The weekly trip to the grocery store is a good litmus test for determining one’s budget and surplus. People will usually shop for groceries up to a certain limit, and even during times of self- indulgence, rarely will they spend more than 20 or 30 dollars over their budget. There are of course small ways by which people can save up a dollar here and there when going out shopping.

The grocery list is a good place to start. As with anything in life, if it’s not written down, it’s probably not that important. A grocery list helps people stick to their budget, and makes the shopping experience more efficient as there’s a clear goal for the shopper to see.

Some families purchase a particular item or brand every week. There are times when these can be purchased on sale or at wholesale prices, cutting down expenses in the long run. Coupons can also give amazing discounts when used regularly.

Food items such as vegetables are best purchased frozen as they can be stocked for longer periods. For fresh food items such as fruits, these are cheapest and more nutritious when they are in season.

At home, remember to store all of these items efficiently. The worst way to spend money is to buy items that only spoil because of neglect. Thus, only purchase items when they are absolutely needed.

Want to reduce your grocery bill, but finding it challenging to bring it under control? Let me share a few simple but effective tips with you.

First and foremost, prepare a list of grocery items that you would require for one week. The list should cater to five meals consisting of different food items such as salad, vegetables, rice, fish and meat. Here you might also include the food that you want to take to your work. The variety in the food items provides you with a balanced diet and prevents your extra spending from eating outside food. The meal plan and the list hold the key to the majority of your saving, so take time to prepare them with thought and care.

Visit the grocery shop on Sunday or Monday every week with this list in hand. Avoid visiting the store when you are hungry, too filled up or emotionally unrest. Better still, try to shop online. This helps you substantially by preventing unnecessary purchase happening through temptation.

Always check the expiry date of the item you purchase. The expiry date should always be after the date you intend to use the item. In this way, you can save money which goes waste when we discard the unusable food items.

Purchase containers of different sizes and label them to store extra food items for later use. Sometimes you can cook food in large quantities and store it in these containers for consumption on another day, thus saving both cooking time and fuel.