The current economic scenario of the world is very bleak and uncertain. On the other hand, severe inflation and rampant job cuts have only aggravated the existing financial problem all over the globe. With today’s weak economy several families and individuals are actually experiencing high amounts of debt. However, if you want to eliminate or reduce the level of money spent on groceries, then you need to follow certain basic guidelines. By using a few simple tricks you can easily save hundreds of dollars per month that you spend on your daily groceries.
Here are a few simple tricks you can use to save money when buying groceries:
Prepare Your Grocery Budget In Advance
You should have a clear understanding of your monthly bills and revenue. You need to make a proper decision about your realistic grocery expenditure every month and should spend accordingly. If you are preparing for the entire month, divide the amount into equal weeks. This useful method can provide an effective guideline to stay within the predetermined grocery budget without exceeding.
Utilize A Calculator While Shopping
Don’t be ashamed to bring a calculator every time you enter a department store. If you’re embarrassed about bringing a calculator, just remember that most cell phones these days come with a built in calculator. By using your cell phone calculator, you can stay under the radar as most people will just think you’re texting. Remember to calculate the price of every item and maintain a running total. By adopting this technique, you will not exceed your grocery budget for that week.
Use Cash
Try to use instant cash whenever you go for your grocery shopping. It has been reported that individuals tend to spend more when they use their credit or debit cards. This type of shopping can be referred to as “impulsive purchasing”. When you have a certain amount of cash, it’s easier to stay within your budget because you know exactly how much you have to spend. Try to avoid wasting money on items that you don’t need.
Adhere To Your Shopping List
If you want to spend wisely on your weekly or monthly groceries, adhere to your shopping list without compromise. Try to discipline or control yourself while shopping. Don’t get engaged in impulsive buying as this can lead to exceeding your grocery budget. Spend ample time in the store and try to pick the grocery items with careful consideration. Ask yourself if you really need this item before deciding to make the purchase.
Use Vouchers And Coupons Cleverly
You should use your relevant coupons and vouchers in the most appropriate manner in order to obtain benefits. If you feel that purchasing a particular grocery item would cost less with the coupon, then you should make use of the coupon or voucher without hesitation. Using coupons is simple to do and can really make it easier to stay within your weekly budget. On the other hand, some store brands tend to be cheaper when compared with the name brand even if you use a coupon so be sure and keep that in mind.
Maintain A Master Shopping List
You can make a long list of grocery items in the form of “beauty and health”, ‘food”, “paper items”, “first aid” and even “daily items”. All these items should be noted accurately in your master shopping list. Every shopper must consult their master shopping list in order to check for grocery items that may be running low. You can also make your weekly grocery list from your master shopping list.
Store Specials
Keep an eye out for special store specials or deals that are going on during the month. A lot of times you will be able to find deals that allow you to get double the amount of items for half the price. By using the few simple steps, you will be amazed at how easy it is to stay within your weekly/monthly grocery budget.