If you want to get the most out of your food dollar, you are going to have to work at it these days. Food prices are rising, and grocery stores are cracking down on coupon use, thanks to Extreme Couponing. About 10 years ago, it was easy to get an entire month’s worth of groceries for $35 for a family of three. Today, we are lucky if that amount would get us through a day or two.
Here are some new and some classic saving strategies that will help you stretch those grocery dollars.
Pull Your Items from the Back
Because the stores regularly rotate stock to put the oldest items first, it really pays to go deep and dig for the items that are at the back of the shelf. Most people already do this for milk, but what about other items, such as cereal, pasta sauce, spices, or really any packaged goods. Not many of us think about it. I was in for a rude reminder the other day when the peanut butter I took home had only about three months left on its best buy date. When I went back to the store the next week, I saw that the peanut butter in the back was good for 12 months!
Know that the Same Food Lives in Different Parts of the Store
The same exact food in the same exact brand in the same exact store may have up to three different prices, depending on where it is located. For example, if you order your ham at the deli, it could be one price, if it is prepackaged in the refrigerated case, it could be another. Don’t assume. Learn where your favorite food is kept and then compare prices. You just might be surprised.
Check Your Receipt
A recent survey done by Consumer Reports revealed that 6 percent of the responders said that they were overcharged on their groceries. And these are just the people who checked. Imagine how many other times people have been overcharged and didn’t know it. So, it may very well pay to check that receipt, preferably before you leave the store.
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