Shopping on a budget can be difficult, but shopping tips can make your trip to the grocery store a little easier on your wallet. We decided to investigate a few age-old shopping tips to find out if they were actually fact or fiction.
Fact or Fiction?
Broccoli by the bunch is less expensive than broccoli crowns.
Conclusion: Fiction
Many of us cut off the broccoli stalk, throw it away, and only use the broccoli crowns. So why not buy just the crowns? Buying broccoli crowns can save you nearly a dollar per pound (unless you use the broccoli stalks).
Fact or Fiction?
Head lettuce is less expensive than bagged lettuce.
Conclusion: Fact
Some shoppers prefer bagged pre-washed lettuce for the convenience; however, you can save more than a dollar by purchasing lettuce by the head. Washing that head of lettuce takes less than 5 minutes: (1) Cut the leaves away from the stem with a knife. (2) Separate leaves and discard any wilted ones. (3) Soak leaves in cool water for about 1 minute. (4) Rinse. (5) Dry with a clean cloth or in a salad spinner. (6) Place clean lettuce in a sip-lock bag and store in refrigerator.
Fact or Fiction?
Block cheese is less expensive than pre-shredded cheese.
Conclusion: Fact
Buying block cheese and grating it yourself can save you about 15 cents per serving. Sometimes factors besides cost - such as convenience - come into play when buying grocery items. Families with busy schedules may find that pre-shredded cheese is worth the additional cost. Paying more for convenience items makes sense only when products are close in price.
Fact or Fiction?
Canned tuna is less expensive than deli sandwich meat.
Conclusion: Fact
Tuna and sliced turkey are both healthy meal choices; however, canned tuna is healthier for your food budget. Canned tuna offers about a 30-cent savings per serving. This may not seem like a lot but if you buy three cans of tuna a week instead of deli meat, you can save more than 50 dollars a year. Tuna may not be the meal option you prefer all the time, but rotate tuna with deli meats to stretch your food dollar.
Price comparisons will help get the most from your food dollar. To compare two similar grocery items, look at both the sticker price and the unit price to figure out the real value of food. The sticker price only tells you the total price of the item, whereas the unit price will tell you the price per pound or ounce.
The unit price is usually located on the upper left-hand corner of the shelf sticker in an orange-colored box. This strategy can help you compare foods packaged in different weights. For example, imagine comparing two different brands of rolled oats. Container #1 has a sticker price of $2.99 and a unit price of 99¢ per pound, whereas container #2 has a sticker price of $3.49 and a unit price of 79¢ per pound. Container #1 appears to be less expensive when you only look at the sticker price, yet when you compare the unit prices, container #2 is the better bargain.
There's no need to take a calculator to the grocery store to make sure you're getting the best price. Just look at the unit price. During your next trip to the grocery store, make some comparisons and see if you can find the difference.
