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TEN
TIPS TO EASE THE BOTTOM LINE AT THE GROCERY STORE
FORT COLLINS - It's not just shock at
the price of gas making headlines. Food costs
at the grocery store are getting our attention
as well. On a recent trip to the store I left
with four small bags of basic groceries for nearly
$100! Reporters talk about the parallel rise in
the cost of gas and milk in the same sentence.
The Department of Agriculture is predicting a
4 to 5 percent rise in food prices this year.
Now consumers are searching out bargains at the
grocery store -- certainly an about-face from
the previous norm of relying on convenience foods.
The search for a bargain may seem to force shoppers
to look less at healthier choices and more at
the bottom line in search of bargains.
Check this list of tips for ideas to benefit
your health and your pocketbook in your trips
down the grocery store aisles:
- Make a list and stick to it. With a list, you
are less likely to buy on impulse. You'll also
save by avoiding extra gas-guzzling trips back
to the store when you've forgotten something you
need. I keep a running list of what I need. I
go over the weekly grocery ads when they come
out, and with my running list, it's quick and
easy to finalize what I need.
- Shop the specials. Canned goods have a long
shelf life.
- Buy on sale and stock up. If you have room
in your freezer to store extra food, over-wrap
items to keep air out and extend the life and
protect the quality of things you get at a deal.
- Buy seasonal vegetables and fruits. Buy only
what you'll use -- fresh produce has a short shelf
life. Be creative with your produce if it's nearing
the end of its shelf life. If the bananas get
too ripe, for example, make banana bread. We lose
money when we have to toss food because it was
left too long and ends up in the garbage.
- Avoid shopping when you're hungry. You'll likely
wind up putting "extras" in your grocery
cart and eventually on your waist line if you
get a snack attack. If you aren't sure you spend
much on snacks, try keeping a tally of all the
snack foods you buy in one week. It may surprise
you how much you are spending.
- Shop alone. Leave the kids and other family
members at home. Too many "gotta haves"
can drive up the total grocery bill in a hurry.
- Use coupons for items you typically buy. You
can find coupons in newspaper ads and online,
too. I keep my list on the back of an envelope
and tuck the coupons inside where they're easy
to retrieve at check out. If the grocery store
you frequent has double or triple coupon days,
take advantage of it.
- If you don't already have a store discount
card, sign up.
- Plan meals ahead and try planning your meals
around sale items. Not only does this help with
making the grocery list, but it also helps you
plan leftovers for lunches, which saves money
over going out to lunch. Leftovers also can be
used for a quick dinner when your time is limited
and you may want to grab fast food instead. Knowing
in advance you can count on leftovers also keeps
you from overbuying foods which have a limited
shelf life. Remember to check expiration dates.
- Choose less processed food and cook from scratch
more often. Cooking from scratch is better from
both your health and budget. Processed food is
often high in sodium, fat and calories. A recent
study showed that more than half of consumers
are buying fewer prepared meals and cooking more
often from scratch.
As one example, look how much you can save per
pound by buying raw potatoes over processed ones:
- Fresh russet potatoes, 3 cents
- Frozen French fries, 6 cents
- Frozen mashed potatoes, 13 cents
- Instant mashed potatoes, 21 cents
- Potato chips, 32 cents
- Buy food in bulk when it's cost effective.
You can do some simple math to determine the unit
pricing, and some stores list unit prices on the
shelf tag along with the overall item price. It's
cheaper to buy larger quantities of some foods.
If you want smaller packages of food for convenience,
repackage them at home in smaller bags. But check
your prices carefully; sometimes the bigger size
isn't a bargain and the cost of several smaller
bags or boxes may actually be less.
- Consider store brands. Name brands are found
at eye-level-prime real estate in the grocery
aisle. Look high and low for store brands -- on
the lower and higher shelves - often for less
money.
It sounds like sticker shock at the grocery store
is going to be with us for some time. I've been
making lists, clipping coupons, finding creative
ways to use up wilted and over-ripe produce, and
cooking the "old fashioned way"-from
scratch-for many a year. However, now I'm in the
"in" crowd. Feel free to join in.
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