Ten on Tuesday: Ten Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store

1.  Don't buy junk.  Fried or baked, in bags = paying for processing that isn't necessarily good for you.  Most are high glycemic carb items.  It is expensive relative to what it is providing for your bod.

2.  Use what you buy.  I sometimes end up with the most expensive compost possible.  Dumb.

3.  Buy in quantity.  Duh.  But only if you use what you will buy.

4.  Look at the shelf talkers, and comparison shop the pricing.  I'm buying the store's generic brands for cheaper on things that don't matter:  sugar, eggs, tomato sauce for chili.  I can't taste a difference, I can't see a difference, so I might as well save $$.

5.  Don't impulse buy.  Make a list, stick to the list.

6.  Don't buy your cleaning staples there.  You can get them cheaper at discount stores. 

7.  Don't let the magazine racks tempt you one expensive issue at a time.  If you like the content, subscribe. 

8.  Buy less pre-prepared food.  Big profit item for them, convenience for you, spends lots of money.  Do it only if you have to, or as a treat.

9.  Don't shop hungry.  This is important for #5.

10.  Buy fruits and vegetables in season.  Out of season costs more, ships farther, flavors are inferior, carbon footprint sucks. 

11.  Don't shop at Whole Paycheck unless you can't find the item you want anywhere else.  We save lots of bux by picking out stuff at Trader Joe's.  Their nuts are just as fresh (high volume at the store helps this), and cost lots less than the Wholey place. 

Ooops.  Eleven.  I could combine #5 and #9, but I won't.

Comments

[margene]

Excellent suggestions and wise advice. Wish we had a TJs but our local large grocer is very good and saves us lots o'bucks.

[technikat]

I don't completely agree with #11. Recently the WF prices have been in line with our local common chain store. For some stuff TJs is great, but their produce and meats are not always the best. I have to say, I buy my produce at a local non-chain store but go to WF to buy fresh fish. It's expensive but it always tastes good.

[Caroline M]

My variant on number two is don't buy what you don't use. My mother is a big buyer of half price this and buy one get two free that but just because it's cheap doesn't mean that you want it.

[Carole]

I have a TJ's but it's 30 minutes away. I'm not convinced it's worth my time and I sure wish it was closer.

[Laurie]

#7 in my downfall. Totally.

[gayle]

Years ago, I bought one of those supermarket magazines that had an article listed on the cover - "100 ways to save at the grocery store!" Imagine my surprise when I got home and read it, and discovered I was already shopping more frugally than the advice given in the article. (Things like "buy piecrust mixes rather than premade crusts", when I was already making piecrust from scratch.)
Buying no processed food, and supplying the labor yourself will result in big savings and tastier food. Homemade muffins fresh from the oven are vastly superior to anything you can buy premade - and the whole batch will cost about the same as a single bakery muffin...

[Marcia]

I do Costco. The "bulk packs" of paper towels and t paper at the local stores on special? Smaller rolls! Costco's meat is better quality than my pricey IGA and way cheaper....I buy bulk packs and freeze individually. Of course, all bets are off these days: I buy what's at the store I can get to and buy what the man will/can eat! Thank god we don't HAVE a WF anywhere near us and the TJ is too many miles away to rationalize the gas usage, even in the Prius!

[Melissa G]

I actually fall down on #6 because: the discount store does not carry my laundry detergent; I am more likely to go "off list" there; it's another trip which means more time and money. To combat all that I'm keeping my containers to reuse the spray/squeeze bottles for vinegar and baking soda cleansers I mix at home.