Saving Money while Grocery Shopping

Helpful hints for saving money when you shop for groceries:

1. Make  List
2. Never when hungry
3. Only shop alone 

  1.  Look at the sales, plan your menus {especially the main dish}, make a list.

2. You may have the best shopping plan but if you go shopping on an empty stomach it can upset that plan. When you are hungry while shopping it makes items you would otherwise ignore become suddenly appealing. This is the time when you feel like buying candy bars, soda, potato chips -- the items you don't really need, budget-wise or health-wise.

So, just plan to eat something before your leave home.  I know it sounds too simple, but it is truly a money saver. You will be able to make a much more intelligent effort at deciding what you should buy rather that what looks good to you at the moment.

3.  Taking the family shopping with you can be disastrous to your plan for two reasons: with the family along, your attention is continually distracted from what you're trying to do; that is, shopping wisely and saving money.

Even if you have a great, detailed list and a definite shopping strategy, the kids will usually start asking and whining for this or that until you finally give in and buy it for them. It can be surprising to discover how all those little extras can add several dollars to your bill, not to mention that it is hard to keep your mind on what you're doing.

Taking hubby along can also alter your plans.  Spouses can be notorious for impulsive grocery shopping and can be a deterrent to your shopping plan. They may question your purchases and your plan, and they may also load the cart with unbudgeted "yummies" - items that are neither on your menus or your list.

Make a list, make a plan, don't go hungry and go alone.  With the money you save you can buy some more items for your "3-month supply of foods you normally eat".

3 month supply