Sometimes I feel if I take another trip to the grocery store, I’m going to scream. Then when I look at how much we spent in a month on bread, milk, eggs and a zillion other items–I feel faint. Seems like I spend most of my time wandering up and down the isles hunting for new snacks to pack for the kids’ lunch. And taking them with me on my weekly excursion is no picnic. I land out spending way more than necessary as I throw items to keep them quiet. DVD’s, books, toys, whatever it takes to keep them calm and happy in their car cart.
So, no wonder our grocery bills have been through the roof. I thought it was just me. I’m a self-confessed impulse buyer and if the label boasts it’s “new and improved”, then I’ve got to try it. But according to a recent Newswise release, we aren’t the only family that’s got high grocery bills taking too big a bite of the monthly budget.
“The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that the average American family of four spends $8,513 per year on groceries. That averages out to $709 per month.
Worse, food prices rose 4 percent in the United States last year and are expected to climb as much again this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”
Yikes. Even when I have to just run in for “a few things”, somehow, I’m almost a $100 in the hole. Do we really need six open boxes of cereal, four flavors of granola bars and a ten ton tub of peanut butter from The Price Club? I think not. Clearly, I need a grocery shopping intervention.
So how do you curb your spending at the grocery store? Sissy Osteen, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension resource management specialist, offers these helpful tips. (Which I am going to print and keep in my wallet!)
- Shop less. Make a big trip once or twice a month. She says the fewer times you’re in the store, the less opportunity you’ll have for impulse buying. (Research indicates that consumers making a ‘quick trip’ to the store end up spending 54 percent more than they intended.)
A consumer who goes to the store three times per week and spends $10 on impulse purchases each trip will end up spending an additional $120 per month. By going to the store just once per week, consumers will spend only $40 per month on these purchases; shopping once per month results in only $10 spent on impulse items. The shop-less save-more strategy can save families nearly $1,000 per year.
- Nix the name brands: Shoppers can easily shave several dollars from their grocery bill by purchasing generic or store brand products over national brand items.
Everything from cereal and frozen vegetables to canned goods and prescription drugs is available under a generic or store brand label. You can save from a few cents to a couple of dollars per item. The savings can quickly add up.
- Compare prices: If there are a number of grocery stores in your area, compare the weekly sales ads and plan menus accordingly. Look for cheaper cuts of meat. Chicken thighs and legs cost less than chicken breasts.
- Clip coupon: Coupons also can be a good way to save money. Many stores will double coupons up to a dollar. Be sure to compare the discounted price to the price of a store-brand product.Even with a coupon, you may be better off buying the store brand.
- Make a list: When it comes to shopping, make a list and stick to it. Plan the week’s meals and snacks and jot down everything needed for each meal. If possible, shop without your children so you are not tempted to give into pressure from youngsters for an extra treat or toy that is not on the list.
- Can the coffee: Many consumers stop by a coffee shop on their way to work for a latte or cappuccino. This $4-per-day habit can easily add up to more than $1,000 per year.
