It's all too easy to overload a shopping trolley, only to be faced with a foot-long receipt at the check register. Sadly, up to half of all shopping often sums up to junk and comfort food and useless trinkets that don't do people's stomachs and wallets any favors. Here are five simple tips on how to avoid those impulse-buying regrets:
Fresh Produce is Cheaper and Healthier than Ready-made Meals
Making dinner from scratch takes time, but it's undoubtedly healthier -- let alone cheaper -- than preservatives-laden ready-made meals. Also, prepacked meals are usually made from lowest-quality offcuts and other odds and sods, in order to reduce their costs. The price of one packaged meal can buy enough meat and vegetables for two or three family dinners. This applies to takeaways and eating out, too: the cook's wages are included in the cost! Any person with a kitchen stove and a cookbook can do the same, if not better -- and keep the money.
Supermarket's Own Brands are Much Cheaper Than Expensive Brands -- Often With No Compromise on Quality
One of the reasons why supermarkets' own brands are cheaper is because they don't need to invest in multimillion international advertising campaigns. The fact they're not on TV in fact speaks in their favor: they do their research by studying reactions of real people who come to their shops. A shopper might choose a few brand-name products he or she truly loves, like their favorite make of chocolate, and buy the rest from the supermarket brand. But a bit of research won't hurt: surprisingly often, cheap supermarket brands offer better quality and taste than intercontinental giants.
As a variation on the theme, discount supermarkets like ALDI, LIDL or numerous others offer lots of quality products, including some very good and unusual choices of exotic foods and rare brands unavailable in "proper" supermarket chains.
The Supermarket is a Great Place to Teach Kids Frugal Habits
Before entering the shop, parents have to make a deal with their child, allowing her to choose only one purchase for herself, and only if she truly needs it. The good old advice of never shopping on an empty stomach still applies -- to kids as well as their parents. Contrary to the old wives' tale, a hungry kid will ask for candy, not for a carrot, so parents need to make sure their child has eaten before taking her to the shops.
Junk Food is Cheap… or is It? Avoiding Junk Food Saves Money
Sadly, long shelf-life junk food- all those cans, tins, processed bread loaves, and candy bars- is usually much cheaper than healthy "real food" options. But a shopper will be surprised to find out how much money can be saved simply by turning their back on them. In the long run, cheap junk food encourages overeating and weight gain simply because it sits in the cupboard and someone has to eat it. Both the shopper's wallet and her waistline will profit from erasing junk food off her shopping list.
Finding a Good and Cheap Butchery is Essential to Save Money on Groceries
One place well worth the time spent looking for is a good and cheap local butcher. This might turn into a life-long relationship that will do the buyer's wallet and his stomach a world of good. Even if the buyer splurges on a large freezer, he or she will still save a lot by buying meat in bulk, say, half a lamb or half a pig. Cut into meal-size pieces and frozen, they will provide the whole family with many weeks' worth of healthy dinners for a fraction of the price.
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Irene Woodhead - Irene Woodhead is a bilingual English/Russian freelance writer and translator. After years of working as a professional opera/jazz singer, ...
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