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Get ready to spend less and save more.
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If it seems like your credit card bills keep growing month after month, higher food costs could be to blame. Food is one of those things you really can’t skimp on. And thanks to inflation, the cost of groceries has soared over the past year.
That doesn’t mean you’re doomed to sky-high credit card bills, though. In fact, here are a few steps you can take to save money on groceries in the coming year.
1. Get the store card
You’re probably used to swiping a credit card when you shop at stores. Well, it’s time to get in the habit of swiping a loyalty card at the supermarket.
Unlike credit cards, which require an actual credit check, grocery store loyalty cards don’t require you to meet specific financial criteria. And swiping one could mean enjoying a world of savings, since often, sale items will only be available to loyalty card holders.
Plus, your supermarket might put out a list of weekly digital coupons you can load to your card for added savings. Granted, “clipping” those coupons can be a little annoying, but chalk it up to something you do while you’re waiting on hold or riding the bus to meet a friend for coffee.
2. Shop with a list
It may seem simplistic, but the mere act of making a grocery list can result in big savings — provided you don’t go off-list. When you wing it at the supermarket, you may be more likely to get sucked into buying things you don’t need or may not even consume before they go bad.
Let’s say you hit the supermarket without a list and find yourself wandering down the chip aisle. You might grab a bag of sour cream and onion potato chips because they’re delicious and you’re hungry and they sound like a great snack. But had you stuck to a list, you might’ve avoided the chip aisle — and that impulse buy — in the first place.
3. Shop when you’re not in a rush
Many people are in the habit of stopping at the supermarket on their way home from work, when they’re tired, frazzled, and eager to get home to their hungry kids and pets. But if you rush through the supermarket every time you shop, you may not pay close attention to the finer details — such as which brand is on sale and which product has the better expiration date. The result? Wasted money.
A better bet is to shop for food when you’re not as pressed for time. Come home, make dinner, get your kids settled, and then head to the store later on. Or, get up early and do your food shopping while most people are still deep in REM sleep. That way, you can avoid crowds, and you may be more likely to exercise more patience while you shop.
Food costs are way up, and it could take a while before that changes. But these hacks could help you lower your grocery bills in 2023 — and lower your stress load in the process.
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