If you have a hungry family like I do, the monthly grocery bill is probably one of the biggest expenses your household faces. So how about some tips to save money on groceries? I'm glad you asked. Here's part 1 of a Money Central piece titled "20 Ways to Slash Your Grocery Bill":
Eat your fruits and vegetables. "When you think about it, fruits and things like that are really fairly inexpensive compared to the packaged things," says Gary Foreman, publisher of The Dollar Stretcher, a Web site devoted to living better for less. And almost any time of year, stores have "a good selection no matter what you like," he says. "You're bound to find something year-round that's in season and, therefore, affordable."
Want to find the freshest and the cheapest? Investigate a local farmers market. With less middlemen involved, the produce tends to be "fresher, treated with less chemicals and cheaper," Foreman says.
Give those shelves the once-over. "The marketers aren't foolish," says Foreman. "They know that we're generally lazy." So they position the items they most want to sell on the shelves between knee- and shoulder-height. "The highest markup items are the ones at about chest level -- to make it really easy for you to grab it and toss it in the cart," says Foreman.
And that's where the most expensive name brands will be, says Jyl Steinback, author of "The Supermarket Gourmet." "You can save up to 40% by selecting house or generic brands."
Stick to the edges. For the most part, the healthy, less processed foods are at the edges of the grocery store: dairy, fruits and vegetables, meats, etc. Those are the most nutritious options, and they also go further in the kitchen. In addition, "the main areas where you're walking, the paths to milk and bread, are usually strewn with high-priced land mines," says Ellie Kay, author of "Shop, Save, and Share." "Avoiding those pricey areas will really help."
Shop early and alone. "Try to shop when you're alone," says Steinback. "Those little helpers can quickly boost your bill." And if you shop early in the day, you get through the store faster with your list and spend less, she says.
My thoughts:
Fruits and veggies -- My wife does her best to get us to eat a lot of these. Somehow, I just like meat and potatoes better. ;-)
Shelves -- He's a bit off here. The BEST-SELLING items are in the prime shelf space, not items the stores want to be better-selling (believe me, I've worked in the food industry for years). Plus, these items are often promoted with price reductions and coupons. Really the best advice is simply to know your prices and understand what a "good deal" is for every product category.
Stick to the edges -- But aren't the Lay's Vinegar and Salt chips down the aisle? ;-)
Shop early and alone -- Not very practical for our family. My wife does most of the shopping (she tries to forbid me from entering the store because then I see all the new, cool, tasty, fattening products that are out) and neither early nor alone works in her situation.
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