Take These 22 Items Out of Your Grocery Cart
1) Hot Bar Buffet
Hot bars at grocery stores might seem like a great option if you are on-the-go and need to grab quick meal, but those buffets add a not so pretty penny to your bill. According to The Daily Meal, because hot bars make you pay by the pound, you often end up spending much more than you would if you had picked up something from the freezer aisle. And if you needed even more convincing, those buffet-style bars make it more likely for food-borne illnesses to develop.
2) Granola Bars
Granola bars are a great snack because of how easy they are to throw into the kid's lunches, sports bags, or even your purse when you're on the move. But more often than not, store bought granola bars contain more sugar and preservatives than homemade bars, and are also more expensive. According to The Kitchn, you can often make your own granola bars at home for much cheaper with a recipe that yields double what you get in a pre-packaged box from the grocery store.
3) Baking and Pancake Mix
Sure, pre-made cake and breakfast mixes are super convenient, but they often are pretty pricey and many have a variety of partially hydrogenated oils, which are high in trans fat. According to Huffpost, the difference in costs between pre-made mixes and homemade ones is small, but worth it when you consider how many additives you won't have in a homemade mix.
4) Kitchenware
According to MoneyTalksNews, you are better off shopping for kitchenware at TJ Maxx or Marshalls if you want to get a good deal. Grocery stores usually offer less options of questionable quality for a higher price, according to Cheat Sheet, so cross kitchenware off your list next time you make a grocery store trip.
5) Diapers
The costs associated with raising a baby are certainly hefty, but that doesn't mean you can't find ways to get necessities for cheap, especially when it comes to diapers. A great option is to skip the huge markups grocery stores add to diapers, and buy them in bulk from warehouse stores like Costco or BJs. According to CBS News, you can also check out diaper subscription services online, through sites like Amazon, which offer discounts on diapers through their Amazon Mom program.
6) Deli Sandwiches
Yes, it can be hard to resist the temptation of the deli counter, but know that doing so could save you some money. According to Mashed, for the price of one deli sandwich, you can often purchase the ingredients to make that same sandwich three times over. Keep walking past the counter, and pick up the individual ingredients instead.
7) Office Supplies
That wall of office supplies looks pretty attractive, with all its sharpened pencils and pads of sticky notes. But don't be fooled. According to Cheat Sheet, these office items come at a premium, and you'd be better off buying them online or at a local dollar store.
8) Party Supplies
Grocery stores are known for selling food, not balloons — and there's a reason for that. Though many grocers do offer a range of party supplies, they're often pretty expensive. According to Cheat Sheet, cheaper varieties can be found at discount party stores or online.
9) Pre-Cut Veggies and Fruits
Of course, you should eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, says Jaclyn London, author of Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked) and Director of the Nutrition Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. And if you need to grab some pre-cut fruit when you're on the run for convenience sake, it's understandable why you would opt for something pre-packaged. But if you have the time, it's best to not pay the premium on pre-sliced produce.
10) Salad Dressing
According to U.S. News & World Report, bottled dressing often has more than a dozen ingredients, and some have 120 calories per serving. A better idea is to skip the dressing and make a light vinaigrette at home. Many use just three or four ingredients and taste fresher. Another plus: You aren't left with bottles of half-used salad dressing filling up your refrigerator.
11) Pre-Cut Meats
Steak kabobs, cubes of meat for a stir fry, and chicken tenders can be marked up by nearly 60%, says Andrea Woroch, a recognized consumer and money saving expert. She recommends picking up larger slabs of meat and untrimmed chicken that you can then portion yourself to save money.
12) Bottled Water
If your drinking water is unsafe, then you absolutely should buy bottled water. But you can also get by with a home-water-filter and a reusable water bottle to save thousands of dollars over time. Bottled water can cost about 1,000 times more than water from a home faucet. Many people buy bottled water for the convenience and portability, but the environmental cost can be steep. A better alternative is to buy stainless steel water bottles and store them in the refrigerator for on-the-go use. "But do whatever you need to do to make sure you're hydrated," says Jaclyn London.
13) Out-of-Season Produce
Reduced supply makes off-season produce extra pricey. "Just because strawberries are available in December doesn't mean you should buy them," says Kendel Perez, savings expert for CouponSherpa.com. She recommends either buying only what's in season or opting for frozen produce, which is flash-frozen at peak ripeness.
14) Snack-Size Bags
According to London, while they're great for portion control, snack packs aren't so great for your wallet. Consumers can save $150 per year by nixing individual serving bags of potato chips, according to clark.com. Those little bags, and lunch-sized portions of produce, are often marked up by 50%.
15) Spices and Herbs
Consumer Reports ran a blind taste test using pricey name-brand spices versus cheaper generic versions in different recipes, and asked tasters to compare them. For the most part, the tasters couldn't tell them apart. Andrea Woroch says local ethnic stores often sell spices and herbs for up to 90% less than the name brands sold at grocery stores. "You may not get a fancy bottle, but you can pick up a few reusable ones from the dollar store that will work just as well," she says. Or go to a health-food store where they're often sold in bulk. Buy just a small amount at a time — it's much cheaper and keeps your spices fresher.
16) Canned Beans
Canned legumes cost upwards of $1 per 14 ounces, but a 2-lb. bag of dried black beans goes for about $1.59 at Aldi, according to clark.com. That's 12 cups of beans (96 oz.) after soaking — a difference of $0.042 per ounce for canned versus $0.016 for dried.
17) Pre-arranged Flowers
It might be easier to grab a bouquet from the store, but you are often overpaying for floral arrangements that are less than pristine. "I find that the pre-made grocery store bouquets are often less fresh," writes Faith Durand on Apartment Therapy. "They seem to wilt faster. Also, they are usually padded with a great deal of unnecessary greenery." This doesn't mean you need to skip grocery store flowers altogether. However, Durand recommends just buying single varieties of flowers, looking for the freshest bunch with buds that aren't fully opened yet. You can then always create your own colorful bouquet.
18) Pet Food
Woroch says buying pet food in bulk from either a warehouse store or big box store like Walmart and Target will get you the best bang for your buck. Skip on the individual portions if you can.
19) Cleaning Products
"You'll find the best deals on household cleaners at big box stores," says Woroch. The dollar store can be a good place to pick up these items, too, though it's worth noting that their brands may be more diluted. "Better yet, make your own multipurpose cleaner for less than 50 cents by using pantry staples like vinegar, baking soda, salt and lemon," Woroch adds.
20) Kitchen Utensils
You'll find tools like spatulas, cookie sheets and baking pans on the baking aisle, but you probably shouldn't spring for them at the grocery store unless you have a coupon. These items sell for 30% more than they would at stores like Target, Walmart, TJ Maxx and HomeGoods, according to CouponSherpa.com's Perez.
21) Greeting Cards
"Despite the abundance of cards and party supplies at your local grocer, the dollar store is a much better place to pick up these items," says Perez. Stock up on cards at the dollar store (usually 50 cents each) so you won't be tempted by the grocery store's $5 cards.
22) Batteries
Grocery stores hit batteries with a steep markup and for good reason: when you need batteries, you often need them fast. "You can find better prices on batteries at warehouse club stores or online at sites like Amazon," says Perez.
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A lot of people will just pick up something for convenience or as an impulse buy, but with a little bit of planning, you can save a lot of money at the grocery store by not buying certain items.