Planning ahead of time is very important. Take time to do a quick check of your inventory in your pantry room and your fridge to decide the food that you need.
Prepare your shopping list.
By doing this you will able to make notations of related coupons that you may want to use. Try to read the newspapers and circulars to find the best deals ahead of time.
Plan your weekly menu
This is to best ensure that your list is complete and you have enough food to feed your family for the whole week.
Selecting the right store for your needs
When buying in bulk you may want to use warehouse clubs or superstores for non-perishable items. When buying health and beauty products check the national drugstore chains and superstores.
Don’t go while you are hungry
When we are hungry we always tend to like anything that looks and smells goods but not always nutritious. You will end up buying things that are not necessary needed and spend more money. The rule of thumb is to eat a good meal first and you will most likely stick to your list.
Coupons, rebates, and frequent shopper programs
Take advantage of any coupons, rebates and any ongoing shopper programs you can save hundreds of dollars a year by taking advantage of product incentives.
Store brands
Do not be afraid to experiment. Brand names are often no better than generic, and you’re paying for all the advertising they do to have a brand name. Companies have worked hard to improve their private-label brands and often the taste is equal to the national brands.
Setting limits
When you go to the store, you need to know exactly how much you can spend. If you don’t know how much you can spend, you’ll certainly spend too much.
Comparison-shopping
To determine the true value of a product read the unit price, not just the package price. Also, don’t forget to check "expiration" and "use by" dates to insure you are buying the freshest products.
Know when the store stocks its fresh produce
Knowing that makes a big difference, most of the fresh produce have to be shipped and can go bad very quickly. If you know when the store re-stocks the chance of buying fresh items is huge.
Rain check
If an item is on sale but the store has run out of stock, ask for a rain check.
Beware of marketing strategies
Avoid marketing ploys designed to draw your attention to a particular product. Knowing some of the tricks of the trade will ultimately save you money like never just grab the item at eye level and never buy anything from around the checkouts.
Shop online
Though I like to pick my fruits but sometimes its good to go high tech. This will cost you more on deliver but you will save on gas and your time. Some on line stores will show you the current special offers and also there are some sites that you can join for free that scan the cheapest prices on the things you are placing on your cart and tells you where to buy it.
You have more tips? Add to this list in the comments.
