We're willing to pay up for things when they're worth it, but when it comes to grocery shopping, there are good buys, and there are ...
1. Pre-made lunches
A pre-made salad or sandwich may be really convenient when you need to grab and go, but if you're packing lunches for your kids or to bring to work, it's much more cost-efficient to buy a loaf of bread, some deli meat or a can of tuna, and a bottle of mustard or mayo to make your own sandwiches.
2. Spices
Sometimes a recipe calls for a dash of onion powder, or teaspoon of paprika, but that doesn't mean you should pay top dollar for a little container of spice at the grocery store. Spices are much cheaper when bought at drugstores, dollar stores or, if you're lucky enough to have one, at your local farmer's market. You can also try borrowing some from your neighbors if you have a good relationship with them.
3. Chopped produce
Sure, chopping onions can be a pain, and doing so can literally make you cry. But pre-diced produce like onions and bell peppers cost much more, so buck up and get your cutting board out. It really just takes a minute or so to chop an onion.
4. Toiletries
Toiletries — like chopped produce and pre-made lunches — are at the grocery store for convenience, and not savings. Some people find it easier to buy everything at the grocery store than having to make a second trip to a drugstore to get a better deal on toiletries. Just make the trip to the drugstore since you'll have to go there eventually for something anyway.
5. Deals where you buy in multiples
You grab a carton of orange juice when you notice that there's a deal for three cartons of orange juice for the price of two. Unless you really like orange juice, this is probably a bad deal. You're spending additional money you weren't planning on spending, and you probably won't drink all that juice before you have to throw it out. Only buy in multiples when you are intentionally buying in bulk, otherwise, you're really just taking up space in your pantry.
6. Cleaning Supplies
Cleaning supplies, like detergent or dish soap, are also convenient to grab at the grocery store, but we all know they're much cheaper at drug stores or big box stores like Target or Wal-Mart. Avoid at all costs.
7. Individually packaged items
A six pack of pudding, yogurt or juice can be convenient to pack along with the sandwiches you made for lunch, but they cost more and contain much less than a bulk-size carton or tub. If you like yogurt with your lunches, you can easily scoop some from the carton into a little Tupperware container, and you can put juice in a travel mug to pack in your kid's lunchbox
8. Sugary name brand cereals
Sugary cereals taste, well, sugary, and there's no major difference between the store brand sugary cereal and the name brand sugary cereal, which can cost twice or three times as much. You should probably avoid sugary cereal entirely — there's not a lot of nutritional value in them — but if you have to buy it, go off-brand.
9. Packaged snacks
Packaged snacks like granola and pretzels are perfect for after-school snacks after a long day of academics and gym class (or for adults to enjoy after a long day at work), but you'll save money if you buy those snacks from a bin by the pound.
10. Reduced to sell items
There's a reason why these items have such deep discounts on them — unless you're planning on eating them when you get home, they may spoil if you wait more than a day. If you know that you'll be cooking a marked to sell item when you immediately get home from the grocery store, go for it. Otherwise, spend a few extra dollars for something you know will last longer than a day.
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