Posted by We’re a few months into the pandemic, and if you are starting to struggle financially now is the time to set up a budget for yourself, especially for grocery shopping. Time to focus on the essentials and create your own grocery list that fits your budget and still maintain your family and personal needs. These 10 tips will be useful if ever you were not feeling well and can help limit your trips to the grocery store.
1. Avoid purchasing prepackaged foods
Instead of purchasing pre-made portion food items, you can save money by purchasing fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits in bulk and freezing them until you are preparing to cook them. Food items such as bagged deli meat, it is best to straight order them from the counter.
2. Avoid impulse buying
The impulse buying is a weakness that many people succumb to especially for those planning to budget. Once you already have a budget goal in mind, stick to it and fully avoid making any impulse purchases.
3. Stock up essential items especially when they’re on sale
If there are items that you frequently purchase are on sale for a good price, stock up! This is important for dry storage food items.
4. Purchase bigger pieces of meat
You can save money by purchasing big pieces of meat such as steak that is pre-cut for stews or stir-fry’s and don’t forget to request for the butcher to cut it up for free. Since meat is priced based on weight, it’s best to purchase meat that does not have skin and bones so it less weighs.
5. Avoid purchasing end cap display
End caps are similar to eye level products where grocery stores feature items at the end and front of aisles to ensure they are visibly featured. Some of these items may not even be in your list so try stray away from the impulse and temptation to buying.
6. Purchase essential items that are in season
Buying items that are in-season produce pays off with big savings. If possible, purchase them in bulk and freeze what you need so you can enjoy them even during the off-season. Common local in-season food includes popular tropical fruits such as durian, mangosteen, cempedak, pomelo, rambutan and many more.
7. Deciding between generic or brand items
Generally, most branded products are more expensive, so if you can find generic products that are the same but in different packaging, you can save up more cost for your budget.
8.Plan a weekly meal plan
Before you head out to shop for groceries, plan out your meals around these items and purchase them in bulk to fit your budget. This will effectively help you stay organized and purchase only the essential items you need for the week.
9. Compare prices from a few stores
Different grocery stores may have their unique pricing structures based on brands, locations and amount of stock. Survey the grocery stores around your area to learn which item has the best price to fit your budget before you make a purchase decision.
10. Check unit pricing
In the long term of budgeting, sometimes purchasing items in bulk instead of single units can be cost-effective. Most grocery items in the store usually display pricing per unit. This gives customers the choice to purchase items in bulk, so it is best to pay attention to the unit pricing.
What other grocery shopping tips that you think should be include in this list? Leave us your thoughts on the comment sections below. Head over to Jobstore.com and unveil your next job opportunity.