I usually go shopping once a week. Sometimes it happens more often as I tend to forget to buy some things. And although it seems to me that I know it well how to spend wisely, there is always some kind of mistake I make. How can we make sure that we spend as much as we actually should?
Once again I decided to analyze my shopping habits and… yes, there is still something I have to work on.
#1 Wrong shopping sequence
It is really difficult to reduce the number of items we buy. However, as wise people say, if there is a will, there is a way!
It is worth picking products good for our health. We do the shopping while walking down the supermarket aisles. And to get to the fruit and vegetable department sometimes we have to walk a mile! No wonder we get lost among thousands of other items seducing us on the way. To prevent that, prepare a shopping list and buy things you really need. Avoid aisles packed with sweets and junk food, not to mention sales and promotions. And if you set off from the greengrocer’s part, with your trolley full of healthy things you will be less likely to put there anything fattening. It’s all in our head. And our trolleys.
#2 Do you really know how much common things are?
Try to remember or write down prices of products you buy in regular basis. Stores often tempt us with false promotions that persuade you into buying showing ‘old’ and ‘new’ prices. We swallow the bait thinking it could really be a bargain and buy more than one piece of the item in question. In fact this ‘new’ price is nothing but the regular one.
#3 Plan ahead
This refers both to your shopping list and preparing meals for the upcoming week. Thanks to planning meals, you will need which ingredients you exactly need. Planning meals for a given period of time not only will you spend less money, but you will also be sure that you eat all the products you buy without wasting anything.
#4 It’s weight that matters
Let’s say that there are two kinds of butter on the same store shelf. Their size looks similar but one of them is slightly cheaper. What you can’t do then is to go for the one cheaper straightaway. It might turn out that the cheaper one is much lighter. It is always the weight/ price ratio that clearly indicates what items are more economical to buy.
#5 Never ignore the supermarket brands
Almost every single chain of supermarkets have got their own products sold under the supermarket’s brand. Such products are usually much cheaper than those supplied by popular brands. At the same time their quality is comparable to the more expensive counterparts.
#6 Don’t be afraid of testing new things
Sometimes we are loyal to products of a given brand as we are worried that other option will turn out disappointing. However, sometimes new brands offer goods at much lower prices without any difference in terms of quality. So don’t be afraid to experiment! It might turn be the case that unknown products are not only cheaper, but they will also be made of better ingredients and, generally speaking, they will be healthier for us.
#7 Don’t ignore sales
More and more stores have got their own applications that keep us updated about any sales, outlets and discounts they currently offer. Sometimes they are almost tailored to our needs and preferences so it is worth checking whether the newsletters we get have got something worthwhile.
#8 Cheaper does not always mean worse
Cereal, spices, salt or sugar are packed in a variety of bags and boxes. Their color or material could affect the price. This does not mean that the product itself is much worse than something packed into a more costly material.
#9 Don’t pick up items standing near the edge of the shelf
All products have got their shelf life. That is why those which are just about to expire, are laid on the edge of the shelf. So if you are thinking of buying something to keep it in your refrigerator for several days, you’d better reach out for something further.
#10 Beware of marketing tricks
‘Vitamin E-enriched oil’, ‘GMO-free salt’ or eggs with orange yolk – these are all nothing but slogans to trick you into buying something. Before you actually decide to do it, make sure that this is the only brand that offers such option. Last but not least vitamin E is present in sunflower seeds so each brand of sunflower oil has got it. GMO refers to meat or plant products so why would one expect it to appear in salt? And orange yolk is not all that healthy – farmers add special agents to the hen food.
I am sure now that you have read it all, you are bound to spend less next time you go shopping!
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