ARTICLES: ARE YOU A SAVVY SHOPPER?(click to print)

ARE YOU A SAVVY SHOPPER?
*Buy store brands. Store brands are as much as 30% cheaper than the national brand
*Cut costs with coupons. Use coupons in combination with store sales.
*Shop early in the day if you can.  Tired shoppers are more impulse buyers and make poor food choices.
*Shop alone.  Extra people means extra food that you buy.  Alone shoppers tend to stick to their list
*Read food labels.  The order of ingredients are listed in order from most to least. Avoid buying food with empty calorie ingredients listed as the first or second ingredient.
*Take advantage of mark downs. Usually in special bins.  Check for freshness and package condition.  Most important check for expiration date.  I am lucky to live close to a Woodmans grocery store.  They mark down their produce.  I can get a bag of 12 large cucumbers for $1.00 Last week I got 12 zucchinis for $1.00.  Also 4 containers of pico de gallo for $1.00.  I always inspect the expiration date. Usually you have 5 to 8 days before it expires. One time I bought 24 green peppers for a $2.00. I froze 12 and made stuffed peppers out of 12.
*Shop Sunday mornings for  mark downs on high priced meats.
*Beware of convenience products. Anything that has already been grated, chopped, precooked, presliced, individual packaged you probably are paying more for the convenience.  One thing I do buy is prewashed lettuce.  I don't mind spending the extra money on that because of the hassle of washing lettuce.
*Be Flexible. Take your list but also take advantage of in-store specials. Sometimes this will cause you to substitute them for similar foods in your meal plan
*Be sure to find out what the return policy is for the store where you do most of your grocery shopping.  Walmart will take produce back if you find out it is spoiled when you get it home.
Woodmans does not take anything back that is perishable
*Be sure to check your receipt before leaving the store, or watch the register screen as it adds up your total.  I have found mistakes numerous times on the receipt.
*Enjoy yourself!  Remember you are not only shopping, but you are exercising.  That's a good thing!