6 Tips for Saving Money on Groceries

photo credit: ninjapoodles

What we spend at the supermarket often makes up a large portion of our weekly expenses. That means that finding a few ways to save money on our grocery bills is definitely useful. Financial Planning at About.com recently ran a post with handy tips and here’s a summary of the most useful information they gave:

Plan ahead by writing a shopping list and using a meal plan to do so. When you’re at the supermarket, don’t buy anything unless it’s on your list.

Eat before you shop - if you’re hungry you’re much more likely to make impulse purchases and spend more than you planned to.

Stock up on specials, but check to make sure they really are specials. Buying bulk can save you money, but sometimes supermarkets offer items at a special price which actually has a higher unit price than smaller packets. Do the math.

Consider buying store brands rather than the more expensive known brands - for many products, you won’t notice any difference.

Using different cuts of meat can save money.

Check out the different coupons you can use at a supermarket both in your local paper and online, and use them to save money too.