Everyone likes to save money when shopping. Being a frugal shopper requires good planning. There are some common pitfalls and mistakes that hamper frugal shopping.
Beware of these mistakes.
Where to shop
Before going shopping carefully examine the grocery store sales papers. Decide which store has more of the items that you need on sale. No one store will have all of the items on your list on sale. Driving around from store to store to buy various sale items will not save you money. You will end up spending more for gas than you can save on the products.
Coupons
Coupons can be helpful but you need to be smart about using them. Do not buy an item simply because you have a coupon for it. Compare the price of the item you have a coupon for to the price of the store brand to see if using the coupon will actually get you the lowest price.
Buying in bulk
Buying in bulk may seem like a good idea but if you don’t have storage space for a bulk supply or if you can’t use the product before its expiration date you will not save money by buying in bulk.
Impulse Buying
Attractive displays and brightly colored advertising signs lure you to items you had not planned to buy and don’t really need. Make a list before you go shopping and stick to your list. Impulse buying can quickly shatter your budget.
Compare prices
Reaching for an item that is close at hand or at eye level can be a mistake. Look at the items on the top and bottom shelf to compare prices.
