These days are getting harder and harder. There are many causes for this phenomenon, such as crisis, social problems, etc. From all this, we must draw one conclusion: the French are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. This is why they are looking to save money on different items. Among these, two are very important: rent and food. These are the two major items of expenditure . We must admit that it is difficult to play on the amount of rent, unless you move. But this is not so true for races. You can save money on groceries. It’s easy to make substantial savings on groceries each month on groceries, if you do it right. In this article, we come back to several ways to save money on food.
As with anything, when it comes to saving money, you have to do it right. This involves making a battle plan. But also to have a certain rigor. Just like with a diet, the key to success lies mainly in the strength of the person’s character. Will it hold or will it crack after a while? The first thing to do to save money is to make a shopping list. Our parents did, and they were right. We explain how to do it.
The shopping list will be your best ally in the aisles of the hypermarket. Distribution brands have one objective: to sell you as much as possible. They are merchants and they need to drive up their turnover, so sell you products, even if you don’t need them. Keep that in mind.
Thanks to a shopping list, you can define in advance and without any temptation what you need. And therefore save money on shopping. If you can stick to your list, you’ll save money. Because the latter contains only what you really need, the bare necessities to buy . Everything else will be superfluous. In one or two tries, you will see that your checkout score will have gone down! But making an effective and comprehensive shopping list isn’t as easy as you think, and it takes practice to get it right. The most important thing is to follow a few key points, which we detail below to know how to do it.
This is probably the first thing we think of when we talk about shopping lists and saving money on groceries . And yet, it is far from being the only one. It is even perhaps one of the least important points, even if it remains the most logical.
Making the menu means thinking about the meals you will prepare during the coming week or month. For the menu to be effective, you have to think about the different ingredients you need, perishable foods as well as non-perishable ones.
But the first thing to do is to list everything left in the pantry that could expire or rot in the next few days. This will save you from throwing away what you have already purchased. And if these are foods that do not tempt you, you will know that you should not buy any more, or in lesser quantities.
It must be emphasized that food waste is one of the main reasons for food loss! With this link, you can follow food waste in France. It is considered that each French person throws away 20 kilos of food per year!
In addition, with a correct menu, you can duplicate it from week to week so that it takes less time. There are also many sites that allow you to create menus for cheap or for less than 3 euros per person. Very interesting ideas.
Plus, with practice, you can include days for leftovers to further lower the final bill.
To save money, taking an inventory of your reserves will allow you two things:
Indeed, taking an inventory allows you to see what expires soon and quickly use the products that need to be.
It is worth making a list of what you have in your cupboards in order to keep track. This will allow you to have a detailed count . This is also what is put into practice by some fridge manufacturers who include a drop-down list of all the foods in the fridge. This type of technology is also intended to help you. And this is proof that keeping an inventory remains one of the best ways to avoid waste and overconsumption.
It will make things much easier when you have to take care of that shopping list.
Beyond food, there is a whole series of products that do not expire and that allow you to save money on groceries. Toilet paper, cleanser, wipes, paper towel are all examples. We don’t always need them, but they are necessary. Their purchase can be made when a promotion takes place.
Beware of false promotions that attract the customer to more expensive products under the guise of a promotion. If your goal is to save money on groceries, buying a private label will always be cheaper.
Making a list is fine. Making a smart list is better. If we keep in mind the fact that large retailers want to sell us something at all costs, we must also keep in mind that the probability of falling for one or the other product increases with the time spent on the shelves.
It is therefore necessary to stay on the shelves for a minimum so as not to succumb to temptation . And for that, you have to group the foods by departments, that is to say where you will find them.
There are fresh vegetable, pasta and rice, oil and vinegar, cleaning products, bakery, butcher, fishmonger and frozen food sections. So many sales departments that need to be on your list.
So, if you go to the fresh fruit and vegetable section, you immediately have everything you need. You take the foods you need and cross them off your list. Once the department is covered, you move on to the next one and never come back.
Say goodbye to temptations and strolling through the shelves.
After making the menu, you still have to go there to buy your products. But here too, you will have to think carefully about what you want to buy and especially what you need to buy. On the shelves, it is possible to make smart choices so that your shopping costs you even less. But for that, you will still have to respect a few rules that will become a habit once you have taken the fold.
This is obvious, but yet it is very difficult not to crack once you are on the shelves. How to save money on groceries? Advice.
To do well, you should never go shopping without having eaten first. Shopping on an empty stomach makes you more vulnerable to compulsive shopping . Because your body has a hard time resisting so many choices.
Likewise, shopping alone or with children will be different. Little ones tend to make demands and it’s not always possible to say no to everything. What to do if not leaving them alone with your partner or companion at home?
In general, private label products are less expensive than branded products. And very often, our reflex turns to the branded product. We think, when buying it, that it is better, that it will last longer or that it is worth the price we pay for it. However, if the branded product is more expensive, it is for a good reason. And even several. You have to pay for marketing, advertising, packaging. And all of this at a cost that is passed on to the customer. Conversely, private labels do not advertise, which allows them to reduce the price. In addition, the packaging is neutral and standardized, which reduces marketing and packaging costs.
However, it cannot be ruled out that some branded products have their own know-how and have a slightly higher quality. Moreover, some major brands affix on their boxes “ Our factories only manufacture products under our brand ”, like a brand of cereals.
Because, it’s true, factories often multiply orders with different brands and end up producing a slightly different product for 2, 3 or more manufacturers. So is there really a difference between the products? And it is these products that become private label products.
Nothing beats the comparison to save a little money and avoid excessive expenses. Between two products, there can sometimes be real differences when the product is intended to be identical to the base. The difference will be made on the brand, the reputation, the packaging. But in itself, to take an example, buying white rice in bags or in bulk of a kilo will not make much difference. In fact, other than regular stirring in the water (for loose rice), there is no difference. And the same goes for many products. You just have to learn how to do it and how to use other products, it’s not more complicated than that.
Moreover, we often tend to forget it, but we buy by weight . Each brand has its own criteria. This is how the packaging mixes together and can lead to confusion. Between a 300 gram packet cheaper and a 500 gram packet a few cents more expensive. However, if we rely only on the label, we can fall into the trap. This is why you should always look at the price per kilo when it is indicated (or make a rule of 3 to deduce it). This will give you a good idea of how much money you can save by buying one package over another!
Be careful though, field studies have already proven that some private label products are more expensive than branded products.
Long reserved for large families, the family format has made a comeback and is now aimed at couples with one or two children. It is now part of a wholesale approach to reduce the price.
This type of product has very advantageous prices per kilo. And makes it possible to reduce the frequency of purchase of this or that product. In addition, they require less packaging, which is a real plus at a time when we are all looking to reduce our ecological footprint.
This is a very interesting format for all products that do not expire. Those that keep well or with distant dates in time. Some examples are dry goods, cleaning products, pasta, rice, foods that can be frozen.
But this type of large format packaging has two disadvantages :
Finally, for all fresh vegetables and fruits, there are alternatives to supermarkets. If you have the time or feel like it, markets are a great place to save money and eat better. You can often find fresh products, sometimes from local producers, of good quality and without over-packaging. Here’s how to have a good alternative to consume better and less while paying attention to your wallet.