Marissa Paiano, special to WTOP.com
Grocery shopping doesn’t have to be a chore you dread all week. Follow these five simple tricks from Yahoo! Finance and you’ll be in and out of the store with what you need (and nothing more) in no time while saving money.
- Go to the store late
If you go shopping at night, you’ll minimize distractions such as running into people you know or negotiating overly crowded aisles. This will allow you to focus on what you need and what you can do without. You can also take your time finding your coupons at the register without having to worry about holding up the line.
- Check out the weekly ads
You don’t have to be on the next episode of “Extreme Couponing,” but by taking advantage of your grocery store’s weekly ad, you can save up to 50 percent, according to Susan Yoo-Lee, editor of the Savings.com personal finance blog. It only takes a little effort, but can really pay off — pun intended. You’ll never know what sales you might find.
- Mix up your routine
If you always find yourself browsing the aisles in the same order, change it up! Try starting in a different part of the store and look for things you not only immediately need, but things you’ll eventually use. When a nonperishable item is on sale, stock up if you know you’ll need it in the future.
- Don’t buy name-brand products
There is a lot of money to be saved from buying store-brand foods versus name brands. Industry experts say that it’s possible to save an average of 25 percent by choosing store-brand. Although you might be worried about the quality of store-brand products, they often taste very similar to name-brand ones, and for the price, they’re worth a try.
- Download Favado
Favado is a grocery app created by Savings.com. It informs you of the sale items and coupons at different stores. It will make grocery shopping easier and more convenient with the coupons on your smartphone.
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