|
|||||||||||||||||||||
The new way to shopStacey Carlon
If your weekly grocery bill is eating more out of your family budget than you want it to, then you’d probably love a way to do the shopping on the cheap. And this not-so-secret source of shopping savings could be the best thing since sliced bread! You’re probably familiar with factory seconds: businesses buy items that are in good working order but don’t quite meet the manufacturer’s standards for sale and sell them on to consumers at a reduced price. You can make big savings by taking home an appliance that has been taken out of its box for demonstration purposes or has a tiny scratch or ding. Provided you shop at a reputable outlet, this can be a great way to save your cash while still getting the big name brands you want. But how often do you buy a brand new appliance? Chances are it’s not anywhere near as often as you do the grocery shopping. While you probably don’t think of your weekly trip to the supermarket as a big expense the way you would a new washing machine, all the little costs can really add up – and the grocery bill can turn out to be a big chunk of the average family’s yearly income. If you're interested in saving money, tips like these should be a big priority - especially if you want to balance that budget and have enough cash left over to do the exciting things in life! You can find a lot of great deals online, but the bulk of online grocery shopping services are geared towards offering convenience rather than savings: it’s more like paying someone to shop for you than buying from a factory outlet. But by making the most of the online saving rates from websites, like Off Your Trolley, which purchase excess stock and offer it at a reduced price, you can save a bundle on non-perishable items that you use a lot. There are a lot of reasons why manufacturers can have excess stock on hand – when a new packaging style is brought in, items in the old packaging can be declared unfit for sale, and ordering errors and cancellations can leave thousands of items sitting in warehouses with nowhere to go. While these products are usually just as good as the ones that populate the shelves of your local supermarket, once they’re declared ‘excess’ there aren’t a lot of outlets manufacturers can sell them to, and a lot of them just end up as landfill – last year, one of Australia’s major consumer goods suppliers dumped $4 million in excess stock because they simply couldn’t find a buyer to save food from waste. What that means for consumers is a whole lot of grocery items just waiting to be bought for a great price – if you know where to look. Of course, you can’t do all your grocery shopping ‘factory outlet’ style. You’ll still need to head to the supermarket to buy fresh food items and because the stock available varies from week to week, so does what you’ll be able to buy on the cheap. Fortunately, there’s more than one way to save on your food shopping – and by combining discount online shopping with these great supermarket tips, you’ll be able to make some big savings! • Check out catalogues to find the ‘loss leaders’ – they’re items that are drastically reduced in price to lure you into the store. Pick up these low-priced items and skip the browsing to save a bundle. • Supermarkets sometimes reduce the price on fresh food when a new delivery is due to clear the old stock off the shelves. Find out when the delivery truck is due and you can pick up items at drastically reduced prices. • Register for any free loyalty programs your supermarket offers. You don’t have to be ‘loyal’ to benefit – just enjoy the discounts. • Try generic items – like excess stock, they’re often just as good as the expensive stuff, just in plain packaging! Combining traditional shopping with online discount shopping website (like Off Your Trolley) is a great new way to shop, and making the most of all the saving options out there is a great way to have your cake and eat it too (or your Tim Tams, choccy bars, cereal, baby food, crackers, chips … !) Want to make 2011 the most powerful financial year you've ever had?
Then you can't miss our LIVE Financial Independence Bootcamps! The next Bootcamp is in SYDNEY on 30 July 2011 Click here for details! 
If you liked this article you might also be interested in these other articles about money management:
How to cope with the rising cost of everything
Want more? Take a look at the rest of our money management advice articles.Share your thoughts, ideas and tips with the rest of the YFYM community ... visit our live forum to have your say!
Make sure you get the latest money management advice - bookmark YFYM today! |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||
Author's Biography |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Stacey Carlon, co-founder of Off Your Trolley, worked for 12 years in |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Go back to the list | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|---|
 |
Real Money Advice for Divorce A three stage money guide to help you negotiate the divorce
process and create a secure financial future for yourself and your kids. |
 |
30 Day Challenge How to turn your life around in 30 days and save $30 000 in the process. A breakthrough in money management! |
 |
Real Money Advice for Families
Move your finances from red to black in four simple steps and secure your family's financial future. |
 |
Real Money Advice for Kids A guide designed to help parents teach their kids
the skills to become successful, confident and
financially responsible. |
