Having ‘grocery’ and ‘saving money monthly’ in the same sentence may seem a bit off because they seem impossible. Yet, with a strategic approach to shopping, you can plan to buy your groceries with the intent of saving money.
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Still don’t believe that? This article will put an end to your doubt. Let’s look at some hacks that can help.
Focus on The Essentials
You’ll probably not find as many distractions anywhere else in the world as you would in the grocery store. Anyone can get easily carried away by the fancy displays or the latest additions.
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So, the only thing that can save you and your money when you go grocery shopping is your focus. Create a list of things you need and focus on them. Else, you’ll end up spending money on things you don’t need.
Buy What’s in Season
If you’ve ever seen a blockbuster movie but on a discount day, you’ll understand how this feels to have the same great experience at a cheaper rate.
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It’s the same feeling when you buy fruits and vegetables in season: you get them fresher, in more quantity, and cheaper. It’s a whole package. So, keep an eye out for seasonal signs when getting your produce or ask the staff about it.
Loyalty Points
This is just your grocery shop’s way of telling you thank you every time you shop. You don’t have to do anything extra. It’s like being a part of an exclusive club where the membership fee is for you to buy what you want anyway.
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These points accumulate over time and can be used in the form of discounts or you can even get free groceries altogether.
Use Cashback Apps
How would you like to go shopping and when you’re done, you get paid for it? There are apps that do this. They give you a percentage of your money back when you buy groceries. Find them and make them your best friends.
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All you have to do is show the app your receipt and you’ll get money back into your account. Tell me what better way there is to save.
Do It Yourself
Buying pre-cut and pre-washed foods is very convenient and they significantly reduce your stress. But do you know one thing they hold on tightly to? More spending.
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If you’re hoping to save on your groceries, you’ll have to avoid those. Buy whole foods and do the dressing, cutting, and seasoning yourself. Not only will you be saving yourself from incurring extra costs, you can control what goes into your food.
Digital Coupons
Coupons are always exciting because it’s an instant saving hack. It’s convenient and you get to have personalized deals from your stores, based on your shopping choices.
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You can see all your available deals, so it’s easy to keep track of what you can save on. Although, this can only happen when you sign up for an account with the store.
Shop at the Right Time
Timing is everything, even in grocery shopping. There are specific times when a shop reduces prices and introduces killer deals. It can be early in the morning or late at night, whenever, just find out.
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These marked-down prices are usually for stuff that’s about to expire like bread, meat, etc., so they need to sell it off fast. If you’re okay with those, you can buy them and save a lot from it.
Try Less-Known Brands
Sometimes, we spend so much on groceries because we opt for global brands that have widespread fame. Sometimes, brands that are not well-known offer quality that’s the same as or even better than these global brands.
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They’re usually cheaper than the other brands because they already save on marketing and branding, so you won’t have to pay for all that.
Buy in Bulk
This has been a life-long money saver because it offers a volume discount. Prices per unit are reduced but you’ll enjoy this better if you actually use all of your bulk-purchased items.
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You won’t be saving anything when you buy a lot of stuff that will end up going bad. So, do this wisely and buy more non-perishable items.
Plan Your Meals
You may think this will be such a boring routine but it actually helps in saving. Plan meals ahead of time so you know exactly what you’re going to eat. Then, shop only what you need.
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Buying things unplanned and on impulse are the biggest money wasters and the reason is simple. You’ll want to buy any and everything and end up buying irrelevant things.
Compare Store Prices
You may be a loyalist, sticking to just one store and accommodating all their prices. Meanwhile, there’s another store just down the road that sells some of your favorite things cheaper.
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Always do yourself the favor of checking out prices from other stores. Compare them and know where to get some things for less.
