Everyone loves shopping!. We all do, right? But we also want to get the best value for our money and spend as less as we can and get more than we spend on something. Almost all of us have a secret trick up our sleeves to save a penny or two while shopping but sometimes we ignore things that might help us save a little bit more. In this guide, you will get to know 11 tips that can make your shopping more efficient and help you save a lot over the years.
1. Make A List
This one is quite a bit obvious and is the first step leading to shopping. Making a list helps you determine when to go for grocery shopping. It will also help you in getting the most out of your visits to the supermarkets; a place of great discounts and hundreds of items under a single roof. When making list, group items belonging to same category together such as soaps, detergents, shampoos etc. It helps in locating items quickly as shelves in supermarkets are also arranged in a similar manner. If the items are written randomly in a list, chances are that it will be either missed or you will have move back and forth between the aisles. So, bottom-line is that make a list and write items belonging to similar category together and write items as soon as you find out that they are finished or they will be soon. Do not delay in including an entry to the list as you might forget writing it down.
2. Supermarkets For Discount
As mentioned earlier, most supermarkets have discounts and limited time offers can help us save money. Look for the best supermarket near your area and find out how much discounts do they offer compared to local grocery shops. Another advantage of shopping at the supermarkets is that they contain a range of brands of a particular product. For example, if you are shopping for tea, they will have more than just one brand to offer. This helps in getting to know various prices of similar products and help you find the best suited for you according to your liking and budget. Some supermarkets offer loyalty club cards or club app points to returning customers.
3. Shop For A Month
This point is my personal favorite. Shop for a month. Most of the items we purchase are non-perishable such as rice, wheat, lentils and legumes, detergents, soaps, shampoos, tissue papers etc. These items and many more can easily be stored for a month at room temperature. This helps you get the most out of a single visit to the market. Plan ahead and make note of the items you will be needing for that particular month.
4. Fuel Vs Discount
Another important factor to consider is the cost of fuel for trip to the supermarkets versus the savings you will be making in terms of discount. It is of no use if you end up spending a good percentage of your discounts from supermarkets on fuel for the trip. Choose the best nearest supermarket. Try to shop during non-peak hours to avoid traffic.
5. Look For Special offers
Always be in search of special offers and promotional packs. Most companies offer promotional packs which include an established product and a newly launched product. For example, a company who have recently launched frozen kebabs will pair it with another product of their own for a discounted price.
6. Check Expiration Date
This is very important. The last thing you want to have is a product going to waste due to being expired. It is common that some items near their expiration date say in a month or two are sold on discounted prices in a clearing out sale. You can profit from these sales but have to be careful. The first question you should ask yourself is that would you be able to consume the product before the expiration date? If the answer is yes, then go ahead and buy it otherwise it will be a waste of money. Even if something is not on sale, make it your habit to always check the expiration date of products before putting them in your trolley. Many people experience allergic reactions due to the consumption of expired goods.
7. Quantity To Price Ratio
This one is my personal favorite. What you have to do is that check the amount in grams or kg of a particular product and divide it by its price. What you get in result is amount/money. Suppose you have a product say tea box for which you are trying to calculate it. If the product weighs 225 grams for a price of $4. then, 225/4 = 56.25 grams/dollar. The higher this figure the better. It means that you are getting 56.25 grams of tea for each dollar spent. You can use this number and compare with other tea brands to see how your chosen product fares against them. Use this metric to find even better products. I switched to a different laundry detergent after using this metric to compare the various alternatives that I had available in the market. This really becomes useful when you have to compare packing of different sizes. Just be sure to use the same units otherwise the results will be misguiding such as grams/dollar or kg/dollar. For cheaper products grams/cents can also be used.
8. Choose The Best Time
Choose the best time for shopping. Avoid shopping right after office hours or during nights on weekends. These times are more susceptible to traffic and crowding. Usually mornings on weekends are less crowded. Try to find out peak hours of your nearest supermarket and adjust accordingly. A lot of fuel can be saved over time by avoiding traffic during rush hours.
9. Go Big!
If you use a product abundantly then it is a good idea to buy a bigger packing. It is generally the case that the bigger the product is, the more amount/money you get. It is a good idea to buy certain products with bigger packing such as detergents, rice, wheat, sugar, tea etc. This trick can save dollars instantly.
10. Avoid Unnecessary Trips To Grocery Store
Most people end up buying way more things then they had planned if they don't have a list. Even those who just go for window shopping end up buying a thing or two which was unnecessary. This puts a dent in your monthly savings. Always have a list with you when shopping and avoid frequent single-item trips to stores.
11. Shop Near Holidays And On Weekends
Shop near holidays but avoid shopping right just before a big night/day. Almost all stores put up their attractive sales and offers during the holiday season. Try to get a brochure or menu of the items on sale to have a detailed view of the deals. Mark your favorite deals to avoid missing on them. Similarly if you have school-going children, wait for "back to school" offers and discounts to buy necessary things.
12. Try New Products
Don't be afraid to try out new products being launched every now and then. When a particular new product is launched in the market, it is usually sold on lower prices as compared to the competitors especially if the company as a whole is new too. When trying out products of a brand different than what you are used to, always try the smaller packing first. Don't buy the biggest pack right off in the start but first try smaller packs and if you like it, you may buy a bigger packing.
