Saving the most money on your grocery bill

We have searched and researched the internet and have come up with the most complete list of ideas available for saving the most money on your grocery bill.  Before we get into the list, we need to acknowledge a few things first.  Consumer buying habits have changed and many shoppers are making more trips to the store then before.  Those trips consist of ready made meals, dinner for the night, picking up a side dish for a meal at home, and of course the last minute item we forgot.  Other dynamics are that prices are different from one end of the country to the other, online grocery shopping has taken off(albeit very very slowly), and the economy as a whole has forced a large part of the country to both write lists AND use coupons.  “Couponing” is practically en vogue, where it seemed from the early 1990′s to the mid 2000′s it might have been as uncomfortable as say, using Food Stamps(which under the current economic conditions has also exploded). According to ComScore., 36 Million people(you and I), visited coupon sites in December of 2009!!

So what are the top ways to save money, and I mean BIG money on your grocery bill?

Number 1- Do your homework.  Much like the housing market, there is a fire sale on grocery deals.  Why do you keep going to the store down the street and blindly spend money without at least looking around.  In many large city’s there are stores across the street from one another and the prices can be significantly different from one week to the next.  Why not at least take a look before you buy.  Read the weekly ads, look for the daily “manager” specials that are often NOT advertised, and then look across the street.  Also, lets not forget about the drug stores and super discount chains that offer the same Campbell’s Chicken Noodle soup for 40% less almost automatically.

Number 2- Write your list- Seriously, either have a written list of don’t go to the store.  Grocery stores are designed to pick up incremental sales.  Placing products in the checkout stands that will take your very last dollar, from the weekly tabloid to the candy bar add that says “buy 3 to get 3 free”.  Going to the store without a game plan of some sort is going to create havoc on your budget.  Start off looking through the pantry and making a quick list of what you HAVE.  By listing what you have it will reinforce it when you are the store when you think of buying that $5 box of Cheerios.  If you know you have it, you’ll keep walking and you’ll have just saved $5!

Number 3- Plan your meals.  Most of us are required to plan our day at work, yet we don’t plan at home.  Don’t fret, you are not alone. That being said, there are many tools and website that allow you plan your meals ahead of time and save money!  E-mealz.com is one such site.  Plan your meal, a list is printed and off you go. Planning your meals keep you on a budget and that is critical.

Number 4- Couponing.  As I mentioned in the intro, couponing is big and is getting bigger.  No wonder.  The price of food has skyrocketed.  From milk, beef and poultry to canned goods and general merchandise.  You do not need to suffer by buying some product you don’t like, just be more aware that coupons alone could shave 20-30% off your monthly budget.  According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics prices on many different food groups have soared:

Tracking for the following time frame   2000 2007 2008

Milk, fresh, whole, fortified (per gal.) . . . 2.79 3.87 3.68

Ground beef, 100% beef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.63 2.23 2.41

Ground beef, lean and extra lean . . . . . . . 2.33 3.07 3.44

Potato chips, per 16 oz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.44 3.65 4.48

Bread, white, pan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.99 1.28 1.42

Funny, but the bread they are gauging has got to be private label, because any national brand of bread is like $3.50 or $4.00 per loaf!  But clearly, in areas there is a 50% jump and I am sure since these are national numbers, many of you have seen even sharper increases.  Couponing just makes sense.

So some other ideas to keep your budget tight and on track: Leave the kids at home, shop when you are NOT hungry, know the advertising dates for your local supermarkets, buy in bulk if it makes sense and is NOT a perishable, make deserts and sauces at home rather then spend the money on the premade items.  They taste a lot better!  Also, what about a simple garden on your roof top or in your backyard.  There truly are many ways to save money on your grocery bill.

Soon SmartyMarket.com will provide thousands of everyday prices from your most recognized stores for even more savings. Truly an apples to apples, only one of its kind to give you the information that will make a true dent into your wallet without making you jump through any hoops.

SM

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