12 tips to BEAT the grocery bills
With 11 % inflation in India and Stagflation in US ( Recession plus Inflation) many of us are looking for ways to cut down.
Frugality is no more a virtue. I realized I belong to an older generation when it comes to spending - A bit conservative
Besides, there is a huge difference between frugal and cheap. If we can get the same quality of resources with some common sense ideas, why spend double on them.
Here are some tips I came across. Please feel free to add your tips.
1. Make the visit to store less often. Rather than going and getting it ad-hoc, compile a list and go just once a week. Plan menu for week and buy grocery accordingly. You will be much more prepared. Also food rots can be avoided.
2. A very popular advice is don't go to grocery stores HUNGRY. You end up spending more. You can test this yourself on one of your routine visits.
3. Buying brand items - Store brands are good enough for daily needs like milk, bread etc. This tip applies especially for people in US. If you don't like store brands you can always switch. As a start at-least give it a try.
4. Walk to grocery store. A car may make you buy more.
5. Shop alone. You know how it is when you take kids along right ? Even men tend to pick junk foods
6. Check the bills as you walk out. Humans are prone to errors.
7. Buy more when there is sale. Identify if it is non-perishable and if you have enough storage without moths go ahead and stock up.
8. Take correct amount of cash along. We are easily tempted to buy things we don't need.
9. Do not spend too much time examining the item. The more you spend time looking at it or analyzing it, you the more you feel like buying. If it's along felt need, then it qualifies for a buy
10. Superstores in India and all the stores in US make you take carts and shop. Other than convenience they obviously want you to buy more. Think before you take the cart inside the store. A basket is better.
11. Seasonal fruits or vegetables are anytime more nutritious for obvious reason that no chemicals or pesticides have been used to preserve them. Eat seasonal foods more.
12. I have been reading things about Asian /Chinese foods. They eat YIN ( Cooling) food like Cucumbers, Water Melon etc during summers and YANG ( Warm) foods like gralic, Ginger, Onion etc during winters. That creates balance in body. Indians also believe in this concept.
Additional Tips for people in US -
1. Live on edge of stores to get fresh produce and baked goods. The less the food is processed, the less harmful it is. This is more of a health tip.
2. Carry calculator to check unit pricing, when sale is there for an item.
3. A Grocery Price Book isn't a bad idea.
4. I was subscribed to Grocery Game at grocerygame.com. There have been mixed reviews about it. It's $1 trial for one month.
5. While checking out, you can ask the cashier if any specials are there on the item.
6. Sunday newspapers are good for coupons, but beware..You should not end up buying what you don't need.
7. Hunt for cheap yet healthy recipes. Comment here if you know any.
8.COSTCO or SAMSCLUB may work out well for families. I feel that more than one family can share the membership and benefits. I am not sure if it's legally possible, but it sure makes sense to share in case of 2 members families.
9. Even "Buy ! Get 1" can be shared with a friend.
10. Buying in Bulk during sales, especially the non-perishable items like Rice, Pastas, Nuts, Frozen Berries is something you can try.
Dear Friends,
Tell me what you feel about the tips.
If you are comfortable you can share your monthly grocery expenses here. For me it's around $200 for 2 of us without guests.
How frequently do you eat out and how many members are there in your family ?
Is there anything you would like to add here. Please go ahead and do it. Try making the text bold if it's a tip for easy visibility.
Frugality is no more a virtue. I realized I belong to an older generation when it comes to spending - A bit conservative
Besides, there is a huge difference between frugal and cheap. If we can get the same quality of resources with some common sense ideas, why spend double on them.
Here are some tips I came across. Please feel free to add your tips.
1. Make the visit to store less often. Rather than going and getting it ad-hoc, compile a list and go just once a week. Plan menu for week and buy grocery accordingly. You will be much more prepared. Also food rots can be avoided.
2. A very popular advice is don't go to grocery stores HUNGRY. You end up spending more. You can test this yourself on one of your routine visits.
3. Buying brand items - Store brands are good enough for daily needs like milk, bread etc. This tip applies especially for people in US. If you don't like store brands you can always switch. As a start at-least give it a try.
4. Walk to grocery store. A car may make you buy more.
5. Shop alone. You know how it is when you take kids along right ? Even men tend to pick junk foods
6. Check the bills as you walk out. Humans are prone to errors.
7. Buy more when there is sale. Identify if it is non-perishable and if you have enough storage without moths go ahead and stock up.
8. Take correct amount of cash along. We are easily tempted to buy things we don't need.
9. Do not spend too much time examining the item. The more you spend time looking at it or analyzing it, you the more you feel like buying. If it's along felt need, then it qualifies for a buy
10. Superstores in India and all the stores in US make you take carts and shop. Other than convenience they obviously want you to buy more. Think before you take the cart inside the store. A basket is better.
