and the increase in personal debt, being a frugal grocery shopper should be something we all choose to become. Our weekly shop can be one of the biggest single financial outlays that we make every week and by taking a closer look at how we shop and what we are buying will help to cut out monthly budgets and allow us to use our money more wisely.

There are some simple rules in becoming a more frugal grocery shopper and they are all easy to implement without having to make dramatic changes to the way we shop. Also by becoming more aware of how the supermarkets try to entice us into buying more and understanding how we can avoid these marketing traps will also help us to reduce our weekly grocery bill.

The first rule is to make a list of the things you actually need before you go shopping. This sounds like an obvious thing to do but many people simple go out each week and buy the same things all over again without first checking if they actually need it. The simple step of checking your cupboards first will stop you buying duplicate items and will also help to stop food wastage.

Also plan in advance which meals you are going to prepare for the coming week. Only buying what you are going to eat will also reduce wastage and expense. Planning meals will also allow you to take advantage of what food is in season, costing you less and giving you a much fresher and wider range of meals all year round.

The next rule is to make yourself less vulnerable to all the marketing strategies employed by the large grocery stores to get you to spend more. These strategies include:

Placing staple food items like bread and milk at the very back of the store, forcing you to have to walk through other isles that may tempt you. If all you need is bread and milk then stick to the side isles and to reach the back of the store.

Moving isles around is a common ploy to make you have to hunt for your items and so being exposed to other items along the way. A hard one to avoid but stay focused on the item you are looking for.

Placing higher priced food at eye level on the shelves. Many shoppers forget to take a look at the lower shelves where they will find similar lower priced items such as the stores own brand.

In store advertising signs are often placed along the isles making statements such as “best for you” and “will make you happy”. This is advertising hype and many of us fall for it, unfortunately this items will hit your wallet and blow your frugal budget away. Many similar items made by less well known brands are of just the same quality but will cost a lot less. By trying to make yourself less susceptible to these in store advertisements will help you to be the frugal shopper you want to be.

Another rule in becoming a more successful frugal shopper is to drop the packaging. Many process foods cost you more than the fresh variety if they have been specially prepared i.e. shredded, or diced. So when buying fruit and vegetable buy the fresh variety and do the little extra work in preparing them yourself. You will not only be saving yourself money but will be helping to save the planet by not buying all the packaging that goes along with processed food.

Lastly, don’t forget to use grocery coupons. They can be found everywhere these days form magazines and newspapers to free downloadable ones from the Internet. Take advantage of this free money and collect the coupons for the items you use on a regular basis. It can be quite a saving over the year.

Being a frugal shopper can be an easy and even fun thing to be, especially when you realise how shrewd you are at getting one over the big marketing boys, whilst saving yourself lots of cash every month.

By: Kate Tilmouth

About the Author:

FREE GROCERY GIFT CARD

The new age of the internet gives us even more convenience of finding information and purchasing goods. In fact, you can even purchase groceries and have them delivered directly to your door without even leaving your house. Why should you purchase groceries through the internet instead of driving to the local supermarket? By purchasing groceries online, you can find what you want faster, eliminate your impulse buying, save time, and even get the latest deals online.

Find what you want faster

Did you ever try to find that one particular item and went through every single isle in the supermarket? After you went down every single isle, it is very possible that you did not find what you are looking. What is even more difficult than finding certain items is finding someone to help you!

This is a reason why you should shop for groceries online. Most grocery stores have an online search box that you could easily type in an item of your choice and find it in a matter of seconds.

Forget about impulse buying

How many times did you go to the grocery store and purchase a bunch of items that you don’t need? Or, you brought your child with you who absolutely loved putting random stuff in your cart because it had some crazy cartoon picture of his/her favorite character?

If you are not convinced about finding what you want faster, impulse buying is another reason why you should shop for groceries online. By purchasing through the internet, you can easily create a list and purchase the items that are only on it. Also when you go to check out, you can easily review what you plan to purchase and take items out of your shopping cart. This may be a little bit difficult at the supermarket because most of us feel committed to purchase everything that is in our shopping cart once we are in line. However when you purchase groceries online, you can easily take items out of your shopping cart without feeling guilty.

Save time

How much time do you spend going to the grocery store, which includes making yourself look presentable, getting the kids ready, etc.? Then once you get to the supermarket, how much time does it take to bag your groceries, put them into your car, and bring them into your house?

If you purchase your groceries online, you can forget about spending unnecessary time on the tedious task of going to the supermarket and instead, spend more time enjoying life. Also by purchasing groceries through the internet, you have the luxury of having them delivery directly to you. The only thing you would worry about is where to put your new groceries in your refrigerator and cabinets.

Get the latest deals which would save you money

Why bother to clip coupons, when you can go online and save the same amount of money and possibly even more! A really good online grocery store to take advantage of their coupons is Safeway. To find more Safeway Coupons, click on this link below.

http://www.onlinestorecoupon.com/ShopbyStore/safeway-grocery-stores.htm

Safeway has been selling groceries since 1915 and has a long history because Safeway gives their customers value by keeping a narrow profit margin. Safeway grocery stores have a really great selection of today’s most popular brands and by clicking on the link above you will save even more money!



By: Victoria

About the Author:

FREE GROCERY SAVINGS CARD