To the Grocery I go

One of the things I love doing is going to the grocery.  I love the cool temperature, the neat aisles and picking and choosing of items.  I remember always wanting to go with my mom then, to eventually footing the shopping bill when I began to work.  Shopping is a lot  nicer now since its Dad who shoulders the bill, hehe :)

My two boys have taken to this endeavor too.  They usually get a separate cart to pick up their 'guy stuff' and we just meet somewhere before the check out counter.

Over the  years, here's what I've learned to do before shopping. I'm sure a lot more tips have been posted by others but, one more list couldn't hurt. :)

a) Always have a list - to make sure you don't forget anything and for budget purposes.  This should include items about to run out. You have to stick to the list too.

b) Go during slow times -  as much as possible, I avoid shopping on weekends, after payday and before a holiday.  If I had the luxury of time, I'd go in the middle of week, in the middle of the day to avoid long lines and maybe get more promo items in the process.

c)  Buy in bulk when it makes sense - stock up on non-perishables like tissue paper, napkins.  They'll cost less.  Just make sure its something that you really use.

d)  Try the store brands -  there was a time when I only bought branded items.  Turns out they're just the same as the generic ones.  Though I only do this for non-food items as  Dad's still not sold on the idea.

e)  Cut back on trips -  we only go once a month for grocery shopping especially on bulk items or those you use for while.  You save gas, time and it limits the chances of picking up unnecessary items that not's in your usual list.  For fresh food, you can buy at a different time or store (in our case, market).

Its the start of the month and we're off!  Hope you'll have a nice afternoon like I will :)