Don't Shop As Often

by Jeff M.
(Metairie, La)

An easy way to save money at the grocery store is not to go as often. Whenever a person goes to the grocery store they almost always buy more than they really need.

You might just need some milk, but you also pick up a bag of chips and some ice cream for dessert. Grocery stores know that people buy things on impulse and use this to their advantage to increase their profits.

Saying you won’t go to the grocery store and not doing it are two different things. In order to be successful at it, you have to have a plan. The first thing to decide is how far you can go between trips to the grocery store. It is not hard to go every two weeks or with a little more planning a person can go once a month.

The key is to figure out what food you need and how much of it you use over the time span you decide. Start by taking an inventory of every type of food you have in your house. It doesn’t matter how old it is, if you bought it once you might buy it again.

Once you have an inventory start making a list of what you need the next time you go to the grocery store. It might take a few tries to determine how much food you use over a set time period, but if you make a list every time, you will learn how much you use.

Make your list before you go to the store. Include everything that you think you will need. Try to arrange the list by how the store you use is organized. It will make it easier to complete the list.

Once your list is done head to the grocery store. While at the store there will be tons of products that are advertised on sales. Make a note of the prices but don’t buy anything that is not on your list.

If it isn’t on the list, you don’t need it. You save more when you don’t buy something than if you buy it on sale. The list is the most important part of saving money.

Don’t deviate from the list. If you didn’t put it on the list, you can survive without it. If you see something you think you would like, make a note of it for the next time you go grocery shopping. If you run out of something, just do without it.

The last key to saving money this way is to not go to the grocery store between trips. You will spend more money if you do that. And you won’t starve if you don’t