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Food Traps That Cost You
Saturday, February 25, 2006

Do not fall for the tricks of the grocery store trade. Be sure that you are aware of the ways you will spend more on food that you neither need nor want when you are in the grocery store. Now I am not talking about saving money on food. I am talking about saving money on your grocery bill, and there is a big difference.

The first rule is to always, always, always bring a list with you. There is never a reason when you should go into the store without a list in hand. It will keep you on track. Know what you want and preferably where it is. You can speed up this process by making your list in little groupings. The produce goes together. The meats go together, and so forth. You will not double back, which will give you more opportunity to buy things that you really do not need.

Next, you should understand the way a grocery store is laid out. It helps if you understand the purpose of the grocery store. Let me give you a hint: it is not to feed you. Grocery stores exist to make money for the people who are shopping in them. That means you. The people who run the store plan it with the idea that you will make impulse buys. You can avoid these buys by not purchasing items on the ends of aisles unless they were already on your list. Yes, they look tempting, but no, you do not need them.

Next you should stick to the outer edges of the store and the spice aisle. The spice aisle often is in the middle of the store, which can get you, but otherwise, your family will eat better and for less if you stick to the foundational items on the edges of the store. These items often include breads, meats, and dairy products.

If you are going to use coupons, then use them wisely. Check online as well as your local flyers. Cut coupons only for items that you already purchase, not for items that you might like. The more you cook from scratch will mean the fewer coupons you will have as flour and such typically is not on sale. Do not fall for the coupon dispensers in the stores; they are designed only to convince you to buy something that is pricy.

Avoid the store when you are hungry or tired. There are a couple of reasons. First you are more likely to forget something, which brings you back to the store to get more stuff you really do not need. Second if you are tired, you are more likely to stick convenience foods into your bag because they are easy and do not require work on your part. Third, you are more likely to buy the items the store tempts you with, such as the fresh foods line at the front of the store. If you are exhausted, try stopping home first for a snack, or as a last resort, get a snack from a convenience store about 10 minutes before you hit the grocery store. It will wake you up and help you to spend less.

Check the price on generic foods. There are a couple of tricks here. Some people use coupons to buy name brands that are still more expensive. The coupon confuses people, and they think it always indicates savings. Other people automatically grab generic, when sometimes the brand is on special for less. Watch the generic versus name brand and go with the one that costs less.

When you are in line at the checkout counter, look for the shortest line. That is not just because of the time you will save. It also is because of the money people spend in line. They grab a candy bar or a drink and end up ruining the bargain shopping they have done. Instead you should be sure that you do not tempt yourself to purchase anything. If you must get something, grab some gum. It will tide you over until you get home.

Remember that the trick here is to avoid grocery store traps, not to buy less food that your family will eat.

By Julia Mercer

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