After preparing your weekly grocery list and vowing not to be waylaid from it, how do you successfully navigate the superstore, spend within your budget and stick to your schedule?  After all, time is gold… and gold means money.

Well, you can save more money by considering these tips which, if you follow them to the letter, can easily shave 20 to 30 percent off your grocery shopping expenses. Now, isn’t that a great deal?

1. Plan around discounts

Supermarkets usually publish discount or promotional items ahead of the actual sale date. Take this opportunity to stock up on your regular supplies, or perhaps to try a delicacy, a product you’re curious about, or a new brand from an internationally-recognized food distributor.

If you come across any and you’re just about to go grocery shopping, go back to your grocery list and include sale items around which you can plan your coming week’s meals.

2. Stay focused

Wise consumers know that supermarkets tend to spread out the locations of regularly purchased branded items all around the store so they have a chance to entice the weaker-willed into buying some tempting goodies along the way. Knowing this, make a beeline for each item on your well-planned grocery list and avoid lingering unnecessarily at any aisle.

During big sale days, take a look around so you see that during these “store bonanzas,” even non-sale items get similar signage so they get the same attention as products on sale. So when you reach out for various food products, make sure you are actually getting better value. Steer clear of goodies located by the counter till. Keep in mind, you are there to pay since you have all you need. Browse if you wish, and return what’s not on your list.

3. Go high and low

Take note that best-selling brands are usually given prime exposure, which is why you meet those at eye level whichever aisle you visit. The problem with profitable items is that they usually tend to be name brands sold at a higher cost price.

Let your gaze travel downward and upward, pick out samples, compare ingredients and nutrition label information – you might find that the less popular and lower-priced brands would offer the same (if not better) ingredients and nutritional value. There are also big name brands that produce cheaper alternatives.

Of course, for certain items such as frozen seafood, it’s best to stick to suppliers and distributors who are known for their meticulous quality standards.

4. Bring your calculator

If you’re planning to buy in bulk or you’re comparing prices between two brands, check out how much the unit price is or use your own calculator to find out how much you are spending per unit and compare it with the item’s regular retail price. This way, you know for certain you’re making a wise buying decision.

5. Do a weekly pantry check

There’s no use carefully preparing your grocery list and hunting for the best bargains when you just let food ingredients go bad. Do a weekly check of your perishable food supplies and plan your next meal around them so you don’t incur any food waste.

6. Explore!

The line-up of food and beverages available on the market today has never been this diverse and this easily accessible to the consuming public. So take advantage of that to explore the world of food and to truly understand how you can carefully choose what you eat and consume it wisely according to your principles and preferences.

AUTHOR BIO

Jad Asaad is the Marketing Manager at Horeca Trade LLC with more than eight years of experience in digital, online and offline marketing. He started his career in Beirut working in a creative agency and then moved to Dubai to further expand his career. He created and implemented award-winning high-impact digital and offline marketing campaigns that consistently generated revenue streams and improved performance in targeted segments.