Grocery shopping is one of those chores that few people enjoy, but everyone has to do at some point. For this reason, even big-time online retailers like Amazon are getting into the grocery store business. Unfortunately for shoppers, more choice doesn’t make shopping any easier. And more choices can make it more difficult to budget correctly. The good news is there are ways to make grocery shopping easier on a person’s time and budget.

Plan your week’s meals

One of the best ways to cut back on shopping time is through weekly meal planning. Planning meals allows shoppers to make educated decisions about what they need to buy, as well as how much, and is a great way to reduce food waste. Shoppers can thus save both time and money by simply planning out their meals in advance before they draw up their shopping list.

Take advantage of coupons and rewards programs

Clipping coupons has fast become a mandatory part of most people’s shopping experience, and for good reason. Coupons allow shoppers to save money on frequently-used items and can help shoppers plan out their shopping trip to take advantage of deals from different local stores.

Thanks to the growing popularity of online shopping, it’s not only local stores that offer rewards programs and special offers; many online marketplaces are also embracing the trend to attract new customers as well as reward loyal patrons. Online resources such as Upgraded Reviews offer an easy way to find out what deals, specials, and rewards are on offer from online retailers. Looking for special discounts at reviewed stores can also help keep a savvy shopper’s budget in check.

Stick to your shopping list

If a shopper has planned out their weekly meals, they most likely have the barebones of a shopping list already. Once a shopping list has had all the other household necessities added, such as cleaning products and other items that a shopper may have clipped some coupons for, it is important for a shopper’s budget that they try to stick to the list as much as possible. Many stores and websites are designed to make shoppers feel compelled to buy more than they need and a shopper without a set shopping list is more likely to fall prey to many of these tricks of the trade. Planning out a shopping list, and knowing where the items are located in stores, can help shoppers avoid some of these pitfalls and help save shoppers time and money.

Never shop hungry

Shopping on an empty stomach, whether a person is shopping in person or online, is never a good idea for shoppers who are trying to stick to their budget. Hungry shoppers are much more likely to succumb to impulse buying and are more likely to buy unhealthy foods. For this reason, shoppers should always make sure they have a full stomach when grocery shopping to cut back on the likelihood of unhealthy, unbudgeted snacks making their way into the trolley.

Buy in bulk where possible

One of the best ways to cut down on the cost of groceries is through bulk buying. Buying in bulk can help families save money in several ways. Firstly, buying in bulk is often cheaper outright than buying in smaller quantities. Secondly, bulk buying can save a shopper valuable gas money as fewer trips would be required to the store for non-perishable items.

While shopping may be a chore, by following the tips on this list, savvy shoppers can take some of the hassles out of the whole experience and save money while they do it.

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