How to save at the grocery store

Step1:
Start with a Meal plan system in your household. This will allow you to have a pretty good idea of what is needed for the month. When you go to the grocery store you are only buying what items are needed to make the meals on the calendar for the month.

Step2:
Remember these stores are in business to make you spend money. So understand the layout of the grocery store. The goal is to have you make it around the whole store before leaving and hope you grab a few extra items along the way.

Step3:
Having grocery List allows you to have a written plan when entering the store. This will help you make better spending decisions. Now you have a written list of what needed and you will not be randomly placing items into you cart.

Step4:
Shop with coupons can save hundreds of dollars a month. You can find these coupons in your local newspapers and over the internet. You will be surprised how much local stores and companies spend in advertising just to get you into their stores. But remember they want you to spend more money to and buy those impulse items.

Step5:
Buying in bulk at Wal Mart and Costco and other wholesalers (No Frills, Sobeys, Price Chopper, Metro,Longos...) is not always the smarter way to save money. Be wise when shopping and read the labels to see if you are really saving in the long run. The rule of thumb is to make sure the product has a long shelf life and you use it on a daily basis. Toothpaste, Toilet paper, Trash bags and canned goods are great products to buy in bulk.

Step6:
Buying meat products at the local meat market will save you a lot of money. You can get packages to fit your family eating habits. Plus their meat has little to no markup cost because it is sometime from the source.

Step7:
Buying bread at your local bakery will save you even more money. The best time to shop is at the end of the day because they are baking for the next day and you can sometime get baked goods at a even cheaper price.

Step8:
Look for sales of the week or promos on buying a group of products at one time. Start comparing the store brand to the big named brands to see which is more cost efficient for you budget. Sometimes those store brands are made by the big name companies and are almost the same as the name brand products.