8 Ways to Avoid Sneaky Grocery Store Traps

Here's an expensive joke.  Why do the product engineers put toilet paper and butter at the back of the store?  To get consumers to the other side--only after shuttling you by Easter cupcakes, bagged salad, and makeup aisle.  We all know that if you shop while hungry, you can tack on an extra $30 in food for that growling stomach. Grocery, especially superstore, shopping can be more devastating to your wallet than a gourmet meal.  Be aware of the traps grocery stores set for you and heed the following advice:

1. Stick to the outside aisles of the store for most purchases. 
Take a mental walk through your local store--fruits and vegetables along the side, dairy in the corner, meats in the back.  The most wholesome, complete foods and ingredients are along the outer edges of the store.  Take an experimental stroll one day to observe (and leave your wallet in the car for good measure).  Write down every aisle that contains prepackaged, processed foods and keep them off-limits for future grocery trips.

2. Don't buy rice or noodle mixes.
Riceroni and Hamburger Helper devotees need to compute some math.  Macaroni and rice are among the cheapest food products, staples in diets around the world.  Do a quick search to find rice and noodle recipes, toss some ground beef or chicken in the mix and you have dinner for much less.  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Seasoned-Noodle-Mix/Detail.aspx

3. No cut vegetables or fruits allowed.
A pint of cut pineapple (in season) is currently going for $8.99.  Sharpen your knives and get to work!  A whole pineapple is just $4.99 at my store--it's fresher and yields much more than the pre-cut stuff.  This goes for bagged salads, snack packs, and vegetable trays.  These items come with a 40% markup or more, so toss in some elbow grease and get friendly with the knife.

4. Bottled water is a no-no.
We've talked about this in depth at Go Frugal.  An entire month's worth of bottled water is a whopping $19 per month where as tap water is just $.02 for the same quantity.  Plus tap water retains fluoride that your kids need for strong teeth.

5. Season and stuff your own meat.
Unless you find a sale, don't let someone else season and prepare your own meat.  Sometimes the need-to-sell meats are on killer clearance--I have found $2 filet mignon and $1.29/lb. stuffed chicken.  Just check the expiration date before purchasing.  Otherwise your spice cabinet can spice and dice with the best chef.

6. Look high and low.
Most of the prepackaged foods and specialty items are kept at eye-level for a reason.  The higher prices products are placed directly in your eye line to woo.  Manufacturers even pay more to have their items placed at eye line level.  The premium position for goods is at the end of each aisle so make it a point to avoid it. 

7. Take note of the unit price.
The highlighted digit below the cost of each item is the unit price--cost per pound/ounce/serving.  This is your comparison number.  Most grocers post this number for regular and sale priced items.  Look around at the different sizes of goods to compare the best savings for your needs.  The last gallon of milk I bought was cheaper than the half gallon of the same brand!  Likewise the dozen-and-a-half eggs were cheaper than a single dozen. 

8. Never purchase ready-made sweets.
When you need a calorie splurge, prepare the brownies yourself.  I have only used a box to make sweets twice and they were the worst cakes I ever tasted.  Make moist, tasty goodies for a lot less with recipes on the packages of Nestle's products and you'll never be disappointed.