Grocery shopping.
It is one of those things we all do. And we know that our wallets will be lighter on the way out of the store than they were on the way in. Let’s be reasonable: We all have to buy groceries. We all need tissues and toilet paper and a million other things we buy at our local store. But like anything else, there is no reason we can’t shop smart and get the most bang for our buck.
First and foremost, never shop when you are hungry. We all know what happens when you walk into the supermarket ravenous. Those incredible smells drift your way from the take-out counter and those tantalizing displays of crunchy Italian bread loaves seem to be calling your name and it is likely that even Superman might not possess the strength to walk away without adding a handful of impulse items to his cart. So do yourself a favor and hit the stores after you eat.
In a similar vein, if at all possible, leave the kids home. Unless your kids are extremely well trained, chances are good that as they travel up and down the aisles staring at those brightly colored boxes of snacks, sweetened cereals and freezer cases full of ice cream, they are going to do their very best to cajole you into purchasing items you had no intention of buying, leaving you feeling like the Wicked Witch of the West, something you probably want to avoid. If you have no choice but to shop en famille, try to keep them involved in the process in an age appropriate way: have them count items as you load them into your cart, discuss which items will go into tonight’s stir fry or have them choose the ripest tomatoes or the firmest avocadoes. Feel free to reward your crew for good behavior with a special treat when they get home, but don’t let them associate grocery shopping with an occasion to badger you into buying impulse items.
Always make a list and stick to it. Scan those sale circulars either online or when they show up at your doorstep, check out the sale items and plan your menus accordingly. Be sure to check your pantry and freezer so you know what you already have in stock and which items you need to replenish, and try to plan your meals so you use up items you already own before they go bad.
Be list smart: In addition to keeping a running list of items that need to be restocked, figure out what kind of list works best for you. While there are those who prefer to use smartphone apps to create their shopping list, I prefer to hand write mine on an envelope, tucking my coupons neatly inside so that I don’t have to start hunting for them when I get to the cashier. Bonus points to you if you recycle old envelopes, return envelopes that show up in the mail or envelopes from the last simcha you made.
Coupons, coupons, coupons. Do I need to say it again? Whether its electronic ones on your smart phone or the paper ones that come in the newspaper, coupons can be a godsend, especially at stores that double or triple them. If you are going with paper coupons, be sure to invest in a good coupon organizer and go through it monthly to toss any expired coupons and to pull out those that are either about to expire or that match up with items that are already on sale at the grocery store.