Being an adult is difficult, especially when you are super lazy—and grocery shopping can be a real struggle without your parents helping you navigate the store and paying for everything at the end. Here are a few tips on how to grocery shop like an adult.
1. Make a list before you go.
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Making a list before you actually go to the store is important. Every time that I have ever gone to the grocery store without a list has ended with me buying at least ten things that I don’t need.
2. Coupons are your friend.
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You’re not with your parents and the national bank of you isn’t as generous with money. You can find coupons online on sites like coupon.com, which has an app for iPhones and androids, and SmartSource. Some stores, like Whole Foods, even have coupon booklets in the front of the store so customers can find deals while they are shopping.
3. Always get a cart or basket.
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Something that always seems to happen to me is I think I’m going to grab one thing and within a few minutes I have 13 items in my hand.
4. Set a budget before you go into the store.
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It is surprisingly easy to spend a ridiculous amount of money in a grocery store. Having a budget also prevents you from getting unnecessary junk food that you don’t need.
5. Brand name products are not always the best product.
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Sometimes we can all be a little obsessed with labels but brand name products are not intrinsically better than generic brands. Many generic brands taste exactly the same and are cheaper, which means more money in your wallet to spend on eating at restaurants.
6. Try to stay close to the border of the store.
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It’s really easy to get lost in the store when grocery shopping. So when I’m trying to get in and out without buying too much junk food, I walk along the edges of the store first. The essentials can usually be found here and it easier to see what is in each aisle without actually going down the aisle.
7. Always check the quality of the product before you buy it.
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Once while I was grocery shopping I picked up cheese that was already moldy and the expiration date wasn’t until the next month. This also goes for eggs because sometimes a few of the eggs in the carton are already cracked and they are of no use pre-opened. Just to be safe, always check to make sure that what you pick up isn’t spoiled.
8. Get a shoppers card.
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They are usually free and come in handy for exclusive member only deals. The money that you save will be worth the occasional annoying emails that you might get from a grocery store.
9. Visit the frozen food aisle last.
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There is nothing worse than getting ice cream at the beginning of a grocery store trip and melting it before you even check out. Save yourself the trouble of having to make two trips to the frozen food aisle by just going there last.
Grocery shopping is only hard if you don’t have the proper tools to navigate the store. Grab a few friends for a trip to the grocery store and it’ll actually be pretty fun. Just make sure to follow these tips so you don’t break the bank or get lost in the aisles.