50 Tips for Grocery Shopping(Part 3)

21- Look for specials.
Every store has specials. Be sure to look for them in the newspaper, or when you get to the store (they often have unadvertised specials — look on the higher and lower shelves for deals). Don’t buy them unless they’re things you always use.

22- Try the store brands.
Brand names are often no better than generic, and you’re paying for all the advertising they do to have a brand name. Give the store brand a try, and often you won’t notice a difference. Especially if it’s an ingredient in a dish where you can’t taste the quality of that individual ingredient.

23- Cut back on your “one-item” trips.
They waste gas, and almost inevitably, you buy more than that one item. If you plan ahead, make a weekly menu, and shop with a list, this should drastically reduce the number of trips you make for a small number of items. But if you still find yourself running out for a few items, analyze the reason — are you not making a good list, are you forgetting some items from your list? Stock up on the things you frequently go out for.

24- Sugar cereals are a bad buy.
Lots of money for no nutrition. Look for whole grain cereals with low sugar. Add fruit for better flavor.

25-Be watchful at the register.
Keep an eye on the scanner — you’ll keep the cashier on his toes, and catch any mis-priced items.

26- When there’s a sale, stock up.
Sale items can be a great deal. If it’s an item you normally use, buy a bunch of them.

27-Comparison shop.
Look at the different brands for a certain type of product, including store brands. Sometimes there will be a significant difference. Be sure you’re comparing apples to apples — you need to divide the price by the amount (ounces, pounds, etc.) in order to get the comparable unit price.

28- Go during slow times.
One of my favorite times to shop is late at night. But during working hours or other non-peak times is good too. Avoid right after 5 p.m., on paydays and near major holidays.

29- Know when the store stocks its fresh fruits and veggies.
In my area, that makes a big difference. Fruits and veggies can go bad quickly, because they have to be shipped. So I know that the store re-stocks on Thursdays, and so I usually go on Thursdays or Fridays, otherwise I’ll be getting old items.

30- Plan one big trip a month for bulk staples.
You can get fresh items at another store on other weeks, but doing a big bulk trip will cut back on the expense and amount you have to carry for the other three weeks. Avoid buying on impulse at the bulk store too — just because they sell a lot of it doesn’t mean you’re saving, if you weren’t planning on buying it in the first place.