Save that coin.
With the high cost of, just about everything, these days — with the potential to get even worse thanks to President Trump’s tariffs that went into effect last weekend — now is the time to look for savvy ways to save money where you can.
As a supermarket employee, Al Baker noticed common mistakes customers made while grocery shopping that would cost them a lot of money when it came time to check out.
So you don’t make these same foolish mistakes on your next grocery run, here are five helpful tips to keep in mind when you’re at the store next.
Always check your pantry and cabinets before making a grocery list
Making a grocery list and sticking to it is crucial because “without a plan of what you need to buy can lead to impulse buys and forgotten essentials,” the father of four told What’s The Jam.
It’s easy to get lazy and make a list of needed groceries without first checking to see if you have that item hiding in your kitchen somewhere — but Baker says doing this will cost you.
“You can waste so much money purchasing things you don’t actually need, or don’t need right now, by not checking properly,” Baker explained.
Utilize a grocery store’s app — if you can
Baker suggests that shoppers download a store’s app and use its ‘scan-and-go’ function — if it has one — to keep track of their spending.
It’s easy to wander a store aimlessly throwing items into your shopping cart — only to shriek at your high grocery bill at check out.
“Scanning as you go is useful for knowing exactly what you are going to have to pay at the end as it keeps the price updated as you go,” the former supermarket employee advised.
This tip also forces you to only buy what you need.
“So many times I’ve scanned something and seen what a difference it’s made to my bill, and so I’ve put it back again,” he explained.
“It really helps to reduce impulse buys and keep you on budget,” Baker added.
Pay attention to the unit price of items instead of just the total price
This is something that’s easily overlooked — or not thought about enough while at the store.
“Tempting as it may be to grab the product with the cheapest price, you may find that when you compare the cost per unit, the promotion item is more expensive as it weighs less,” Baker said.
He went on to explain: “Even though the price you pay is less, you’ll get less of the product and end up needing to buy it again sooner, which means you’ve saved nothing.”
Mix and match different brands
According to Baker, being open-minded when it comes to buying different branded items can save a shopper a lot of money.
“If you are really trying to save cash but don’t want to lose the quality, try mixing up a brand version of something and a supermarket’s own brand version to make it last,” he suggested.
The savvy father applies this logic when he cooks dinner for his family.
“We used to buy two jars of sauce for making pasta, and the cost was getting really expensive,” he said.
“Now I’ll add one jar of branded, or non-branded, pasta sauce to the pan and instead add a carton of cheap tomato passata.”
Ignore an aisle’s end cap
“I’ve started ignoring the end of aisles completely, as I know that those promotions are only there so people buy them,” the father of four admitted.
Baker said that the higher-priced items are usually placed higher on the shelves to persuade customers to buy them. “Cheaper items will be on lower shelves.”
“While working for a supermarket a few years ago, I was told that the cheap products go low because many people don’t like to bend down in supermarkets,” Baker revealed.
