Food shopping is an important part of our daily lives. Especially if you are responsible for selecting, buying, and delivering food for your family. The top stressors related to food shopping are “budget”, “store overload” and “meeting family demands”.
Here are our top 10 tips for reducing food shopping stress and saving money.
Tip #1: How often do you shop?
Decide how often you want to shop. If you shop every day or every other day, you may end up spending more money and time than you need to. Going to the stores takes time, and if you have to travel a long distance, you’ll also have to pay for gas and car fare.
This is because retailers are experts at encouraging impulse buys, which we all succumb to when we see “special offers.”
If you shop for food several times a week, most of the products you buy end up in the garbage because they spoil.
Tip #2: Set a budget.
If your income is limited, the weekly food bill is probably one of the top four monthly expenses, so budgeting is a very important factor for food shopping.
Decide how often you want to shop, set a budget, and stick to it. If you can buy everything you need within your budget, save the money you save for a vacation or use it to “reward” yourself.
Tip #3 Break your shopping list into categories.
Create a “list template” on your computer for your shopping list. A template allows you to print it out quickly when you need it, so you don’t have to rewrite it every week.
Divide your list into categories so you can check to make sure you haven’t missed anything.
For example, the following categories could be considered
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Beverages
- Meat
- Dairy products
- Fish
- Ready-made meals
- Cleaning products
- Personal toiletries
Tip #4 Create a shopping list
Create a list based on how often you will be shopping – if you are shopping for a week, think about what you will be cooking and serving to your family each day during that time to determine the ingredients needed.
If you are shopping for a family or for several people, such as a roommate, you need to consider the needs of everyone you are shopping for. Once you have a list, ask family members if there is anything you need to add that you may have forgotten.
Tip #5 Counting Equipment
Before you buy the items on your list, check your closets, refrigerator, and freezer at home to see if the items are already on the list. This way, you’ll avoid wasting money on items that are already in stock.
Tip #6: Shop online
Look at your “online” purchases. Some items you buy regularly, such as pet food or cleaning supplies, can be ordered in large quantities through a courier service.
Perhaps you could use a retailer that offers online grocery shopping. By buying online, you can decide for yourself what to buy and avoid falling into the “impulse buy” trap. It will also save you time and money, as you won’t have to travel as often to shop.
Tip #7: Discount Stores
Don’t overlook discount supermarkets. It can be frustrating to buy all your food at a discount store if you need certain products regularly. Discount stores may not have what you need or may be of poor quality.
For many everyday items, the quality is very good and much cheaper than in many well-known stores.
With this list, you can easily decide which products you should buy in discount supermarkets and which products you should buy in normal stores.
Tip #8: Change your shopping habits
The stress caused by crowds in supermarkets can be avoided by planning to shop during off-peak hours.
If you can go on a weeknight, you will find it more relaxed and enjoyable.
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Try to combine your shopping with other activities. For example, go to the movies first and stop to shop on your way home.
Tip #9: Shop for bargains.
Make sure the bargains you hear about are the ones you really need. Don’t buy something just because it’s on display. Many people take advantage of popular BOGOF (buy one get one free) deals and throw away products, especially if they are unused and have a short shelf life.
Tip #10: Shop the system
Instead of shopping around the supermarkets, shop with the system. This will allow you to make your purchases as quickly as possible and avoid impulse buys. When you find the items on your list in the store, check them off the list. Stick to your list and do not deviate from it. Once you have checked off all the items on your list, proceed to the checkout and don’t look back.
Be careful at the checkout we are human and can make mistakes. Make sure you only enter an item once at checkout. If an item on your list is on a special offer, check the invoice to make sure you are taking advantage of the offer.
About Author:
Sara has completed her education in marketing and started her career as a digital marketer. She is a content writer by profession. And she would love to add multiple things to her knowledge that she can add to her writing style. She writes about buy Indian grocery online in Canada.
