With these 20 simple tips, you can shop every month and prepare enough food even with little money. I will list in detail all the tips I use for my weekly frugal grocery haul!
Table of Contents
Tip 1: You need to plan your meals
A good tip is the preparation of meals and the matching ingredients a week in advance. If you buy very cheap basic ingredients such as potatoes, rice and pasta, you can use them wisely and incorporate them into a balanced and varied diet.
Tip 2: Create a shopping list
Write a shopping list before you go shopping so that you only buy what you need at that time. With a shopping list in hand, you will not be tempted to buy food while hungry and don’t need.
Tip 3: Don’t be blinded by promotional offers
Of course, like me, you will also find several advertising flyers in your mailbox, all of which will attract you with so-called special offers. Do not be blinded by these advertisements. Of course, you can choose all the offers and buy them at different markets, but you will have to spend a lot of money and time for this. The best thing is to buy the food in your usual supermarket where you know the way.
Tip 4: Plan your shopping in detail
Write your shopping list so that you can find the products just as you go to the supermarket. Ideally you should write down the department you are looking for, for example “bakery” or “drinks”.
Tip 5: Set a shopping limit for your money
I set an upper limit on my monthly household income for purchases. The best way to save money is to set a limit per person per day, per week or per person per week. Of course you can also save a considerable amount by setting a total amount for the whole month for purchases.
Tip 6: Buy seasonal
Seasonal fruit and vegetables are always sold cheaper in supermarkets than products from abroad that have to be imported. For example, I buy oranges and blueberries for little money.
Tip 7: Buy in bulk
For certain things it is best to make a bulk purchase immediately, when there is a sale, then to buy it every week. For example, I only buy toilet paper, dish soap, and paper towels when they are on sale. And I will make sure to buy enough for at least a month, sometimes more if the sale is really good.
Tip 8: Cheap products are in the middle
In most discount shops you will find the cheapest products in the middle of the shelf rows.
Tip 9: Do your shopping shortly before closing time
I am always under pressure just before closing time because I know that the supermarket will close soon, and I can concentrate on the food I really need and save money because I don’t have time to get tempting snacks. In addition,
Tip 10: Look down from the top
Take a look at the top and bottom shelves, because there you will find products at low prices. Products at eye level are usually more expensive.
Tip 11: Not to be confused with special offers
So-called special offers are mostly discount brand products, which are still considerably more expensive than off brand products.
Tip 12: Get off brand products
Most stores have their own brand of products that I like to buy because they are much cheaper and I can save a lot of money. Often the private labels are in no way inferior to the original brands and have a less elaborate packaging. For example, most of us know the Walmart brand Great Value. Most of their products are a lot cheaper than the brand name, and are not worse in terms of quality.
Tip 13: Finding replacements
In addition to products of well-known brands, you will also find affordable alternatives. Choose the cheapest option and save a lot of money.
Tip 14: Buy fruit and vegetables in the evening
Fruit and vegetables are considered perishable by discounters and are often offered at reduced prices at night. Shortly before closing time, bread is also available at half price.
Tip 15: Supermarkets are optimized for right-handers
Most supermarkets are designed for right-handers. This means that you will find the most expensive groceries on the right shelf. Look on the left side and look for the cheapest products.
Tip 16: Only buy what you need
The only way to stick to your budget is to legitimately only buy what you need. Resist the urge to get all of those goodies that you want, but absolutely don’t need.
Tip 17: Save money with an expiry date
If you are buying goods that have passed their expiration date or are about to do so, you can get them at a much lower price and do good shopping with little money. Products are usually edible over a longer period of time.
Tip 18: Don’t let yourself be seduced by tempting offers
All supermarkets lure with sweets near the checkouts. Avoid these tempting offers at all costs, because you must be economical with your money. Buy a large pack of sweets at the supermarket and give yourself a piece of it as a gift after you buy it,
Tip 19: Use a small shopping cart
I prefer a small shopping trolley because it fills faster and forces me to be more economical purely because of space constraints. You can also use a basket to stay within your budget.
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