11. Seasonal fruits or vegetables are anytime more nutritious for obvious reason that no chemicals or pesticides have been used to preserve them. Eat seasonal foods more.
12. I have been reading things about Asian /Chinese foods. They eat YIN ( Cooling) food like Cucumbers, Water Melon etc during summers and YANG ( Warm) foods like gralic, Ginger, Onion etc during winters. That creates balance in body. Indians also believe in this concept.
Additional Tips for people in US -
1. Live on edge of stores to get fresh produce and baked goods. The less the food is processed, the less harmful it is. This is more of a health tip.
2. Carry calculator to check unit pricing, when sale is there for an item.
3. A Grocery Price Book isn't a bad idea.
4. I was subscribed to Grocery Game at grocerygame.com. There have been mixed reviews about it. It's $1 trial for one month.
5. While checking out, you can ask the cashier if any specials are there on the item.
6. Sunday newspapers are good for coupons, but beware..You should not end up buying what you don't need.
7. Hunt for cheap yet healthy recipes. Comment here if you know any.
8.COSTCO or SAMSCLUB may work out well for families. I feel that more than one family can share the membership and benefits. I am not sure if it's legally possible, but it sure makes sense to share in case of 2 members families.
9. Even "Buy ! Get 1" can be shared with a friend.
10. Buying in Bulk during sales, especially the non-perishable items like Rice, Pastas, Nuts, Frozen Berries is something you can try.
Dear Friends,
Tell me what you feel about the tips.
If you are comfortable you can share your monthly grocery expenses here. For me it's around $200 for 2 of us without guests.
How frequently do you eat out and how many members are there in your family ?
Is there anything you would like to add here. Please go ahead and do it. Try making the text bold if it's a tip for easy visibility.
Total Comments 25
Comments
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Hi,
Great tips - I try to do the same while shopping these days. the price of rice and dals has really gone up. It is a good idea to stock up on non perishables. I buy in bulk from Costco and it saves a lot.
Tip: Buy a tin of tomato paste from costco - it is only $2.25. you can use it for making sabzis, pasta sauce etc in place of fresh tomatoes. This way you will need fewer fresh tomatoes each week. Since I started using this I need only 2 fresh tomatoes each week in place of 6-7 I used to get earlier.
Currently my grocery bills are around $200 for 2 persons.Posted 18th July 2008 at 12:04 PM by Mythraeyi
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Wow, Meenloch, you posted a right blog at the right time I should say. These tips are very much needed to save and be safe these days :)))
BTW, if I could add a few tips especially for those with kids...
1. Try to avoid kids items as much possible...if it's ok to use the common items for both adults and kids in your home. I have noticed in this place by making an item special for kids they definitely price it min. a $1 more.
For example, I buy soymilk for us adults (to mix it with cereal) and I also buy soymilk for my kid (to mix with cereal as well as to drink). Earlier I used to buy a soymilk that said "Fortified for kids" which is a $1.10 more than the normal soymilk that I buy for us. Now I made it common.
Same with yogurt - kids can have the same yogurt as we do (except for an infant it might be needed to go for yobaby).
2. In order to stock up when there is a sale, don't buy anything and everything that is put as a sale, unless you see a huge cut-down in the price. Because in America everyday there is some sale and many times those sale don't make a much difference in the pricing!!
3. Regarding Sam's club or Costco membership, we have been sharing the membership with a friend's family here. For a family definitely one card is sufficient and that we share save on the membership fee.
Hope these tips is of some help.
Meenloch, did I make it 15 tips???Posted 18th July 2008 at 12:20 PM by kanmani -
Hi Meen,
Hi u r absolutely correct i never take kids to markets when ever i take them the bill comes more otherwise its in my budget. even hubby does the same as u said. thank u for ur tips.
madhu.Posted 18th July 2008 at 01:47 PM by madhumathi1974 - Nice tips.. Though some are some quite tough to implement.
I suggest, restricting going to Costco more often, we cut down more on our bills by not going to Costco once in two weeks. Now we only once in three months. And we stock things in advance. For perishable food Costco hardly wroks out good for smaller families.
Second will be to avoid going to grocery stores, and sticking to farmers 's market.I love fresh veggies there and other aspect is, it helps small time vendors.Posted 18th July 2008 at 03:04 PM by Ria2006 -
Mythreyi,
Nice tip there. Tell me can we use tomatoes paste for Punjabi / North India dishes too ?
Is COSTCO useful for just two of you ? I was thinking maybe one should have a family and if it's just the two, then you can share the membership with another 2 member family. Write back here so that our other friends also learn.Posted 18th July 2008 at 05:11 PM by MeenLoch
