Surprising Ways To Save At The Grocery Store

_{Want the ultimate scoop on Supermarket savings? Are you grocery shopping on a tight budget? Then these out-of-the-box ways will help you save money. Check out these Surprising Ways To Save At the grocery store.}

Woman shopping in produce department - surprising ways to save at the supermarket

Surprising Ways To Save Money At The Grocery Store

One thing is for certain, we all want to spend less at the grocery store. Shopping the sales and using coupons is certainly the way to save the biggest amount of money. However, it seems that coupons are not as readily available as they once were. We are now looking for out-of-the-box and creative ways to save.

I am sure you have seen the latest trend. We are now entering the digital age of savings, where using apps & saving eCoupons to our store loyalty cards is a must.

The downside is that they typically limit us to the items we can purchase, which inhibits us from a greater reduction in costs. As you are well aware, every penny does add up.

There are some additional ways that will help you cut costs. Some that you may have been bypassing and not realizing. I am hoping to make you aware of these penny-pitching ideas. Come with me on a little journey as we explore surprising ways to save at the grocery.

Here are some excellent tips for helping you save at the grocery store:

Go easy on your wallet as you fill your grocery cart. Read these tips on what to look for as you shop aisle-by aisle.

The Flower Display

First, stopping in the grocery store often lands us in front of beautifully displayed flowers and bouquets. I often skip right by this section. However, if you are one who just loves to brighten others’ day or dress up your home, it is best to opt for flowers that are placed the furthest away from the produce.

You see, as fruit often ripens, they give off a plant hormone called ethylene. While this is beneficial to the fruits and vegetables within the produce department, it is not best for the flowers.

This hormone will make flowers wilt, cause left yellowing, and eventually a fast death. Roses are especially sensitive, while carnations are not. Carnations also have a longer shelf life and are less expensive.

Why place these lovely displays of flowers in the front by the produce? It is a marketing tactic established by supermarkets. It is one way they know they will reach better sales. And for that reason, you will never find flowers in the dairy aisle.

On this same note, remember to keep your flowers away from fruits and vegetables at home. Read more here about keeping your fresh flowers lasting longer.

The Produce Section

Did you know that items sold in 1, 3, 5 & 10-pound packages often weigh more or less than their advertised weight? You can not change the shape and size of vegetables or fruit, but stores can try their best to round up or down to the nearest marked weight listed on the bag.

Next time you are at the supermarket, pick up a few bags of apples or potatoes and head over to the produce scale. You may not even need to make it that far. Just simply picking each up in a different hand for comparison will allow you to find the heaviest bag. Likewise, produce solid by the unit, such as iceberg lettuce, placed on the scale.

Choose the weightiest one. Also, opt for fresh carrots or celery instead of pre-cut and washed. The former costs less and will last much longer in the fridge at home.

The Deli Counter

Stay away from pre-sliced, pre-packed cheese found in the dairy section. Often, when you purchase, you will be paying a premium of $5 to $10 per pound.

However, if you purchase from the deli counter, you will find the prices more reasonable. Some deli counters offer what is called the end cuts for a much cheaper rate. End cuts are the last little bit left on the chub. You can even be so bold as to take the end cuts up to the deli counter and ask them to slice as much as they can.

These end cuts are about 70 – 80% cheaper. This is a great way to save at the grocery store.

The Bakery

Baked goods could be marked up as high as 300%. SHEESH! That is one enormous expense. You can consider making homemade bread at home or perhaps purchasing a store box mix (still cheaper than the bakery).

Keep your eyes peeled for day-old goods. They sell these baked goods at a discount and taste just as good as the day before. However, you will want to either eat them right away or freeze them for later use.

The Bulk Bins Can Help You Save At The Grocery Store

If you are shopping and your recipe calls for just a small amount of a spice or an ingredient that you would not normally purchase otherwise, head to the bulk bins first.

Spices or ingredients needed can cost you at least 50% less than purchasing in larger packages found within the grocery aisles. Bulk bins can be a fantastic resource for finding all kinds of delicious food that is cheaper and has less packaging than pre-bagged or boxed items.

Plus, you can buy the exact quantities you need!

buying cheaper cuts of meat - woman shopping in the meat department

The Seafood Section

Water weight is a big concern when purchasing seafood. I have defrosted frozen fish and the size of the fillet shrunk drastically. I also have cooked down gorgeous-looking shrimp that have shrunk just the same.

The price of fish is sold by weight and is often hiked because of excess water in the packaging. Frustrating. Who wants to pay for extra water when you want seafood? Thinking about certain seafood such as scallops.

They are displayed to look plump and delicious and one way to do that is to add in extra water. Next time you are shopping in this department, look for foods that have been dry-packed. You can take it to the next level and simply ask the clerk to shake out the extra water.

This will allow you to save at the supermarket.

Woman checking shopping list spending on groceries

The Supermarket Shelving

This area sees the most change. Some name-brand items are shrinking in size and weight, but not in price. One big-brand peanut butter jar now contains 16.3 ounces down from 18 ounces.

The biggest lesson to learn from in aisles is to know your unit prices and compare them. You can find unit prices right on the price tag.

Allowing you to compare each unit and decipher which is the better price.

The Freezer Section

However, purchasing frozen fruits and veggies may seem different. They are not! They remain the same in terms of nutritional value. I am sure that you already know that frozen fruits and veggies are picked when they’re ripe and then frozen.

Giving you the best taste and quality. Pricing may be better by purchasing the frozen counterpart. You will ultimately get the best deal purchasing frozen, as they tend to go on sale much more often.

Grocery store sales tend to repeat themselves every 6 to 8 weeks. Sales can last one week up to three weeks on average.