Planning is key
Prep for my bi weekly shopping trip actually starts up to two days ahead of time. If you make a through plan of attack it not only gets you threw your trip faster but it can save you money. My first order of business is to make a menu for the up coming two weeks. I only worry about dinners myself since breakfasts and lunches are pretty much unchanging in my house. If you are the type who cooks full gourmet breakfasts and tries to pack something new in everyone's lunch kit everyday then adjust your menus accordingly. After you have planned your meals start writing out the ingredients you need for each. Take this list into your kitchen and mark off things you already have and won't need to buy. You now have the beginnings of your grocery list. Now while still in your kitchen take note of any staples your running low on and jot them down. Anything you use on a regular basis that your out of write it down. Don't forget to check items in your spice rack or your sugar and coffee supplies. This might be a good time to organize, or re organize your cabinets, pantries, fridge, and freezer. I would also suggest keeping a running tab of your items posted on the insides of doors or on the fridge door (I still need to implement this one myself). I also include incidentals in my grocery budget such as toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, soap, ect. So don't forget to check your bathroom while making your list. Now that you have your full shopping list together your ready........hahaha just playing your not done yet! Now its time to check out all the sales at your local markets. Either threw circulars or online look closely at everything on sale that is also on your shopping list, then jot them down on a separate list by store. This will not only help you know which stores to go to but will also help when looking threw the isles of discount stores in order to figure out where an item is truly cheaper. Don't forget when writing your sales lists to include quantity of the items or price per lb, oz, or what have you if listed. Now that you have two lists you can take it even further if you want. I always re write my shopping list and group all like items together, such as all can goods with one another, produce together, bread, dairy ect. This helps you get threw the store quicker but dosent do a lot on the money saving end. At this point I would also think about which stores to hit, obviously the ones that you have written down sales for but don't forget stores that don't advertise sales such as dollar stores, Super Wal-Marts, and even bulk stores like Sams club (although they do require a membership you have to pay for, but sometimes its worth the year price). We even have a chain of discount stores here called "Ocean State Job Lot" which is something like a "Big Lots" but with a larger food section. Store hopping may require a bit of gas but what you pay in fuel you more than make up for in savings on your grocery bill.
Time for action
Now that you have your lists and a planned which stores to hit its time to shop! To make it easier on your gas tank pick the stores furthest out and work your way closer to home. Its also prudent to bring a cooler or two with a little ice to keep perishable items fresh till you get home, especially since this could most likely be close to an all day ordeal. As I mentioned before don't pass by the dollar store these places are the best for things like hand soap, laundry detergent, sandwich bags and other non food items. They can also save you money on things like spices, and condiments. Even if you don't spring for the bulk food stores membership don't forget that most regular stores do carry things in bulk and it will save money to buy things this way. However be sure these things are non perishable items or items you KNOW you will go threw before they spoil (in my family we buy shredded cheese in bulk and it never goes bad) It may seem like a lot of money right up front but with things like toilet paper and olive oil it will save you from spending money on these items again on your next shopping trip. It also works out to be cheaper when you break down the price and compare it to the price of the single or smaller package items. Bulk is better! Produce is another tricky section of your list if you have access to farmers markets and its the right time of year its well worth it to skip the grocery store for you fresh fruits and veggies. Not only is it usually cheaper, and healthier but your also helping out local farmers and their families. If its off season or your too far away from the countryside then just be a smart shopper and again remember bulk is king. Its cheaper to buy a 5lb bag of potatoes than it is to buy them per lb. Again just be sure you will use them before they go bad otherwise it is a waste. In other words if your just using a veggie for a single recipe don't buy it in bulk. Also while fresh is nice frozen and or canned can be cheaper so don't pass up those isles when shopping for produce. Meat can be another place to save some pennies. Pre-packaged flash frozen is cheaper than fresh trust me, example a 3lb bag of frozen chicken breasts costs me just under $7, while a fresh package of chicken breasts costs almost $3 a lb (for the math challenged that would be almost $9 for $3lbs). If you buy boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts you can save even more. To save on hamburger you can buy ground turkey instead and its healthier for you. Though if your like my hubby who cant stand ground turkey then buying the ground beef packed in tubes with the metal rings on the end will cost less. Also if your going to freeze the beef don't hesitate to buy the packages that are discounted because they are close to the expiration date. As long as you freeze it than it will not go bad. Again this is another place where bulk is king, as long as you don't mind breaking it down into smaller portions and freezing then buy in bulk. Has anyone noticed a theme yet? Don't forget to refer to your sales lit to compare prices while shopping and break the price down so you can make sure you truly are saving money. Also buy one get one free sales can give you permission to spring for the pricier items, "Big Y" a chain of stores here in New England even have buy 1 get 2 free specials from time to time. When you get double the amount for a bit more than the generic than it is well worth it. Cereal, a tricky one for sure. One good thing is the sugar filled bad stuff usually costs more so you actually have a good excuse for telling the kids they can't have sugar candy Os with high fructose filled sugar coated marshmallows. The generic form of honey nut Os is usually cheap and comes in a pretty big box as well as the cereals that are just flakes of some kind. The kids might not be happy but they will be healthier. I have the added advantage of finding cheap cereals ($1.50-$2.00 a box for name brand) at my local "Ocean State Job Lot". The deli counter can save a lot on cheese and luchmeat. When you compare price per lb with the packaged stuff the deli counter usually wins, and again its a lot fresher and you can pick the amount you need and want. Don't forget your calculator when your shopping not only will it help you know exactly what your total will be at checkout but it can also help you break down prices. Good thing is most cell phones today have a calculator built in. Its a good idea to set a budget for each store to total you final budget. Don't worry however if you go a bit over at one store because if your doing it right you will make up the difference by coming under budget at another store.
I have shared my shopping knowledge and hopefully helped a few people save some cash, because lets face it in today's economy we could all afford to spend less! (I made another funny)
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