A Money circle comes in different forms and for different purposes. Some people form money circles to lend money within members of the same group known as “lending circles”. Then, there is this group whose main focus is to save money. Known as the “saving circle”. The scope is broad. When it comes to your wallet, this is how to save money while grocery shopping:
The grocery budget represents a good portion of our monthly income. Americans spent approximately 10% of their disposable income on food. That is approximately $5,174 a year, or $431 a month, on groceries. That number goes up when you have dependents. So being able to save a couple of dollars every month could help add more money to your wallet.
Here is how it works:
Every month, you chip in depending on the group agreement a certain amount.
Step 1: Consolidation
Each person brings a list and the group consolidates everything in one single list. You have to consolidate, aggregate quantities, quality, label, etc… It is probably the most challenging step.
Step 2: Buying
A designated person takes the list to a grocery store or a wholesale club and purchases in bulk. For example, a bag of your favorite rice will cost maybe $10, with coupons you can get it for $8. Probably, it is on sale so it will go for $7. So you will save $3 for the bag of rice. However, with group-buying, because it is in bulk you will probably get it for $6 with good negotiation tactics.
Step 3: Distribution
Distribute products according to everyone’s list.
The process is not easy, but it is worth it. Perhaps. it will not work for all grocery products but most likely you will be able to save some precious dollars. It is all about bargaining power. That is how a money circle can help you save money on groceries.
You can designate a leader who’s going to stop by each member’s house to drop or each member can stop by a specific location to pick up their groceries.
Nevertheless, if you are not excited about teaming up with trusted people such as your family members you can follow these tips to save money on grocery shopping:
How to save money on groceries
- Rewards
You can Redeem your rewards, points, boost, bonus to pay for your groceries. Some digital peer-to-peer payment apps such as cash app, actually offer discounts up to 10% for grocery shopping. In addition, many credit cards make it simple to earn rewards when you use them at checkout that can be used to offset your grocery shopping bill. Moreover, some credit cards have developed tailor rewards programs just for grocery shopping. For instance Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card offers up to 5% cash back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market.
- Clip coupons
Clip available coupons to take advantage of available discounts at your prefered grocery store. This is particularly easy when your favorite grocery chain have a moile app. You can just browse all available discounts and click to load the discount onto your loyalty card. The discount will apply automatically at check out.
- Join a loyalty program
Most stores offer rewards program that makes it easy for customer to earn points at check out. Those points can be can be redeemed on future shopping runs to offset your bill.
- Join a wholesale membership
Usually, wholesale club sell food in bulk. It is a very good option for large families because of the low costs per unit. Nevertheless, keep in mind you have to pay annual membership fees at most wholesale clubs. Finally, you will need to shop there enough to save money. Indeed, you will spend more at the outset because you shop in large quantities.
- Meal plan for the week only with seasonal produces
Weekly or even one month meal plan is a formidable exercise that would save you money and time. Notably, if you are relying on seasonal produces to make your meal. Mostly, it will ensure that you only buy things you’ll use.
- Check different grocey stores
Head to a nearby competitor to compare prices. Some stores use their buying power and their scale to negociate lower pricing for their customers. Do not hesitate to check unsual grocery stores even online stores.
In conclusion, the system might not work for everything and everyone. But if you are in the right mindset, savings can be big.
