It’s easy to walk out of the supermarkets wondering how we spent more than we planned. Below are some tips to help save money while grocery shopping:
Choose the right cart: It’s the first thing you do at the store. Unless you’re shopping for a week’s worth of groceries, grab a small grocery cart. In an experiment by a cart manufacturer, shoppers bought 40 percent more stuff when using a cart double the size they need.
Shop on Wednesdays: The single best time to shop is Wednesday evening, according to smartcarting.com. Stores aren’t crowded, and weekly specials start on Wednesday at nearly half of U.S. supermarkets.
Don’t shop on weekends: Saturday and Sunday mornings and early afternoons are the busiest. Stores are also crowded after work on weekdays. The average shopping trip is 47 minutes on weekends, 42 minutes on weekdays.
Look high and low on shelves: Stores put the most popular and often most costly items at eye level. In fact, manufacturers often pay a fee for optimal placement. To find the bargains, look up and down to the higher and lower shelves. Store brands and bulk items, generally the biggest bargains are on the bottom shelves.
Make a shopping list: People who shop with a list spend far less time in the store and also make fewer impulse buys.
Shop online for groceries: Ordering groceries and having them delivered isn’t as costly as you may think. You may have to pay a fee, but some stores will do it for free if you spend over a certain amount. Online delivery services not only offer their own sales but also may offer other discounts to get you to try them.
