Ten on Tuesday - Ten Ways to Save at the Grocery Store

Here's a recent picture of my white lilacs. They were just starting to open when I took the picture. I'll have to go back and check out how they're doing now.



Moving on to the topic of the day - 10 ways to save at the grocery store. I'm sure that's something that we're all interested in now that the cost of gas has risen to epic proportions.

1. Leave Bruce at home - I can't be the only person who has a family member who tends to add stuff that we "need" to the basket whenever you go. For me it's my husband so now he knows better and stays away.


2. Shop with a list - I find that I do much better when I have a formal list rather than a general feeling of what we need. Sadly, training my family to make the list, or at least to contribute to it rather than telling me what to get while I'm walking out the door is easier said than done.


3. Use coupons - So simple but such a pain. I do love watching the bill shrink at the end when I use them.


4. Buy the store brands - but not always. They can be sneaky and I've seen some store brands that are a bit higher than the name brands. Really! Buyer beware.


5. Don't shop hungry - suddenly you just can't resist those Entenmann's donuts and by the time you get to the check out counter you're explaining why you're buying a half empty box. Fess up - I'm not the only one.


6. Avoid the cheese counter - this one is an epic fail for me. I just can't resist it. They always seem to be sampling some fabulous brie or delicious cheddar or aged gruyere or.... sigh, it's all delish. Sadly it's all imported and expensive too.


7. Only buy what you need for sure - I tend to buy veggies and fruits that would be great for dinner or lunch sometime this week but without a specific plan. Then, when my week goes crazy and I have no time at all for a meal at home the food goes bad and it's just wasteful. Shameful really.


8. Buy the frozen veggies - they're supposed to be better for you anyway and they won't go bad super fast in your freezer.


9. Stay away from the prepared foods.


10. Shop faster - it's true that hurrying through the store means that you may forget something but... if you really needed it then you can get it later. On the positive side, the less time you spend in the store the less time you spend getting tempted by stuff that you don't really need.