Advice | Everyday Cheapskate
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to cruise up and down the grocery store aisle, filling your basket with everything that looks good? Sure, it’s kinda fun — but oh, so expensive! Worse, you get home with absolutely nothing to fix for dinner. I hate when that happens!
But not to worry. Check out these easy ways to keep food costs in check from my friends, fans and followers!
Shop at home first. Before you head to the grocery store, take a quick tour of your pantry, freezer and fridge. It’s maddening to buy more of what you already have but simply forgot!
Don’t show up hungry. If you walk into any food store absolutely starving to death, there is no end to the bad choices you will make! Everything will look good. But what if you’re on your way home from work and didn’t have time to eat lunch? Head for the bakery or produce section to get a cookie or banana. That should be enough to put your out-of-control impulses back in check.
Try grocery pick up. Most major grocery stores now offer pickup service — sometimes for no fee at all. What a great option! You can “shop” at home on stores’ websites, taking your time and getting the exact brand and size you need. You can use coupons, see exactly what’s on sale, save your cart and change your mind before you finally check out. Picking up groceries precludes all of those impulsive buys we make while wandering up and down aisles and standing in line to check out.
Shop solo. It’s easy enough to get distracted and off track at the supermarket without adding children to the shopping trip. You’ll be more focused and make better choices if you shop solo and get in and out in the shortest time possible.
Buy the sales. Grocery stores are notorious for their weekly sales, and some of the best sales are always in the meat department. Stop paying full price for meat, poultry or fish. Buy what’s on sale! Make it a rule and watch your food bill plummet.
Learn the sales cycles. Let your inner detective have some fun by learning the supermarket’s sales cycles. Hint: Every food store works on a 12-week cycle. That means that once every three months, something in every category in the store is on sale. Start paying attention to when your favorite items go on sale and how much the price drops. Keep track in a price book you carry with you. It won’t take long to get really good at predicting when things you buy regularly will be on sale.
Grow your own. A sunny windowsill is all you need to grow your own herbs year round, no matter where you live. You can stop paying a fortune to buy fresh herbs like basil, chives, rosemary and thyme in the produce department.
Buy in season. Walk into any supermarket produce department and you can know exactly what’s in season. Look at the signs and prices. If the price is low, you can be sure it’s in season. It makes sense, right? Pay attention; load up on apples in the fall, stone fruit in the summer. And so on.
Shop with cash. You’ve created a food budget; now take only that amount of cash to the supermarket — no checkbook, debit or credit cards; no Apple Pay or other stand-in for real money. Only cash. It’s not easy, but, boy, will you save money! You will study every price, calculating and recalculating what you have in your basket. The reward for your diligence will be slashing your grocery bill. You’ll skip impulse items. You’ll be more willing to try generic brands. You’ll get really good at not overbuying, too.
Mary invites questions, comments and tips at EverydayCheapskate.com, “Ask Mary.”