The Top 5 Tips In Saving When Going To The Supermarket

1 Write a list, write a list and write a list.

It’s funny once you see it. Someone walking aimlessly around a supermarket looking for items. But you’re not one of those people, because you’ve written a list. Yes, a list can save you hundreds if not thousands over the course of a year.

Being organised cuts down on the unnecessary items. Write the list at home where you have access to your fridge and freezer. Know what meals you will have each day of the week.

Stick to the list. There is no use going there if you are going to add costly chocolate bars or an impulse item on the way out.

Write the list and keep it lean and mean. Stick to the list. The dollars will soon add up.

2. Don’t go to the store hungry.

Everything looks better when you’re hungry. You will soon be buying yourself a small snack. Or your eyes will be bigger than your stomach and you will purchase bigger products than you need. Or you will purchase something that you won’t eat.

A good way to test this theory is to become hungry and watch a cooking show. Everything on the show suddenly becomes the nicest thing you have ever seen. Plan to go to the supermarket directly after you have eaten.

3. Take a calculator

A 6, 24 and 30 pack of 365ml cans of soft drink will retail at different prices of course. However the cans might be cheaper in the six pack rather than the 30 pack.

For example on a recent shopping trip the cans in the 24 pack were 0.50cents per can. However the cans in the 30 pack were 0.66 cents per can.

The same can be said about cereal. Two boxes of the same cereal might have different prices per gram. And what might surprise you is the smaller box is cheaper per gram than the bigger box. Use your calculator to work it out.

Remember buying in large quantities over smaller quantities doesn’t always save you money.

4. Don’t take bad influences e.g. children.

If you can, shop alone. If you bring kids there will be no doubt that they will be asking for a snack or drink. Plus they will more than likely try and get some bag of chocolates or lollies thrown in the trolley.

Also can anyone say temper tantrums? That is a sure way for kids to influence you buying them something. Sometimes the parents just give in to the child to make them quiet.

It’s easier said than done to not always take the kids. However if you can, leave them at home to help you save some money.

5. Write a 2^nd list

We have a piece of paper sticky taped to our pantry door. Every time we run out of something (e.g. milk) we write it on there. However it can be any household item.

This list is then added to the shopping list we take to the supermarket. This prevents missed items when you go shopping. Thus avoiding you having to drive down to the local service station to pick up items you forgot that you ran out of.

As you know, running out of sugar, butter, milk, toothpaste or any number of items at the wrong time can be really inconvenient. However wasting petrol money driving to the store and then paying inflated service station prices does nothing for your bank balance.

Petrol stations know that after shopping hours end, they are the only place to get these things. That’s why the prices at petrol stations can be 30%, 40% or even 50% higher.