In 2020, college students spent a total of $39.6 billion on food alone (College Explorer, 18 December 2020). These costs range from groceries, grabbing a coffee to eating out in restaurants or cafés. With age, eating food has become more than just refilling the tank that is your stomach. It has become a reason to socialize or to take breaks from studying.
All this food costs money, and as a student this is something you might not always have heaps of. That’s why you could try and save money wherever you can. In this blog tips are provided that can help with saving money while grocery shopping:
1. Track your monthly expenditures: This so you know where your money is going each month. This way you know how much you can spend on your food shopping.
2. Shop by yourself: Shopping with other people can influence the number of unplanned purchases you make, like desserts extra snacks.
3. Eat before shopping: If you’re hungry while shopping, you’re more likely to impulsively by unnecessary snacks. By grabbing a quick snack before you shop, you can minimize impulse buying and stay in budget.
4. Plan meals: By knowing what you’re going to eat, you can shop more efficiently without getting distracted. Make a list and stick to it!
5. Buy what’s in season: Produce that’s out of season can be expensive. Check out this list for the seasonal products. Try out local markets for buying cheap seasonal produce.
6. Buy store brand products: Most supermarket chains offer generic packaged products, also known as ‘huismerk’. Usually, these store brand products are cheaper.
7. Look at the lower shelves: Some supermarkets put their most expensive produce at eye-level. Sometimes the cheaper produce is at the bottom of the shelf.
8. Shop (mostly) vegetarian: Meat/fish is expensive. By having a few vegetarian meals, you can already save a good amount of money.
9. Count while you shop: By keeping an overview of how much you’re spending while shopping, you can make sure not to go over budget. Try using the calculator on your phone or the self-scan machines at the entrance of the supermarkets
10. Be alert at the cash register: By being alert you can make sure that all those 1+1 gratis or bonus deals are being registered. If they’re not, be sure to let the cashier know.
Sources:
· Law, L. (2021, 19 maart). College Student Spending Habits for 2021. Lexington Law. https://www.lexingtonlaw.com/blog/credit-cards/college-student-spending-habits.html
· Maluth, H. (2020, 6 mei). Grocery Shopping in College: 16 Ways to Save Money. Credit.Com. · https://www.credit.com/blog/grocery-shopping-in-college-16-ways-to-save-money-178196/
· N26. (2020, 7 oktober). How to save money on groceries—tips to make your cash go further. N26.Com. https://n26.com/en-eu/blog/how-to-save-money-on-groceries
· Refuel Agency. (2020, 18 december). College Explorer | Refuel Agency. MILITARY | TEEN | COLLEGE | MULTICULTURAL. https://www.refuelagency.com/college-explorer/
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