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Let’s face it. Whether we like it or not, we all need to go shopping. Shopping was once considered as a stress reliever; however, because of the high cost of most items these days, shopping can be stressful and nerve-wracking. Shopping, in this day and age, necessitates careful budgeting and the discipline to stick with your budget. And with the low budget shopping tips listed below, you will be able to buy what you need without hurting your wallet.

1. Buy food first- Before you go grocery shopping, always check your refrigerator, your cupboards and your freezer first for the items that you already have. Then list down the staples such as milk, bread, eggs and cheese and make sure that they go on first on your shopping list. If you love fruits, try going shopping at night for them. It is usually at night when their prices drop because they haven’t been sold in the morning.

2. Eat before you go to the grocery- Before you leave for the grocery store, make sure that you have eaten. When you are hungry, everything in the grocery store will look good and will make it tempting for you to buy them. If you eat before you shop then you will never be at risk of buying more than what you can afford.

3. Plan your meals in advance- As mentioned earlier, always check your refrigerator, cupboards and freezer for items that you already have, then come up with meals with which you can incorporate the items that you have. In this way, no food is left unused and no item is left to soil. Furthermore, plan your breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks weeks ahead and list down the ingredients that you will need for them, so that when you go to the grocery store, you are only going to shop for items which you are sure you are going to entirely use.

4. Avoid promotional sales- This may sound ironic as promotional sales and deals should save you a great deal of money. You can only save money if the items on sale are part of your list. If they aren’t, just skip them. Chances are high that you are not going to use them.

5. Go to the ends of the meat and seafood section- Always make sure that you go around the whole grocery store especially at the ends of the meat and seafood section as it is where they usually display their marked-down items.

6. Be friendly- Make it a point to go to the same grocery store every time you go shopping so that you can get acquainted with the staff and vice versa. Be friendly and ask them questions. There is no harm in trying to be friends with them. In fact, if they get comfortable, they will often offer you great deals and give discounts especially for you.

7. Compare brands- Most people do not pay attention to store brands because they have grown accustomed to the ones with already big names. However, store brands are worth giving a shot. They are usually of comparable quality but are much cheaper.

8. Collect coupons- Look for coupons in newspapers or magazines and check if some items you need are on sale. As mentioned earlier, avail of the sales and deals only if the items are included in your list.

9. Buy dry goods and toiletries in bulk- Always buy condiments, snacks and toiletries such as toilet paper, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc. in bulk and only buy more if you are down to the last two or last one item so that you do not end up hoarding.

10. Always look at your list- When you go to a grocery or a department store, always look at your list so you are always reminded of what you went to the store for. Once in the store, always do your best to directly go to the section where your needed item is located, then get the item, buy it then leave. Impulse buying will always harm your budget and if you are on a really tight budget, it can even put you in a tough financial situation.

11. Set a budget- By now, for sure you have an idea on how much you typically spend for your shopping; thus, it is important that you set a fixed budget before you leave. Make use of your phone’s calculator and calculate the prices every time you add an item in your cart. When you get too close to your budget, you can either reassess what you have in your cart or stop shopping and pay for the items already.

12. Differentiate what you need and want- Make a separate list for your necessities and wants and it is important that you be honest. Always prioritize your necessities first and if there is some money left in your budget, then that should be the only time to purchase some of the items under your wants list.

13. Know exactly what you need- If you need new clothes or new shoes, search the internet for the type of clothes or shoes that you actually want. It would also be best if you canvass for the prices at different stores so that you can purchase from the store which offers the lowest price.

Shopping on a tight budget is nerve-wracking especially if you have questions in your head such as Would my credit score be affected? and Will my credit rating go down? However, instead of being pressured by these questions, make them work to your advantage. Questions such as those mean that you are concerned with your budget and if you are constantly aware of how your spending can impact your credit score, then it will motivate you to stick to your budget and save. The tips listed above are helpful tips that not only will allow you to stick to your budget; they might even cut your budget in half. Just be a smart consumer and know where the right resources are so that shopping on a budget becomes easy and effortless.