6 Ways To Eliminate Overspending
On Food
by: Linda Holmes
Because food is a necessity we aren’t able to go without, many of us overspend on groceries and food. However, with a few tips, you can eat well and spend less.
Tip #1 - Cook at home, avoid eating out. Any time you spend money to eat in a restaurant or to eat fast-food, you have spent far more than you would have to make that meal yourself.
Try to prepare all of your meals at home even if this means packing a meal to take with you to work or wherever you are going.
Tip #2 - Do not go grocery shopping when you are hungry. You have probably heard this one before, but it is very true that you will be more apt to shop compulsively if you are hungry. This happens for two reasons; because everything looks and smells good when you are hungry and because you are in a hurry to get home and eat, so you don’t take the time to price shop.
Tip #3 - Compare brands. If you look at the popular brand of something and there is a store brand of the same item, they probably have the exact same ingredients.
Check this with soups, cold medicines, pain relievers, bread, etc. You will save a lot of money by comparing brands and going with the store brand.
Tip #4 - Price shop. This one seems obvious, but many people don’t take the time to do this. Just looking at one bag of rice compared to another bag isn’t good enough. You need to compare the price per ounce to get a true price comparison.
Many stores now post the price per ounce along with the sticker price of the item. If your store doesn’t do this, you may need to carry a small calculator to do it yourself.
Tip #5 - Buy in bulk when possible. In general the more you buy of an item, the less expensive it is. While most people don’t need a gallon of mustard and don’t have room in their refrigerator for such large quantities, people can usually use up large quantities of bathroom tissue or aluminum foil, or things like that. So whenever possible, buy the larger quantity - but only if you have room to store it and if you are going to use it up.
When buying meat in large quantities, repackage it into packages your family can use, when you get home. Repackaging allows you to purchase at the lower price and still use up the meat.
Tip #6 - Go to the store with a list and stick to it. Even if this means listing your treats, stick to the list.
Before you even think about going to the store, figure out what items you will be needing for the next several days (from now until you plan to go back to the store), and make a list.
Another way to make your list is to keep a blank piece of paper in one spot all the time and add items to it any time you notice you are getting low on an item. Before you go to the store, look over the list and add anything else you need.
The key here is to only buy what is on your list. When you are in the store, don’t be distracted by all the other items or aisles, just shop from your list. For more ideas on how to save money on groceries visit this thrifty grocery shopping page.
There you go - 6 money saving tips for your next grocery shopping trip.
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