The cost of visiting grocery stores just keeps on rising.
Even though prices are on the rise, grocery shoppers still have options.
9 Grocery Shopping Mistakes That Add Up
Dont let rising food prices tank your budget.
Here are some ways you might better manage your food expenses.
1.Going Without a List
Its 2023.
Theres no excuse for not making a list anymore!
Our team has compiled alist of creative waysyou can fatten your bank account this week.
This is a long list, so dont get overwhelmed.
Well keep it updated as offers changes or expire.
You dont even need paper.
you could make it right on your phone.
A list helps you stay focused on what you need during this visit to the store.
By sticking to only what you need, a list helps you stay on budget as well.
Ignoring Unit Price
Bigger may be better, but its not always cheaper.
Did you know?
What exactly is unit price, you ask?
It simply tells you how much youre paying per pound, ounce, liter, etc.
whatever measure the product uses.
The unit price also helps you compare prices on different-sized products.
Overall, thats a better deal than the 8-ounce package.
From peanut butter to cereal to pain relief medicine, the store brand was cheaper every time.
(And our taste tester couldnt tell the difference.)
A common assumption is the store brand is of lesser quality, but thats not always the case.
Compare the ingredients and often youll find they are very similar, if not exactly the same.
Even if you loathe a store brands diet cola (gotta have that Diet Coke!
), that doesnt mean its boxed pasta, peanut butter or body wash is inferior.
I think I bought a bottle last time, but maybe I didnt?
Torn over this condiment conundrum, you go ahead and purchase a bottle of ketchup.
Do you collect ketchup like old coins, or are you just forgetful?
The truth is you simply forgot to take a look around the kitchen to see what you already had!
Costco cards cost as low as $60 per year, or $5 a month.
But almost every grocery store chain also has a membership offering and most are free.
Most of them will send youcouponsand special deals for items you typically purchase.
it’s possible for you to usually pay with the store app and track your receipts.
You might even receive perks on special days, like your birthday.
Either give yourself a dollar limit or plan on purchasing one item youd like to splurge on.
Next week, you might choose the New York strip over the sirloin steak.
These small splurges can help keep you motivated when youre really tight on money.
Shopping for Groceries Yourself
Over the last few years, many consumers are increasingly switching to online grocery shopping.
Statista says the online grocery customer base is roughly150 million shoppers, almost half the U.S. population.
Its forecasted to grow even more in the coming years.
The benefits of skipping the grocery trip, ordering online and picking up your groceries are many.
Youll automatically have to make a list (see No.
Youre also less likely to overspend or fall for a bunch of BOGO deals you didnt plan for.
Weve come a long way since scribbled lists on the back of an envelope.
Not Paying Attention to Sales Cycles
Every grocery store has a sales cycle.
This is simply the time of year when certain products go on sale.
Its usually easy to find online.
Always Buying Pre-Cut Produce
Sure, it might save you a little time and time is money.
Pre-packaged, pre-cut food is always going to be more expensive.
For comparison,Vicestudied the cost of pre-cut versus whole fruits and vegetables.
In some cases, the differences were eye-popping.
Vice found that a whole red onion costs 49 cents per pound at Walmart.
Chopped onions came out to $4 a pound.
These are older prices but the point stands.
Robert Bruce is a senior staff writer at The Penny Hoarder covering earning, saving and managing money.
He has written about personal finance for more than a decade.
It sounds appealing right?
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