Among our list of services is an errand running service through which we handle some of the more mundane errands people just cannot get to. One of them is grocery shopping. Whether it’s a client who is unable to get out due to physical limitations or another who simply doesn’t want to spend precious time at the grocery store, we are more than happy to make the trip to the market.
These days you can order your groceries online and have them delivered right to your door, for a fee. You can also place your order and then go pick it up from the store. Yet plenty of people still prefer to do their grocery shopping the old-fashioned way. That’s fine. Whatever works for you.
Regardless of how you do your shopping, there is no need to overspend your money or time. We have put together a list of five tips to help you avoid doing just that. These tips should help you get the most out of your grocery shopping experience.
1. Don’t Shop at Just One Store
The first tip is to not shop at just one store. We know, you probably have a favorite grocery store that gets most of your business. But one-store shopping limits your opportunities to save money. What you need are options. The more options you have, the better off you’ll be.
Your favorite grocery store might be the go-to place for fresh meat and produce. But their toiletries and personal care items might be more expensive compared to the local budget store. So buy those things in the budget store. It might add another 20 to 30 minutes to your trip but think of all the money you’ll save. Just $10 per week adds up to more than $500 annually.
2. Plan Meals Ahead of Time
Another helpful tip is to plan all of your meals ahead of time. If you’re shopping for just a week, plan a week’s worth of meals before you go. That way, you’ll know just what to buy when you get to the store. Stick to your list and you’ll discover that you won’t spend money on items you either don’t need or will never use.
3. Shop Less Frequently
Speaking of planning by the week, see if you can’t arrange things so that you shop less frequently. For example, let’s say you have adequate storage space and a large enough freezer to limit your shopping to every other week. Now you’re onto something. The less frequently you shop, the less time and money you will spend doing it.
Shopping every other week affords the opportunity to buy some items in bulk. It also affords the opportunity to cook less frequently. Let’s talk steak, for example. Purchasing and cooking just two steaks is fine. But you can purchase a pack of six or eight steaks and cook them all at once. What you don’t use for that first meal goes in the freezer for future meals. Now you are saving money by buying in volume. You’re also saving energy by not cooking as often.
4. Look Around for Deals
Paper coupons may not be as popular as they once were, but grocery stores still run plenty of deals. Look for them. If you find a 2-for-1 on something like shampoo, for example, buy yourself two or four bottles. You will use it up eventually and it will not spoil in the meantime. Taking advantage of a 2-for-1 cuts your costs in half.
We have a lot more tips where these came from. Unfortunately, space doesn’t allow us to keep going here. If you’d like to learn more about how My Divine Concierge can take over your grocery shopping and any other errands you don’t have time for, give us a call. We are here to do all those things that you just cannot get to.