Save Money on Grocery Shopping – Frugal Grocery Shopping (Part 2)

National Brands or Store’s Brand?

It is the same product only packaged differently. If you are not convinced, have a look at the list of ingredients.

Usually the Store’s brand sells for 20% less then the national brand, so why pay more just for a name or a slightly better looking package?

At least give it a try. If you’re convinced that the named brand is better, you can always go back to it.

Don’t forget to consult your price list. Often you may find that the store’s brand is sold for more that what the national brand is sold at a different store!

Search the Upper/Lower Shelves

Remember: If it’s looking right at you, it’s more expensive

Buy Bulk

The basic idea is of course, the more you buy – the less you pay per unit/weight. The difference may rage from 30% to 100%, making bulk buying an excellent way to save money on grocery shopping.

Generally speaking – the more you buy bulk the more money you save in the long run. 30% off your annual grocery budget is a huge sum of money.

As a general rule always prefer the biggest packaging available. But before you do, consider the following:

• Do you really need this amount? Will you ever use it all or will it end being thrown away?
• Doe’s the specific product has an expiration date? You don’t want to end up throwing away stuff.
• Do you have a place to store in all?
• Don’t buy a year’s supply, just enough to last until the next sale (two to three weeks).

Always Check the Unit Price

The solution? Assume nothing, and don’t go bulk automatically. Always check the unit price (per-unit, per-once or per-pound). If it’s not cheaper to buy bulk – prefer the smaller packaging.

Remember to take into account coupons and store deals, as well as special discounts for loyalty cards. Combined, they can make two small packages cost much less then a big one.

Stock Up on Sale Items

Just make sure you use the four rules mentioned earlier to make sure you don’t buy too much of it.

This is en excellent way to save money on grocery shopping, big time.

Three for Two, Eight for Six, 50%-Off-Second-Item etc.

Now is a good time to check your price list and see if it’s really a good offer.
If it is – consider the three rules mentioned earlier before purchasing.

• Do you really need this amount? Will you ever use it all or will it end being thrown away?
• Doe’s the specific product has an expiration date? You don’t want to end up throwing away stuff.
• Do you have a place to store in all?

Check the Reduced Section

The fact that the store can’t sell it tomorrow doesn’t necessarily mean that the product is not good. It only means the store is not allowed to sell it, but it is still absolutely safe for eating.

Take advantage of it. Buy if fresh for today, or even better – stock up your deep freezer.

Buy Frozen Veggies

Fresh vegetables can’t store for long, and you always end up throwing some. Frozen veggies on the other hand can be stored for a very long time, so that nothing goes wasted and you save money on grocery shopping.

Use Coupons

Just because you have a coupon doesn’t mean you have to use it if you don’t need the product.

Read my Smart Coupon Strategy article to find out how to use coupons more efficiently. Also, I highly recommend to read our sister site Grocery Coupons Guide as well.

The Old $49.99 Trick

Even though everyone knows this trick, most people are still fooled by it when they come to evaluate a product’s cost vs. value.

Try adding 10% to the marked price, and only then consider if it’s worth buying.

Curb Your Impulses

Do you really need 10 packs of Guava-Leachy gum? How many packs of AA batteries are already laying somewhere in you kitchen drawers?

Apply self control. Curb your impulses. Keep your hands (and dollars) in your pocket and save money on grocery shopping.

Use them All

Use all of them and save money on grocery shopping.

Check the Receipt for Pricing Errors

• Pricing errors between the marked shelf price and what the scanner rung up.
• Did all the tree-for-two / get-50%-off-second-item etc. go thru?
• Did the two-for-$10 go thru? Did the one item went for only $5?
• Did you get all the discounts for your loyalty card?
• Did all the coupons go thru?

If you find any mistake – go to the customer service counter and ask to correct it.

Almost any store will honor the advertised price, and at the very least you will get the difference. You may be entitled to more, on where you live and the store you shop at.

Some state’s laws mandates that if a consumer is overcharged, he gets a discount on that item worth 10 times the discrepancy, up to $5 total.
Some chain stores will even give you the incorrectly priced item for free.

Always Get a Rain Check

Rain checks are vouchers which allow you to take advantage of the sale price at a later date (usually within 30 days) for those sale items the store has run out of.

Not all stores issue rain checks, but it’s worth checking.