Monday, June 11, 2018

Grocery Hacks: How to Find the Best Deals At Your Local Stores

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Do you know what it’s like to walk into a grocery store and not know what to eat? You start out by strolling past the bakery, the deli, vegetables, freezers, and all the way to the magazine rack. You may pass by some displays that offer good deals, but you don’t have a “Members’ Club Card” and didn’t bother to check for any coupons. What do you do?
This has happened to all of us, at some point. Because of that, we have developed our own systems of finding the best deals on grocery items at our local stores. Notice that I used the blanket term, “local stores,” instead of supermarket. Yes, you can get better deals on food stuffs and other necessities from places like dollar stores and pharmacies. It all depends on comparing prices and knowing how much you will need versus how much you want.

Here is a rundown of some of the best tips to help you save money and get the most from your next shopping trip.

Shop Later
We’ve gotten used to shopping during our lunch breaks or in the early afternoon. These trips only succeed in putting you in a rush. Go shopping after everyone gets out of work. Time your trips for 5:30pm or 7pm. This not only ensures you a leisurely browsing experience, but gives the grocer enough time to re-stock items that were bought up earlier that day. 

Price Match
Do your homework first so you won’t be driving around town looking for the best place to buy soy sauce. Get circular ads for your area grocers and make separate lists for every store. Notice differences in pricing whether it be 30 cents less or a dollar more. You could also go digital with free price checking apps that can be downloaded on your smartphone. Use them to scan barcodes and store coupon codes for easy application.

Drug Stores for Dairy
Pharmacies such as Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid carry a variety of brand name grocery items in addition to medicine. A look through weekly insert ads will feature sales on cereals, hair care products, eggs, and milk. Full quarts of milk can cost less than 30 or 50 cents per gallon, depending on region. 

Buy Non-Food Items at Dollar Stores
There are so many horror stories about dollar store purchases that you could fill a bargain DVD bin with them. Avoid those tainted toothpastes and sweatshop toys, and instead buy stationery, containers, greeting cards, white t-shirts, and seasonal decorations. Dollar General’s brand of dental floss is 140 yards and costs a buck while grocery store brands are 90 and cost upwards of $2.50.  

Need Coupons? Check Your Receipt
You don’t need to look through clipper ads for coupons. If you are a regular customer at certain stores, you should look for special offers and promotions printed at the bottom of your receipts. Turn it over and you might find restaurant coupons, free oil changes, and other local deals.

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