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In my quest to save money on groceries, I discovered that not only were there ways to lower costs before I went shopping, but while I was at the store as well. They are quite simple, yet effective. For more tips on saving money on food, see my last post (Not So) Extreme Food Budgeting.

Shop alone

For me, this is a luxury. I normally take the kids grocery shopping with me when Ian’s at work and, as you can imagine, it’s interesting. When I manage to go by myself, I move through the store much faster, quickly getting what I need – with no unnecessary stops in the deli or chip isle.

The quicker I move through the store, the less likely I am to wander down every aisle, picking up new things that sound good that are definitely not on my list.

Stick to the list

If you aren’t shopping with a list, you are probably buying things you don’t need that won’t get eaten. I can’t stress enough how important it is to plan before you leave and know just what you need. Yes, there are times when I get to the store and remember something that I needed but forgot to put on my list, but it is usually just one item.

Once you get to the store, stick to the list. Unless there is a crazy sale where oranges are $.39/lb, don’t put anything extra in your cart. And the best way to do that is:

Don’t shop hungry

You’ve heard this before and it bears repeating. When you shop hungry, everything looks good. This leads to impulse buying and you end up with way more in your cart than was on your list. And possibly a stop at the deli for a corn dog or pizza stick… You know that decision will come back to haunt you. (Totally speaking from experience here).

Before you head out for groceries have a nourishing snack or meal with plenty of protein and healthy fats that will burn much slower than carbs and keep you satiated the entire trip.

Don’t shop often

I have found that the more often I go to the grocery store, the more money I spend. Duh, right? But many people (myself included) will find themselves running to the store whenever they run out of a food item and then see something else that they think they need. Like a great sale on frozen pizza…even if you never buy the stuff. (It’s just so hard to pass up a really good deal!)

If you can make do with what you’ve run out of, don’t run out and buy it. Get creative and use something else you have on hand. Wait until you have a list with at least 10 items on it before you head to the grocery store. It will save you money.

Take a set amount of money

I got to the point where I had to take out my debit cards and only shop with a certain amount of cash. Because we use a cash envelope system, I try to only take the amount I think I’ll need plus $10 to $15 extra, in case I remember something that I needed but didn’t put on my list. It happens a lot, ok. Mommy brain.

I can look at my list and roughly estimate what everything will cost. It gets much easier as you shop to stock your pantry and buy the same things all the time.

The fun thing is when you get to the store and find that everything on your list is on sale and you have a bunch of money left over. Then you should get a treat. 😉