There are two types of people: The “Planner” type who grocery shops on a schedule and preps their meals and the “Quick Trip” people who grab what they need when they need it. No matter your style, we found some quick money-saving hacks – without having to understand the coupon game.
Hack 1: Frozen Seafood
Items at the seafood counter are typically the same products you can find in the frozen section…for less. Making a trip to the frozen seafood section will save almost 40%. Even if you’re an on-the-go family, thawing seafood doesn’t take much time at all.
If you’re worried about how to thaw your seafood, Bon Appetit walks us through a simple way to not only save money on buying frozen but how to thaw it quickly and safely before dinner tonight!
Hack 2: Small Shopping Cart
Typically, there are three choices at the store. You can grab the basket (does anyone really do this?), you can grab the “I’m here for about 20 things” cart or you can grab the full-size shopping cart. Stick with the middle cart and only get what you need. Often, when the large cart is chosen, shoppers work to fill the cart and get unnecessary items which can mean unnecessary spending.
Hack 3: Look Up and Down
The items the supermarket is trying to sell or are paid to place at eye level are typically the higher-priced (and recognizable) brands. If you’re not a brand loyalist, go for the store-brand item.
Hack 4: Shop the Perimeter
Most of the things a shopper needs are on the outside aisles of the store. Simply put, don’t go to the inside!
Did you know there’s a psychology to how our grocery stores are laid out? Real Simple reveals the secrets grocery stores don’t really want us to know. It’s how we spend more money than we had planned.
Hack 5: Solo Effort
Go shopping alone (if it’s possible). Throw in some headphones and listen to music and get that shopping done without any distractions or little ones asking for things that are not on the list. A lot of extra spending is a result of impulse buys.
Hack 6: Clearance Section
This is Gabriel’s favorite section. When we came up with the name “Data Driven” it wasn’t just a catchy name, it’s quite literally what makes Gabriel the man he is. Looking at numbers and figuring out data is in his blood.
The clearance section is something we all do naturally do at every other store so this should be simple. There are several of them around the grocery store so keep your eyes peeled. There’s a meat section, a bakery section, a shelves section (often found near the yogurts and cheese.
Hack 7: Simple Math
For those who start to sweat at the thought of math, don’t worry, this is easy. Take a look at the tag on the food item you want. Your first focus is the price per unit. Often times, the price will be a bit higher but you’re actually getting MORE! Grocers are sneaky so zero in on this number before the price. Then take a peek at the price and decide if it’s something you’d like to spend on.
Hack 8: Shop Full
Ever notice that when you go grocery shopping while you’re hungry, everything you’ve ever even imagined eating ends up in your shopping cart? Eat a meal or even just grab a snack before you go grocery shopping. This super simple life hack will drastically reduce extra spending.
Did we miss any tips you’re dying to share? We would love to know your tips for saving money at the grocery store!
WANT MORE QUICK TIPS?
Are the kids still sick? Wanting to avoid whatever the heck seems to be going around? We have some quick cleaning tips to rid your home (and your family) of those nasty germs!
