Grocery shopping is our daily routine but it consumes time and money if we do it without planning. It will take more time to navigate the store and there could be a delay at the counter service. You will spend extra time trying to avoid bumping into each other’s carts at the billing counter. As you exit the store, add a few minutes to stay in line at the checkout. Driving time increases during peak hours, as well as the time to find a parking spot. All these can add to your irritation.
Sticking to a budget is a goal and grocery bills are no joke, especially if you’re a food fanatic. Organic and gourmet can be pricey, and going shopping without a list will be time-consuming. How can I spend less money on groceries is a common refrain. Or if you decide you want to economize on your groceries, you’ll need some strategies.
Here we will share practical tips for grocery shopping. LoveLocal is going to recommend several strategies to save time and money on grocery shopping. These expert tips and strategies can help you slash your grocery costs without sacrificing nutrition.
Tips –
- Make a Weekly List and check your Inventory –
In general, creating a meal plan and sticking to it is the best strategy. Planning well to minimize your trips to the store can keep you safer, save you time, and reduce your impulse purchases. Prior to visiting the stores check the inventory of your pantry, fridge, and freezer and determine what you need for the recipes in your meal plan for the week ahead. organize your list by category and layout of the store, that way you’ll prevent backtracking to the necessary things.
Make your grocery list online and take advantage of the LoveLocal app for online grocery shopping services for delivery or pick-up to save time and avoid any impulse shopping pitfalls. Avoid a common habit of shopping after school, after work, or before dinner. It may seem like you are saving time by picking up groceries on the way home but you don’t benefit much.
- Keep check on offers and coupons –
You should keep checking on weekly offers or coupons. Shop with coupons and store circulars. What’s in season this week will likely be in abundance and on sale. Consider making a shopping trip just to shop for coupons. Don’t let your savings drift down the drain. You can collect and store coupons for later. Organize your coupons according to the expiration date and the store name so you can be efficient. You won’t need to empty your purse to search for them at the checkout.
As tempting as it may be to grab that container of pre-cut pineapple or that bag of shredded cheese, remember you’ll be paying more. Cut down on the convenience buys of vegetables and the like and cut, shred, and separate your own. Check out online grocery shopping at the LoveLocal app as it has exciting and pocket-friendly offers.
- Shop as per season –
In India, we have a huge variety as per seasons and festivals. Knowing what’s in season is one of the smartest ways to save money and contribute to less waste. Check the food section in your newspaper to find the best buys for the week based on fresh produce in season. Food in season is usually priced to sell.
Grocers provide more seasonal ingredients at their peak to customers which lower the price. Build your meals around seasonal ingredients and buy up extra products that can be frozen for later to take advantage of the savings. Go online grocery shopping on the LoveLocal app for fresh and seasonal stocks.
- How to choose time for shopping –
Shop at quiet times or when you are alone to avoid errors. Type a specific store location into Google’s search and you’ll get a “Plan your visit” box in the company profile that lays out the busiest and slowest times for every day of the week so that you can see exactly when the store will be the least crowded.
Paying attention to the best times to shop can lead to the best deals. This could be anything from choosing the right day of the week to the right time of day or night. Expecting big deals on weekends leading up to holidays could make it the best time for shopping.
- Buy Healthy items and save money –
Eating healthier foods can actually save you money. The researchers found that when families eat healthy food or make weight loss diet plans they not only lost weight but reduced their food budgets. Also, healthy food helps to maintain good health. The savings came from reducing portion sizes and from buying fewer of the high-calorie foods that tend to increase the amount spent at the grocery store. People tend to spend a lot on those “extras” — foods that add calories but little nutritional value, like sodas, bakery items, and junk food.
You can get more for your money if you consider the nutritional value of food for the price. For example, sodas and flavoured drinks deliver mostly empty calories and could easily be replaced with less expensive sparkling water with a splash of 100% fruits or canned juice. When possible, substitute inexpensive vegetarian sources such as beans, eggs, tofu, and legumes for more expensive meat, fish, or poultry. Eat vegetarian once a week or more to increase your consumption of healthy plant foods while saving money. LoveLocal can help you to buy healthy and cost-effective items.
- Avoid waste if you don’t want –
We Indians have been taught to not waste food. Before you toss perishable food into your grocery cart, think about exactly how you’ll use it. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that roughly 30 million tons of food get wasted each year. Using leftover vegetables, poultry, or meat in soups, stews, salads, and casseroles minimizes cost and demonstrates your creativity in the kitchen.
For example, have a roasted chicken for dinner one night and use the leftovers for another dinner the next. Try topping a bed of fresh greens with vegetables, fruits, and slices of leftover chicken. Or leftovers can be used as a new yummy dish in the next meal. Unless you have a coupon or the item is on sale, buying prepackaged, sliced, or washed products comes with a higher price tag. Still, people living alone may find that smaller sizes of perishable products or bags of prepared produce eliminate waste and fit their needs best, despite the extra cost. You can also save money and boost nutrition by passing up the aisles with processed foods, cookies, snack foods, and soda.
- Review and compare store circulars in advance –
You can find most circulars online, and reviewing them there eliminates the need to handle paper copies at the market entrance. Checking the ads in advance allows you to make price comparisons, so you can plan where to shop ahead of time. Check out the LoveLocal online store and review.
- Track ,Barter and Share –
For a few weeks, record the prices of the items you buy the most when food shopping. You’ll be able to find the best prices for specific goods and can stock up when a true price drop happens. If you buy in bulk or find yourself with more of some items that you need, consider trading with neighbours and friends. Visit the LoveLocal app for price comparison.
- Prefer store brands –
Most popular bulk items are often manufactured by the same companies at less cost and have the same quality and taste. It makes sense to buy store brands. Check the ingredient label to compare and then make your choice. The cost of store-brand foods and beverages is at least 20 to 25 per cent less than noted brands of the same product. You can often find store brands right next to comparable name-brand items. You can find local store brands on the LoveLocal online grocery app.
- Buy regular item in bulk –
Buying natural and organic foods in the bulk section of the grocery store offers an average savings of 30 per cent and 50 per cent versus packaged food. Check out the daily items and note the quantity so you can order them in bulk. It will save you money and time. You can buy wheat, rice, sugar, grains etc at discounted prices. It is environmentally friendly and reduces carbon footprints.
Buying in bulk allows shoppers to make smarter decisions, by purchasing the exact amount of foods they need, as opposed to purchasing consumer packaged goods with a predetermined amount that may not get used before its expiration date. Buying in bulk offers a broad selection of natural and organic products that can be purchased in the exact quantity desired. You can check good offers on bulk buying on the LoveLocal online grocery shopping app.
So don’t wait! Shop for your essentials from your trusted local retailer’s shop on LoveLocal!