By: Ben Sizemore, Dietetic InternThe end of the spring semester is rapidly approaching. For many of us, this means going back home for the summer and losing access to one of campus’ most valuable resources: the dining halls. After nine months of be spoiled by the wonderful facilities UMD Dining Services offers, the thought of venturing back to a grocery store can be frightening. Have no fear for here are some tips to help you become a Supermarket Savings Superhero and conquer the store! Create a List “Milk, eggs, bread, and cheese, milk, eggs, bread, and cheese, I only need milk, eggs, bread, and cheese,” you mutter to yourself as you walk into the supermarket. You have the list in your head and you only need to purchase a couple of things, so why bother to write them down? It turns out people who use shopping lists are more likely to only purchase the things they have on the list and less likely to buy items not on the list. This method prevents impulse buys and ends up saving you money. Next time you’re running to the store for a quick purchase, consider writing out a list to save yourself a few bucks. Store Brands Speaking of saving money, there is no better way to do so than by purchasing store brands. Store brand products typically sell for $1-2 less (if not less) than the name brands. This may not sound like much but think about how many times each week, month, and year you choose name brand products over store brands. I’m sure those missed savings are really starting to add up. The ingredients in store brand foods are nearly identical to the name brand foods; more often than not what you are paying extra for is well designed packaging. Also, store brands tend to offer their items in bulk which can save you even more money in the long run. If you’re looking to fill your savings and pantry simultaneous, start buying store brands. Eat Before you Shop
The number one mistake people make when grocery shopping is hitting the store with an empty stomach. Impulse food purchases are much more likely to happen when grocery shopping while hungry. When people are hungry, they tend to crave calorie dense food that requires little preparation (AKA junk food). Something as simple as eating a snack before leaving for the supermarket can curb any cravings that may occur in the store. No cravings = less spending (and less junk food).
1 Comment
9/13/2017 03:35:15 am
This is really good post, if we keep these things in mind we can save a lot of money from super market. Thank you for sharing this informative post with us
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