7 Grocery Shopping Mistakes That Could Cost You More Than You Think
Tweak your habits to save your budget.
It’s tough to have a conversation about anything these days without acknowledging the soaring price of [insert eggs, gas, childcare, and pretty much everything else]. Even if you consider yourself frugal, you likely feel the impact on your wallet.
But you still have necessities. Bills must be paid, and food must be purchased. According to the USDA's Moderate-Cost Food Plan, feeding a family can cost hundreds of dollars per person each month, depending on age and gender.
Knowing that might increase your appreciation for leftovers. Still, there’s no denying that individual spending habits and decisions at the supermarket contribute to your bill. Here are the mistakes to avoid on your next grocery run to save more.
Shopping while hungry
Bypassing the take-out order to go grocery shopping might feel like you’re being “responsible,” but those good intentions go out the window if you shop hungry. One survey found that people who shop hungry spend an extra $26 per trip.
Not checking your own inventory
How many times have you purchased ingredients you didn’t realize were already in your pantry? Repurchased items, along with confusion around “best by” dates and food imperfections, contribute to household waste that costs nearly $2,000 annually.
Only shopping at one store
It can be a drain on your wallet to have eyes for only one grocery store. Consumer Reports found that similar products across multiple stores can differ by more than 33% in some regions. Spread out your spending to save more money.
Buying pre-cut produce
Pre-cut and packaged food might be convenient, but the extra processing costs mean higher prices. Taking a few extra minutes to cut up your own fruits and veggies at home is time well spent and money saved.
Only buying name brands
It’s easy to think that recognizable brands are the smart investment. But there’s actually not much difference in quality between many name-brand items and their store-brand counterparts. One sales report from the Private Label Manufacturers Association shows that ignoring store-brand products can mean missing out on savings.
Bypassing bulk
If you carefully select the items your family uses most frequently, buying in bulk is a cost-effective bet. The increase in volume cuts down on your grocery trips and may help you save as much as 27% on your bill, according to Lending Tree.
Ignoring coupons and store deals
The days of physically clipping coupons have given way to digital codes, and still, it’s easy to forget them. Ignoring these opportunities could result in more than $1,400 in savings on the table each year, according to Coupon Follow.
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