Thursday, April 30, 2009

Shopping Smartly

Cutting back your grocery bill is tricky and time consuming but the end result is rewarding. Because of the economic downturn consumers are trying to find ways to cut back. One of the candidate is your grocery bill. Here some few tricks/tips that I do whenever I go grocery shopping.
1. Make a list. Making a list saves you time and energy in the store. You don't wander in the store thinking what else you need and what you've missed.
2. Create a budget. Before you leave figure out how much you are going to spend and stick with it. Itemized the things that you need and you don't need.
3. Use coupons. Clippings of coupons in Sunday paper is the great way to save. Another way to get coupons is through web sites. There is a lot of site out there that give coupons of your favorite product. You just have the patience to look for it, though.
4. Comp it. Some stores allow comping from their competitors, like Wal-mart. You can comp prices from other stores like sale and clearance. I like going Wal-Mart because it's a one-stop shopping store for me.
5. Buy off-brands. Buying off-brands is not gonna hurt you. They're just the same value of the name-brand items but cheaper.
6. Get in, get out. I always make it sure that I avoid temptations. I go in, grab what I need check out and leave. I go browse the store later.
There probably a lot of ways to save money out there, and if you have something to add please don't hesitate to leave a comment. I'll appreciate it.