Grocery Shopping Tips To Stay Financially Fit

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sue_Windred]Sue Windred

Do you love good food (and who doesn't?) it can be tough not to buy every appetizing thing in sight at your local grocery store emporium. Even the most disciplined buyer can lose their financial cool at the grocery store, everything looks so good. It is amazing how easy it is to outspend your weekly grocery budget with a single trip to your local supermarket. If you think you are spending too much on your grocery budget, here are some tips for staying financially fit.

Make a List

Before you go shopping make a list of everything you need and stick to it. Plan your week ahead with all your meals and make your grocery list from your menu. As you run out of things add them to your list. Only buy the things you really need. Instead of shopping every week try, shopping every 8 days, by adding an extra day to the week you will be surprised how much you save. Don't ever shop when you are hungry, you will always end up buying more than you need. 

Clip those coupons-and use them

Although they may not be sexy or cutting edge, coupons always have been and always will be a great way to save on your grocery bill. Take advantage of those circulars and clip coupons on food and home items that you already use. Coupons are often used as a promotional tool to entice you to try new items. If you can get a good deal on an item you've never bought before, that's great. But try to restrict yourself to items that already hold a space on your shopping list. Don't just buy something because it is a good price; ask yourself if you need it first.  You should also beware that many times coupons can help you save on name brand items only. Is the same item available as the generic store brand? Sometimes you can save more on your grocery bill by buying the store brand item rather than buying the name brand item with the coupon discount. Make sure you do a stringent price comparison before buying the name brand item. Shop around for the best price, but don't get caught up in running from one shop to the other, you will spend more on petrol than what you will save. Store brand items are usually just as good Did you know that the quality standards of store brands are almost always just as good as the name brands? Most grocery items have an equivalent store brand product for a much cheaper price. Try some and discover how much you will save on a weekly grocery bill. Not just when they are a good special but every week.

Shop at your local farmer's market

Shopping at a farmer's market is usually a great way to save money on fresh local produce, especially if you are lucky enough to live in an area with an abundance of farms, orchards and agriculture. Your local farmers market is not only a great place to buy fresh fruit and produce but it also helps the local farmer. As an added bonus you will be helping to save the environment because the food has less distance to travel, a win win for everyone. This can be a wonderful opportunity to get to know your local growers. 

To save money, buy in bulk

Buying in bulk can be a great way to stay financially fit and save money. If you have the space and money to buy in bulk, this can be a great way to save money on your grocery bill and save time as well. Be sure you are buying things you truly need and will use. It can be tempting to buy a four-pack of kitchen napkins if you see them on sale, but if you know that you probably don't need that many napkins and don't have the storage space, it's probably better to opt for your usual buy. Of course, there are certain products that all of us can stock up on safely. Toilet paper, laundry detergent, soap and other essentials are safe bets when it comes to buying in bulk. Make sure that you don't buy anything that will go bad within two weeks. Get a group of friends together and split the cost on large quantities, buying by the box and splitting it can save all of you money and time.

Consider a co-op membership or your wholesale big box store

If you have a local co-op store or wholesale store in your area, you may want to consider buying a membership. A co-op membership means that you have access to a wide variety of natural products and local organic produce. When you pay your member fees, you are effectively buying into the co-op and becoming partial owner. Before you rush off and join check the prices to make sure you will be saving more than your membership fees.

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Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Grocery-Shopping-Tips-To-Stay-Financially-Fit&id=1950747] Grocery Shopping Tips To Stay Financially Fit