A SUPERMARKET employee has revealed the number one reason to ignore a specific section of the grocery store.
With the threat of rising costs becoming a real reality for millions of American consumers, these simple tips can make your next trip much easier – as well as save you money.
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A lot of the time, like with most things, it’s the common mistakes that are the easiest to make.
This goes double for the supermarket, a place people visit all the time, so much that they may take the process for granted.
There’s lots of small ways to make the process smoother, many of which may be right in front of your eyes.
LISTEN TO THE LIST
Supermarket employee Al Baker shared just a few of them with the New York Post, starting with the simple tip of always making a grocery list.
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Checking all of your kitchen cupboards and your pantry is key before writing up what you need.
This will help you avoid buying things you already have.
It will also make your tip easier, with less to carry and therefore less to pack. Baker said: “You can waste so much money purchasing things you don’t actually need, or don’t need right now, by not checking properly.”
APP HAPPY
Another tip is to use the app at the store, as it’s there to make your shopping easier.
It can be difficult to use sometimes, sure, but utilizing the scan-and-go feature can save you so much time.
It’s never a good thing to throw things into your cart aimlessly and then being faced with the huge bill at the end.
Baker said: “Scanning as you go is useful for knowing exactly what you are going to have to pay at the end as it keeps the price updated as you go.
“So many times I’ve scanned something and seen what a difference it’s made to my bill, and so I’ve put it back again.
“It really helps to reduce impulse buys and keep you on budget.”
This tip also encourages you to only buy what you need, as you are effectively paying while you are shopping, not all at the end.
UNIT PRICE
Something is a bit easier to overlook is checking the unit price of an item before getting it.
The ex employee explained: “Tempting as it may be to grab the product with the cheapest price, you may find that when you compare the cost per unit, the promotion item is more expensive as it weighs less.
“Even though the price you pay is less, you’ll get less of the product and end up needing to buy it again sooner, which means you’ve saved nothing.”
MIX AND MATCH
Being open minded as to what brands you are buying is a sure fire way to save money on your grocery shop.
This doesn’t mean just buying the cheapest product necessarily, but not being afraid to buy a different type of sauce for example, if the whim takes you.
Experimenting with food is never a bad thing, and if you find a cheaper alternative you actually like more, then it’s a win all around.
How to cut the cost of your grocery shop
BELOW are some tips on how to reduce the amount you spend on groceries.
- Write yourself a list – Only buy items that you need. If it isn’t on your list, don’t put it in the trolley
- Create a budget – Work out a weekly budget for your food shopping
- Never shop hungry – You are far more likely to buy more food if your tummy is rumbling
- Don’t buy pre-chopped veggies or fruit – The extra they’ll charge for chopping can be eye watering
- Use social media – Follow your favourite retailers to find out about the latest deals
- Be disloyal – You may want to go to different stores to find the best bargains
- Check the small print – It’s always worth checking the price per kg/lb/litre when comparing offers so you’re making a like for like decision as a bigger box won’t necessarily mean you get more
- Use your loyalty cards – Don’t be afraid to sign up to them all. They all work slightly differently – work out what bonus suits you better and remember to trade in your points for additional rewards
Baker went onto say: “If you are really trying to save cash but don’t want to lose the quality, try mixing up a brand version of something and a supermarket’s own brand version to make it last.
“We used to buy two jars of sauce for making pasta, and the cost was getting really expensive.
“Now I’ll add one jar of branded, or non-branded, pasta sauce to the pan and instead add a carton of cheap tomato passata.”
IGNORE AN AISLE’S END CAP
Finally, the most obscure tip Al has to offer is ignoring the end of the aisles completely.
He revealed that the higher-priced items are usually placed higher on the shelves to persuade customers to buy them.
His final piece of advice was: “I’ve started ignoring the end of aisles completely, as I know that those promotions are only there so people buy them.
“While working for a supermarket a few years ago, I was told that the cheap products go low because many people don’t like to bend down in supermarkets.
“Cheaper items will be on lower shelves.”
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