Do you walk out of the supermarket with more groceries in your cart than you planned on buying and fewer dirhams in your wallet than you planned spending? It’s easy to end up overspending when you go grocery-shopping without doing your homework. And of course, the impeccably stacked aisles don’t help either.
In this article, we list some of the easiest ways to save money when shopping for your groceries. These are six of the most practical methods for you to eliminate unnecessary spending every time you visit the supermarket.
Sign up for supermarket newsletters
Signing up for a supermarket’s newsletter, mobile app or discount alerts is a great way to access deals and discounts. Being on a supermarket’s mailing list will help you score coupons and limited period offers that you won’t discover in stores. Staying on top of these alerts can help you exploit good deals on basic household supplies. In addition to this, accepting store surveys and reviews in certain cases doesn’t hurt either, and could help bring additional savings to your grocery bills.
Use vouchers and coupons
In all honesty, almost all of us would have come across vouchers and coupons that can cut costs. However, to truly cash in on these benefits, use your coupons in combination with planning your dinners around what’s available at a bargain that week. Keep yourself updated by visiting your favourite store’s website to see what new deals are on offer and where the discounts are brimming. Target those particular items to maximize your overall savings.
[Related: How retailers trick you into spending more!]
Try out new brands
You might be a lifelong loyalist of one particular dairy brand, but is it worth staying loyal to it if it’s the most expensive of the lot? You could perhaps switch to another brand that’s cheaper, or make a temporary switch to make use of the discount running on another brand at that point of time. Exploring new brands can be a fruitful experience even for people who have never tried them out before. Building your shopping experience around slimmer costs will require you to move away from more expensive brands towards in-house, new-to-market, or lesser-known ones.
Do your research
Everybody has their trusted favourite supermarket. However, at the end of the day, your number one supermarket store probably won’t offer the best prices on your favourite grocery items. Make it a point to explore new stores in your neighborhood that do offer better pricing deals. A little bit of price-comparison research can go a long way in ensuring you get the most bang out of your buck.
Stick to your grocery list
This may sound pretty basic and unnecessary, however, we’ve all gone to the supermarket and returned with items we didn’t plan on purchasing in the first place. When you have a rundown of the most essential things you require for the week, you’ll know precisely what you need to purchase without splurging on any extras.
Buy fewer convenience foods
Sure, convenience foods are a convenience. Right from chopped up veggies to processed and ready-to-cook meat, there are a lot of options that can save you time and hassle, however, they do come at a price. Keep such purchases to the minimum and set aside time for activities such as grating your own cheese, making your own hummus etc. This can go a long way in bringing down your grocery bill.