How To Save In-Store
Once you've got a plan, don't let the marketers and retailers lead you astray. Here are 10 ways to watch your spending once you are in the store.
- Coupons. Always take advantage of free money, whether it’s your 401(k) or from coupons. More and more manufacturers are issuing them (I just saw one for KY in my Sunday paper, no kidding!). Sites like CouponCart.com or www.coolsavings.com offer deals on frequently purchased items. Your store may have double coupon days, also. Take advantage of in-store discounts - limited shelf space means discounts before the expiration date.
- Location, Location, Location – There are two things to consider when looking at how products are displayed in stores:
- Anything placed between knee and chin level on store shelving is likely a name brand, and therefore, more expensive. Look up and look down to find generic or store brands of the same items. According Jyl Steinback, in "The Supermarket Gourmet”, “You can save up to 40% by selecting house or generic brands."
- As the priciest items on the shelves are in the middle, the priciest items in the store are located in the middle aisles. Usually dairy, fruits and vegetables, as well as meats and cheeses are at the edges of the grocery store. Not only are these more nutritional, they’ll go a little farther in the kitchen than processed goods.
- Don't fall for marketing. Cheese, according Supermarketguru.com, is around 30 percent cheaper in the dairy aisle than the deli - there's no overhead for the person who cuts and wraps it for you. You're responsible for any jokes about cutting and cheese on your own here.
- Go Organic. Consumer Reports recommends going organic on fruits, meats, dairy and baby food for children and expectant mothers, at the least. You may pay prices that are higher by 10 to 100 percent, depending on where you buy these, but research suggests that organic foods last longer. Again, look to online stores to pick up your organic goods, as they may offer lower costs. Visit Consumer Reports for what to buy (and skip) in terms of organic foods.
- Take Your Fish Frozen. Vacuum-packed delectibles like salmon, flounder and tilapia, as well as bags of frozen fish and such, can cost 20 - 40 percent less than the (formerly frozen) "fresh" fish at the meat and fish counter.
- Shop Happy. Don’t shop when you’re hungry, tired or angry. You’ll end up buying stuff you don’t really need, like your favorite processed junk food that has little nutritional value.
- Bigger may be better. Buying potatoes, oranges and onions in bags can save you roughly half the price.
- Understand CPU - Cost per unit is the price of an item per meauring unit - be it pound or ounce. This is a good calculation to know when trying to decipher the packaging on multiple sizes of the same food (sometimes bigger is not always better).
- Shop around. Stores will offer better buys on different products. Real Simple claims that warehouse groups like Sam’s Club or BJs offer prices 20 to 50 percent lower than regular grocery stores when it comes to products like condiments, coffee, bottled water, and canned beans. Prices may even vary by store in your neighborhood. I’ve found that a pint of Ben and Jerry’s - and believe me, I’ve done my research - can cost anywhere from $3.50 to $4.75 in a six-block radius around my house.
- Notate - Experts, from Martha Stewart to the folks at CNN Money, recommend creating a shop book for the basics. List what you buy on a regular basis and the prices you’ve seen. From this, you will be able to build the best strategy for saving the most.
- The Name Says It All. Grocery stores are for, well, groceries. It may be more convenient to pick up some pain reliever while restocking the fridge, but you could end up paying more than 50 percent what your local drug store charges.
- Carry a calculator. Buying in bulk is not always better, but sometimes it may be. That bulk deal might turn out to be less than the single option with a coupon. If your math is anything like mine, skip the anguish and use a calculator (luckily most cell phones come with them). Pocket protector optional.
- Check your bill. Make sure what rings up matches the listed price on the item. If it’s more, don’t be afraid to make the store match the price. It’s the law.
- Watch out for the lure of single-serving drinks. If you sate your caffeine addiction through cola, buy bigger. In my neighborhood, a 20 oz bottle can cost as much as $1.45 at the local bodega. The larger 2 liter (67.6 ounces) costs $1.33, including the bottle deposit.
Take your grocery saving skills to the next level with the Grocery Game - where contestants try to knock the most off of their bills. Here at Prosperity, we're doing the same with wine - looking for great and cheap(est). For more on saving on your bar bill (besides getting to know all the bartenders), check out How To Stock Booze on a Budget.
