Be a Better Food Shopper (2802)

You can guarantee yourself a 10 to 15 percent return on your investment—not by getting inside tips on the stock market, but instead by becoming a better food shopper. Most families spend at least 12 percent of their incomes for food, and low-income families may spend almost half. But no matter what you spend on food now, saving 10 percent would give you money to spend on other things you need or want.

First, you'll need to invest about a half hour more in planning each week. Plan ahead for foods you want to have during the next week. Use food ads in the newspaper or neighborhood shopper to help you locate specials that save money. Check your cupboards, refrigerator and freezer to see what you have on hand that you can and should use. Make a shopping list. If you know the layout of the store where you will be shopping, save time by listing the foods to match the layout. You can save money even before you get to the store by deciding when to buy certain items. If something you need and use frequently is on sale, stock up. And if you have coupons for items on sale, you will save even more.

Once you are in the store, comparing prices among brands or different package sizes of the same food is a great way to save. Usually, store or regional brands cost less than national brands and give you similar quality. Some products, like sugar or a specific oil, are identical.

Look for unit price shelf tags to help you locate the least expensive container size. This is not always the largest container or package. When you compare prices, compare the same thing. A fruit juice is different from a higher-water fruit drink. Buy convenience carefully. Many convenience foods like basic baking mixes, cake mix, canned and frozen vegetables, frozen concentrated juice, pizza mix kits and macaroni and cheese dinners can save you a lot of time and cost less than similar foods made from less convenient ingredients. But frozen dinners, carry-out meals, deli salads and cold cuts, cookies, bakery cakes and pastries, and ready-made pizzas or sandwiches can cost you a lot more. Buy those foods only when you really need the convenience, not for everyday meals.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

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