Make weekly shopping cheap
Weekly shopping in the supermarket is part of the routine in almost every household, and groceries and everyday products also have to be bought in between. Depending on the size of the household, this can represent a significant cost factor each month.
It is not uncommon for people to step into the strategically placed marketing traps of the manufacturer when shopping, which means that the purchase quickly becomes more expensive than actually necessary. But with the necessary knowledge of the tricks of the points of sale and the right approach, you can save money when shopping.
Every purchase can be made cheap with the following tips.
Good structuring in advance is essential
First of all, a solid foundation should be laid before every purchase, so a well-structured shopping list is essential. It serves as a script that guides you systematically through the supermarket, so structuring by category is particularly helpful.
So that the shopping list is not too overloaded, it should be determined in advance which dishes are to be prepared during the week, so that the required ingredients can be bought specifically.
In addition, shopping should be structured in such a way that a single weekly shopping includes everything you need. Occasional small purchases often make you lose track of how much money was actually spent on household chores during the week.
Be careful when choosing a product
Once the basic conditions for an economical purchase have been created, it is important to follow the right strategy when selecting goods.
Products that are advertised visually by the retailer are usually relatively expensive, whereas the goods to the left and right of the eye-catchers are usually significantly cheaper. Also, supermarkets tend to place the more expensive products at the respective ends of the aisles. Accordingly, you should look for cheaper alternatives in the middle of each aisle.
One of the oldest tricks of the markets is to always place the more expensive goods at eye level, which means it’s worth crouching and stretching. Inexpensive products hide out of the consumer’s natural field of vision and are consequently found at ankle or above head height. Alternatively, rummage tables should also be browsed, this is where the actual special promotions and offers can often be found.
If there is no particular brand preference, house brands are usually the cheapest alternative. They often hide branded products that are offered at lower prices due to lower marketing costs.
Special offers are subject to goods whose best-before date is about to expire. One should be on the lookout for such actions. In many cases, fruit and vegetables that were not sold shortly before closing time are also offered at lower prices by the supermarket in the evening, so shopping late in the evening can be particularly worthwhile.
Last but not least, it is important to resist the sweet temptations at the checkout, this is where the expensive brands are mostly sold. The supermarket plays a lot with the reward center in the consumer’s brain, here it’s a matter of staying strong.
Henry Ely / Editor finanzen.net
Image sources: Marc Dietrich / Shutterstock.com, David Crockett / Shutterstock.com