With these 11 tips you can take your shopping skills to a whole new level and can save a lot of money in the long run too. Share with your loved ones. Let us know which particular tip you liked the most in the comments below. Thanks for reading. See you again with another exciting post.
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| Market still by Pixabay |
1. Make A List
This one is quite a bit obvious and is the first step leading to shopping. Making a list helps you determine when to go for grocery shopping. It will also help you in getting the most out of your visits to the supermarkets; a place of great discounts and hundreds of items under a single roof. When making list, group items belonging to same category together such as soaps, detergents, shampoos etc. It helps in locating items quickly as shelves in supermarkets are also arranged in a similar manner. If the items are written randomly in a list, chances are that it will be either missed or you will have move back and forth between the aisles. So, bottom-line is that make a list and write items belonging to similar category together and write items as soon as you find out that they are finished or they will be soon. Do not delay in including an entry to the list as you might forget writing it down.
2. Supermarkets For Discount
As mentioned earlier, most supermarkets have discounts and limited time offers can help us save money. Look for the best supermarket near your area and find out how much discounts do they offer compared to local grocery shops. Another advantage of shopping at the supermarkets is that they contain a range of brands of a particular product. For example, if you are shopping for tea, they will have more than just one brand to offer. This helps in getting to know various prices of similar products and help you find the best suited for you according to your liking and budget. Some supermarkets offer loyalty club cards or club app points to returning customers.
3. Shop For A Month
This point is my personal favorite. Shop for a month. Most of the items we purchase are non-perishable such as rice, wheat, lentils and legumes, detergents, soaps, shampoos, tissue papers etc. These items and many more can easily be stored for a month at room temperature. This helps you get the most out of a single visit to the market. Plan ahead and make note of the items you will be needing for that particular month.
4. Fuel Vs Discount
Another important factor to consider is the cost of fuel for trip to the supermarkets versus the savings you will be making in terms of discount. It is of no use if you end up spending a good percentage of your discounts from supermarkets on fuel for the trip. Choose the best nearest supermarket. Try to shop during non-peak hours to avoid traffic.
5. Look For Special offers
Always be in search of special offers and promotional packs. Most companies offer promotional packs which include an established product and a newly launched product. For example, a company who have recently launched frozen kebabs will pair it with another product of their own for a discounted price.
6. Check Expiration Date
This is very important. The last thing you want to have is a product going to waste due to being expired. It is common that some items near their expiration date say in a month or two are sold on discounted prices in a clearing out sale. You can profit from these sales but have to be careful. The first question you should ask yourself is that would you be able to consume the product before the expiration date? If the answer is yes, then go ahead and buy it otherwise it will be a waste of money. Even if something is not on sale, make it your habit to always check the expiration date of products before putting them in your trolley. Many people experience allergic reactions due to the consumption of expired goods.
7. Quantity To Price Ratio
This one is my personal favorite. What you have to do is that check the amount in grams or kg of a particular product and divide it by its price. What you get in result is amount/money. Suppose you have a product say tea box for which you are trying to calculate it. If the product weighs 225 grams for a price of $4. then, 225/4 = 56.25 grams/dollar. The higher this figure the better. It means that you are getting 56.25 grams of tea for each dollar spent. You can use this number and compare with other tea brands to see how your chosen product fares against them. Use this metric to find even better products. I switched to a different laundry detergent after using this metric to compare the various alternatives that I had available in the market. This really becomes useful when you have to compare packing of different sizes. Just be sure to use the same units otherwise the results will be misguiding such as grams/dollar or kg/dollar. For cheaper products grams/cents can also be used.
8. Choose The Best Time
Choose the best time for shopping. Avoid shopping right after office hours or during nights on weekends. These times are more susceptible to traffic and crowding. Usually mornings on weekends are less crowded. Try to find out peak hours of your nearest supermarket and adjust accordingly. A lot of fuel can be saved over time by avoiding traffic during rush hours.
9. Go Big!
If you use a product abundantly then it is a good idea to buy a bigger packing. It is generally the case that the bigger the product is, the more amount/money you get. It is a good idea to buy certain products with bigger packing such as detergents, rice, wheat, sugar, tea etc. This trick can save dollars instantly.
10. Avoid Unnecessary Trips To Grocery Store
Most people end up buying way more things then they had planned if they don't have a list. Even those who just go for window shopping end up buying a thing or two which was unnecessary. This puts a dent in your monthly savings. Always have a list with you when shopping and avoid frequent single-item trips to stores.
11. Shop Near Holidays And On Weekends
Shop near holidays but avoid shopping right just before a big night/day. Almost all stores put up their attractive sales and offers during the holiday season. Try to get a brochure or menu of the items on sale to have a detailed view of the deals. Mark your favorite deals to avoid missing on them. Similarly if you have school-going children, wait for "back to school" offers and discounts to buy necessary things.
12. Try New Products
Don't be afraid to try out new products being launched every now and then. When a particular new product is launched in the market, it is usually sold on lower prices as compared to the competitors especially if the company as a whole is new too. When trying out products of a brand different than what you are used to, always try the smaller packing first. Don't buy the biggest pack right off in the start but first try smaller packs and if you like it, you may buy a bigger packing.
With these 11 tips you can take your shopping skills to a whole new level and can save a lot of money in the long run too. Share with your loved ones. Let us know which particular tip you liked the most in the comments below. Thanks for reading. See you again with another exciting post.
Nice, it will help to save every single rupee
ReplyDeleteThanks Mehmood.
Delete