How to save on shopping: 8 golden rules
When shopping for groceries, saving isn't difficult. You just need to know and apply these rules to notice a big difference and a big savings right from the first shopping at the supermarket. A few good habits and a few rules to always keep in mind will help you reduce waste and really save! It is also very important who you shop with. If you have children accompanying you to the supermarket, discover the right advice dedicated to you!
1. Do your shopping only after eating
Shopping early in the morning or just before lunch is a bad idea. If you are hungry you will be much more inclined to put in your cart as many products that you want but don't really need. You would find the cart full of ice cream and sweets or a thousand snacks: are you sure you want this? Go shopping after lunch or after a snack and you will be able to be much more objective about your purchases, choosing only what you need.
When you are on an empty stomach ... you are not too reliable: the risk is to waste time and waste money!
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2. Always carry your shopping list with you
If you go shopping trying to remember what you need and what you don't, you risk buying useless products, food you don't need and forgetting what you need most.
Get into the good habit of making a complete list of the foods you want to buy and divide them by type according to the aisles of your supermarket to be even faster and more organized when shopping. Every time try to avoid impulse purchases, but always plan the weekly menu in advance, organizing the meals of the whole family and the real amount of what can serve you. Making a shopping list is a great way to save money in supermarkets (as long as you respect it, of course)!
3. What to buy to save
Buy seasonal and local products that always have a better quality and a lower cost. In this way you will make a careful and conscious choice also for the environment because you will reduce the pollution caused by long transport. Even if you choose to buy meat, milk, vegetables and wine directly from the producer you will be able to save a lot. If you do not have any manufacturing companies in your area, always choose the market, opting for seasonal products, Km zero.
Are you getting a taste for saving money by shopping? Also find out about other good household habits for saving.
4. Brand does not always mean quality
Don't just follow brands: you will find yourself paying more for products with the same quality as other cheaper ones. Many items of the main discount stores that you find in our area are actually produced by companies that also distribute in large supermarkets. Always prefer quality over brand.
Buying loose products will also allow you to save on packaging and packaging costs without sacrificing quality (we are talking about 35% less cost!).
5. Are promotions really affordable?
Some promotions can be convenient but maybe the promotional price product is not useful to you and your family and risks remaining in the pantry and expiring.Always compare offers with other products in the department that may not be on offer but still cost less because they have a lower starting price. In general, a very convenient promotion and type of offer is the one concerning multipacks of products for cleaning the house and personal hygiene, which being cheap but also long-lasting, do not risk wasting away
6. Remember to take your shopping bags with you
Always carry canvas home bags and eco-shoppers with you, so as not to waste money on buying new bags and not pollute. 5 or 10 cents may seem very little, but at every expense in a year they guarantee you several euros in savings and without effort. Keep your shopping bags in the car to avoid the risk of forgetting them at home or, if you shop on foot, leave them near the front door.
7. More self-production, fewer ready-made foods.
The Coronavirus lockdown at home made us rediscover the pleasure of self-production: making homemade bread, pasta, pizza and biscuits, but also yogurt, preserves and jams, reduces the environmental impact and allows you to spend less by not buying these products All you need is some free time! If, on the other hand, you don't have time to cook, at least avoid buying ready-made salad dishes that have already been cut and washed: if you only knew how much it will save you!
8. Buying groups and apps to save
Find out if in your area or in your neighborhood there are Solidarity Purchase Groups (GAS): they are groups with which citizens organize themselves to buy local products together and directly from producers instead of supermarkets. The reasons that push these people to join are not only economic savings but also environmental protection. There are also Apps that you can install on your smartphone that will allow you to save on shopping, pointing out the supermarket in your area that offers lower prices on everything and helping you in the delicate operation of comparing all the products on offer and the various commercial offers. .
