Grocery Smarts: The Easy Way To Save 50% Or More Everytime You Shop

A major factor in the success of any behavior modification is an acknowledgement of the perceived benefit of making the change being considered versus the cost of attaining the benefit of those changes. That is to say, if making a change is more painful than the perceived rewards that the changed behavior brings, then why do it in the first place?

For most of us, success comes more slowly (or if at all) when our efforts seem greater than the potential rewards.

Extra time and attention spent in acquiring the skills to save while shopping may seem a daunting task for some, while bargain hunting is a game for others. I urge all of you to consider the effect that your own inner thoughts play in helping you to succeed in making any changes that you seek with your spending and shopping habits.

Being clear yourself on the reasons for seeking to save will greatly improve your ability to state the benefits to the remainder of the family. Although the grownups of the bunch may see clearly the benefits of reducing spending, the little ones may not take as kindly to some of the lifestyle changes that you are proposing.

What follows then is the inevitable backlash that unexpected changes may bring with the remainder of your brood. Here are a few suggestions to help to ease you through the transition period smoothly.

Perhaps the best thing that any of us can do when learning to scale back on spending is to adopt a love of creativity in how we approach the "problem" of out of control grocery spending. With the glass half full mentality already on our side, problems become opportunities to find new and ever more efficient ways to save, rather than a chore to be accomplished.

Second, let the rest of your family help and encourage their creativity in finding the system that works best for you. You will be more likely to succeed with the support of everyone in the group rather than just one or two participants.

Third, but still of equal importance is to celebrate your successful savings strategies as you find them. Everybody loves to feel good about a valuable contribution to the group. Don't forget to give praise for a job well done.

Lastly, set goals to keep yourselves motivated and offer a predetermined treat once those goals are met. Again, if everyone in the group has ownership and a share in the reward, you are more likely to meet your savings goals.

For each new savings solution that you find, you will win the consumer game many times over whether those changes come in the form of immediate savings, or knowledge that will save for years to come. In other words, find a solution that works for your family today, and save on every shopping trip you make for the rest of your life. Once I realized that the work was in the initial effort of how to save, I had a new perspective, and a new motivation to keep looking for solutions.

What many seem like a lot of work today, is really worth much more in savings over the years to come...it kind of makes you realize how valuable your time really is doesn't it?

I came to understand the true power of finding longterm savings solutions when I was in college.

I was poor, just like everyone else. I needed to eat, just like everyone else. But most importantly, time was at a premium.

I came to the conclusion very quickly that my time was as valuable as the money in my purse, perhaps even more so. Every time I would over spend on the necessities, meant that I would need to work an extra shift to pay for it. Every extra shift represented time away from that social life that was supposed to be a valuable part of the college experience.

The other thing I noticed, was the quickest way to save money was on variable expenses...mainly food, clothing and utilities. Since most young women would rather do anything but cut back on thier wardrobe, reducing food expenses became the more attractive option. Thus my career as a super shopper began, and my food bills began to drop rapidly.

The quickest way to begin saving is to know your habits as a consumer. Think about the things you buy every week, week in and week out. Your goal is to reduce the cost of those items by 30-50% off the full shelf price. For most consumers, staple items comprise a whopping 80% if the items on your shopping list. Focus your efforts here first to maximize savings, and minimize effort.

As we have just seen, time is money. Each dollar you spend represents minutes of your life that you have given up to buy the things you need to live.

What if you could see the true value of the time you would need to invest to save on just one staple item on your list?

The secret to slashing your grocery bill is the investment of time you make today to discover the least expensive way to purchase the staple items on your list. With time, the savings on each purchase thereafter is compounded. Remember that "staples" my not be milk, eggs and bread. Staples are considered any item that you pruchase frequently, and are different for each family.

Think for a minute about what I have just said. The time you take to find ways to save are just like compounding interest, true savings comes from the amount of time you are able to utilize each cost saving strategy. Knowing what products you use regularly, and how much you consume is the key to beating the supermarkets at their own marketing game.

An Example
My grandfather loved sausage with his eggs for breakfast. At 91, he ate the same thing four times a week, week in and week out and had for most of his life. I knew that we would go through about 16 packages of sausage a month at our current rate of usage. So, this was definately a staple item and a good place to look to reduce spending. I also knew from watching the sales circulars that our favorite brand of sausage went on sale about once a month.

Let's Look at the Numbers
Full shelf price of 1 package of sausage: $2.79
Sale price: $1.00
Savings:$1.79 (64%)
Savings per month: 16 packages x $1.79= $28.64
Savings for the year: $28.64 x 12= $343.68
Savings for 5 years: $343.68 x 5= $1718.40

What you may be thinking is that these numbers are vey high, and they are. This particular savings strategy works very well on this item, and has saved us a small fortune. Not every item will save 64%, but the concept is the same: to maximize your savings, find ways to purchase the items you use most at the least expensive possible price. Stock up when on sale, and refuse to pay full price. If you utilize just this one strategy on all staple items on you list, you will save 30-50% or more on 80% of your grocery expenses. Without sacrificing quality, clipping coupons, or spending large amounts of valuable time.

1. In order for you to be successful in the longterm, you have to want to learn to save. Make it a game, get the family to help, and look for ways to make the task fun rather than a chore.

2. Know that your time is one of the most valuable things you possess. Time = Money, they are a trade off and you will often have more of one than the other.

3. The efort you spend to discover each new savings stgrategy is like an investment. You will discover the true value of that investment whenever you purchase staple items at a reduced price over many years.

4. Just like with compounding interest, time is your friend. For each less expensive way you find to purchase the items you consume, your savings becomes cumulative.

5. You can replicate this strategy. It does not matter how large or small your family is, what you buy, or what your lifestyle is. Focus on the items you buy the most first, and expand your knowledge from there.