If you are the normal consumer, then you've probably experienced the Grocery Shopping Blues. Most supermarkets use this trick to their advantage to squeeze more money out of their customers and turn a tidy little profit for themselves.
Grocery shopping should be a pleasant experience, but too often, consumers let it get the best of them and they end up getting frustrated. It doesn't help that they don't put themselves in a position to make things easier.
To get the most out of your shopping experience and save money at the same time, consumers need to focus their attention on the most important aspect of shopping at the supermarket. That is, getting organized. If you can master this trait, you will be far ahead of the average consumer.
By getting yourself organized, you allow yourself to shop without stress. A luxury most consumers have yet to conquer in this got-to-have-it-now society. You also give yourself the chance to buy what you need instead of buying what you want.
Here are the 7 ways ways to organize your shopping that will help you save money, time, and stress.
1- Know what you are going to buy beforehand instead of wandering through store aisles looking for things to buy. This means knowing what you need by utilizing a price book, store circulars, and having knowledge of your home's food inventory.
2- Go online and and stock up on multiples of coupons from the free grocery coupon sites, coupon cutting services, and coupon trading forums and target only those coupons you normally use and those items that are on sale.
3- Set up your list and coupons according to the aisles in the stores. This way you don't have to return to aisles you've already shopped.
4- Spend as little time as possible in the store. Store surveys show that consumers spend $1.70/minute for the first 30 minutes in the store and $2.25/minute thereafter.
5- Stock up on loss leaders. Buy as much as the store will allow you. If there are limits, (usually four) then make sure you use the same number of coupons to get the maximum savings out of the loss leaders.
6- Store and brand loyalty are out. Stick to what gives you the best value not the most popular item.
7- Never shop on an empty stomach. Hunger tends to attract impulse buying.
As you can see, it's not hard to save both time, money, and patience at the grocery store if you are organized. While others are going crazy trying to find the best deals, you will have already done your homework, and decided where and what you will be buying.
This is how you will beat the Grocery Shopping Blues.
Barry Ferguson is known as "America's Saving Money Man". He is the author of two books called "How To Stop Wasting Money" and "The Saving Money Mindset", and has 15 years of practical, real world experience saving huge amounts of cash every time he shops! How much do you want to save? http://www.howtostopwastingmoney.com
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