With a teacher’s salary, there is no money to waste. We need to do everything we can to save money. The grocery store is a great place to find deals. However, every week when I go to the store, I see people paying full price for their food and missing out on lots of opportunities to save. Are you making these grocery store mistakes? Find out what they are and how to fix them.
Grocery Store Mistakes That Are Wasting Your Money
On Facebook, I constantly see posts about teachers looking for a second job. For all the time and effort we put into our teaching, it’s crazy that we have to look for other ways to make money.
My husband and I are both teachers. Before having children, we were living comfortably on our teaching salaries. However, adding two very expensive little ones changed that. We needed to find ways to spend less, since neither of us wanted to lose more time with our family by getting a second job.
The grocery store was by far one of the easiest places to find ways to save. I realized that I had been wasting tons of money on my grocery shopping trip each week. I was making lots of mistakes, and I found ways to cut our grocery budget in half.
Are you making these mistakes, too?
Mistake #1 – Not Using a Club Card
You’ve unloaded all the items from your cart, and the cashier asks you a simple question, “Do you have your club card?” If the answer is, “No,” you’re making a big mistake. Sure, the cashier may use the store card to save you a few dollars. However, you’re missing out on the points that get added directly to your club card. Every grocery store where I shop gives you points to use on gas. If you don’t have a store card, you’re just throwing that gas money away.
What can you do to fix this grocery store mistake? Take five minutes to go to the customer service desk, and apply for a card. You just answer a few questions, and your card is ready to be used immediately. Usually, there is even a card to put on your key ring, so you don’t accidentally forget it at home.
Now every time the cashier asks if you have your store card, your answer should be, “Yes!”
Mistake #2 – Not Making a Grocery List
Going to the grocery store without a list is like going on a treasure hunt without a map. You’re wandering aimlessly trying to remember what you need to buy and where to find it. Along the way, you make some wrong turns and end up adding items to your cart that you had no intention of buying. All of those extra purchases add up to a larger charge on your credit card.
What can you do to fix this grocery store mistake? Plan out your shopping trip ahead of time. Think about what you need for the week, and make a list to guide you through your grocery shopping trip. Stick to your list, and you’ll save money.
Get more tips for saving money by making an organized grocery list.
Mistake #3 – Not Checking the Weekly Circular
If you’re going to the grocery store without checking the weekly circular, you are missing out on all the good deals. The circular tells you all of the items that are on sale at the grocery store for the week. They also include special offers, like save $10 when you spend $20 on certain items. Planning your grocery trip around the weekly circular will save you lots!
What can you do to fix this grocery store mistake? Get a copy of the weekly circular. You can often find them in the Sunday newspaper. Another option is to go online to your grocery store’s website and look at the weekly circular there. Check for deals on items you need, and add those to your grocery list. You can also get a copy of the circular at the grocery store. They are usually near the entrance.
Mistake #4 – Not Using Coupons
If you are checking out at the grocery store without any coupons, you are missing out on lots of savings. I know clipping coupons seems like a time-consuming task. However, it doesn’t have to be. There are coupons in lots of different places, and some of them don’t even require a pair of scissors.
What can you do to fix this grocery store mistake? Check out my post Does Couponing Really Save Money? to find the answer to this question. I’ll share lots of places to find coupons. You’ll also find out how much money you can save by using coupons.
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What Do You Think?
Have you made any of these grocery store mistakes?
Let me know in the comments below.
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