Shopping Smarter for a Trimmer Waist

Many people find shopping a hassle. To get around this, some people resort to mindlessly loading up their trolley with the same items, week after week. This often leads to a waste of money as well as shopping for the wrong foods. To save money on your groceries and help you eat healthier, here are some quick tips to follow in order to shop smarter.

Snack before you shop. Going grocery shopping on an empty stomach is never a good idea. You almost always end up buying more than you need as your judgment is clouded by your hunger pangs.

Always have a shopping list. Having a list to hand ensures that you are organized in how you shop. If you follow the list, you’re less likely to buy things you don’t need. As tedious as it sounds, planning your meals in advance is also a very good way of staying on track because you buy the ingredients you need for your weekly meals. Look at the contents of your refrigerator and cupboards as you make your list, to determine what needs topping up.

Shop the perimeter. Supermarkets tend to store the healthiest food items around the perimeter, while processed and preservative-leaden options go in the middle. Also, the most expensive items tend to be stored at a height where they’re easier to reach and grab, while the cheaper options are stored at a higher level.

Do weekly grocery shopping. Bigger and fewer shopping trips will save you money. You’ll be able to avoid impulse buys, too.

Look out for promotions. You may even be best placed to sign up for email alerts on in-store promotions. The trick here is that you may get tempted by offers such as “buy one, get one free”ť and bulk offers, which may prove difficult to resist. Only buy what you need because it’ll keep waste to a limit and also save you money.

Avoid readily cut up food and ready-made food. Cut up fruit and vegetables cost more and tend to spoil quicker, so start doing it yourself. Some TV dinners or pre-made food can be very expensive compared to making food from scratch. Besides, you don’t know what they contain, with most packed full of sugars, salt, fats and preservatives. In the long run, they’re not healthy for you, will add on the pounds and don’t taste as good as homemade food.

Stock up on more fruit and vegetables. Eating more fruit and vegetables both in your meals and snacks will not only shrink your weekly spend, but will also trim your waist.

Leave the children at home. Chances of sticking rigidly to your shopping list when you take the children along are very slim. If you have to take them along, agree on one or two healthy snacks before you leave.

Spice up your food. Spices add flavor without the unwanted calories. Besides, spicy food that’s bursting with flavor fires up your metabolism and fills you up quicker.

Some of these saving tips may be a little hard to follow, but think of it as your motivation to save as well as eat healthier. The money you save can go towards your next holiday, where you can confidently show off your trimmer waistline!