I do love to shop.  So we have to go shopping for the A-Z tips.  I would love to focus on non-essential items however as grocery prices increase I think a few grocery tips may help.  Please feel free to add your own as I know many of you have terrific tips yourself.  I want to learn from them.

Let’s go shopping:

  • At the store shop the perimeter.  All the sale items will be stocked there.  And you will cover fresh veggies and fruit which is more healthy then processed foods.
  • Only purchase fruits and veggies that are in season. 
  • Try making your own salad dressings, seasoning mixes, marinades, and biscuit mixes.  They are fairly easy to do and will save you $$$$$.
  • Compare price per unit when buying in bulk.  You may not be saving money with some items.
  • Keep a list.  This is so true.  All those extras really add up.
  • Buy spices in bulk.  You don’t need as much of some spices and spices don’t stay fresh forever.
  • Stay away from prepared foods.  They are very expensive.
  • Decide if you are a coupon person or not.  If you are not, then accept it and don’t hang on to them and feel defeated.  Instead, shop store brands and use other tips.  If you are then get a good system for using them.  There are also subscription type services like the www.thegrocerygame.com that might work for you. 
  • Find lower priced cuts of meat and find recipes on ways to cook them instead.
  • Keep a budget for food.
  • Eat less meat.
  • In most cases, toiletry items are more expensive at your grocery store.
  • Have you shopped at a 99 cent store lately?  Mine has veggies and fruit.  I also got a beautiful jar of mixed mushrooms (that looked like something you would get in a gift basket, for –you guessed it–99 cents!
  • Use up stale bread to make your own breadcrumbs of croutons.  Easy to do and saves $$
  • Know when the sales are for your store.  And you may want to find out when they stock so they are not out of the items when you go.
  • Start with a menu and then shop.
  • Make your own cleaning products will save a bundle!!!  The companies that produce that stuff is making a ton of $$ as we need very few cleaners yet most households are full of buckets of different cleaners.
  • Watch the register.  Make sure someone unloads the cart and you watch the register.  If you are alone, look over the receipt before you leave.
  • AND NEVER GO TO THE STORE HUNGRY!

Don’t forget to share your tips.

Contest: Link any of my A-Z tips on your blog and let me know and I will enter you in my contest to win some lovely prozes.  Check out my post- Wanna now what you are playing for? to see them.
Have a “Cost-Effective” Day!

Debbie aka The Real World Martha(S)