8 Unconventional Ways to Use Bubble Wrap

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Better Report

Bubble wrap is not only a useful packing material for fragile items — it’s also fun to pop. While packing and popping may be bubble wrap’s most common uses, it’s actually an extremely versatile material with multiple uses. In fact, bubble wrap was originally invented as a textured wallpaper. Though you won’t find it adorning walls today, here are eight unconventional ways you can use bubble wrap.

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Insulate Windows

Bubble wrap is a great alternative to more expensive insulation options — and it’s reusable. The air trapped inside each bubble works as a barrier, helping keep warm air in and cold air out. Just cut a piece of bubble wrap to fit the window, lightly mist the glass with water, and press the bubble side against the window until it is firmly in place.

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Protect Plants

Bubble wrap is a valuable tool for protecting plants from frost during colder months. Wrap your plants in a layer of sealed bubble wrap, making sure that the plastic doesn’t come into contact with the plant itself by using an easily-made frame. After the cold front passes and temperatures begin to rise, remove the bubble wrap as soon as possible — keeping plants wrapped for too long may suffocate them.

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Keep Food Cool

If you don’t have an ice pack or refrigerated bag handy, bubble wrap can help keep food fresh. A little bubble wrap goes a long way toward insulating food, making it a great method for keeping meals cold until they’re ready to eat. Best of all, bubble wrap can be reused as long as it doesn’t come into contact with any food residue.

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Curl Your Hair

Bubble wrap is an inexpensive and useful alternative to a curling iron. First, take a sheet of bubble wrap and roll it to your preferred size of curl. Then, roll and secure your hair around the roll. After a few hours, remove the bubble wrap for amazing curls.

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Line Fridge Shelves

Adding a layer of bubble wrap to refrigerator shelves makes cleanup a breeze. Cut the bubble wrap to fit your shelf Then, place the sheet firmly on the shelf, bubble side down. Now you can simply replace the bubble wrap rather than washing down the shelf.

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Create Art

Bubble wrap is a cool way to produce interesting geometric designs. Paint the bubble side of the wrap and press it onto a piece of paper for a neat pattern of repeating circles.

Cushion Your Knees

Whether you’re gardening or doing work around the house, putting weight on your knees for long periods of time can be painful. While knee pads are a good solution, bubble wrap is a worthy alternative — and a lot cheaper. Take a sheet of heavy-duty bubble wrap and place it underneath each knee. The layer of cushioning will take the pressure off your joints, allowing you to work pain-free.

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Shape Your Shoes

Shoes without interior support can lose their shape over time. In order to maintain that new shoe look, take a piece of bubble wrap, clump it up, and place it inside the shoe to maintain its shape when it’s not in use. This is particularly useful for long boots. You can line the entire leg with pieces of bubble wrap, which will keep them looking sturdy, new, and wrinkle-free.

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Bennett Kleinman

Staff Writer

Bennett Kleinman is a New York City-based staff writer for Inbox Studio. He is also a freelance comedy writer, devoted New York Yankees and New Jersey Devils fan, and thinks plain seltzer is the best drink ever invented.

This article is for general informational purposes only.
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Updated: July 20, 2023

Posted In: Home

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Home

The 5 Dirtiest Things in Your Kitchen — and How to Clean Them

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Your kitchen may be dirtier than you think. Regular use of common kitchen items can spread germs, bacteria, and mold — all things that no one wants on their clean dishes or, even worse, in their prepared dishes. Luckily, establishing effective cleaning methods will leave your kitchen tools not only spic-and-span, but also sanitized.

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Kitchen Sponges

It might surprise you that sponges are the dirtiest kitchen item. A kitchen sponge may contain multiple types of bacteria, which can then spread when you wipe dishes, counters, and other surfaces.

Instead of trying to clean kitchen sponges, it’s better to replace them every two weeks. Another more eco-friendly option is to buy washcloths instead. Washcloths can be regularly laundered and bleached in your washing machine, effectively killing germs and bacteria.

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The Kitchen Sink

Your kitchen sink is where you wash up, so it should be clean, right? Unfortunately, stacks of dirty dishes and pans, utensils that have touched raw meat and poultry, and rinse-off from various food items result in the sink being one of the dirtiest places in a kitchen.

To ensure your sink is truly clean, you’ll want to scrub it at least once a week with a disinfecting cleaner that contains bleach. You can also wipe your sink, faucet handles, and the surrounding countertops with a disinfecting wipe or a hot soapy cloth after meal prep each day. Don’t forget to sanitize your sink’s drain and disposal — this can be done by pouring a mixture of bleach and water down the drain once a month.

The Refrigerator

Food-borne pathogens often reside in refrigerators. The vegetable drawer is the dirtiest spot in the fridge, with dangerous bacteria, salmonella, and mold transferring to new produce as quickly as you buy it.

To clean this part of the fridge, slide the compartment out of your refrigerator and use a washcloth to clean the drawer with dish soap and warm water. Wait until it’s fully dry before putting it back in the fridge. You should clean this compartment (and other drawers, such as the meat compartment) every month before purchasing new fruits and veggies.

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Spice Jars

According to a surprising study, spice jars may be one of the dirtiest items in your kitchen. Researchers learned that spice jars often get cross-contaminated with bacteria while we prepare food.

Fortunately, you can fix this issue by making sure your hands are clean whenever you handle a spice. You can also clean the jars with a soapy cloth or a disinfecting wipe. As always, make sure jars are completely dry before you set them back in their rack.

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Blenders

A blender’s gasket (or the rubber ring that separates the blades and the jar) forms a seal to prevent leaks when the blender is in use. However, the gasket itself comes in contact with whatever you’re blending, from smoothies to soup. If you don’t fully clean the blender after use, the gasket can spread bacteria, yeast, and mold to anything else you blend afterward.

Fortunately, cleaning this is pretty simple. Unscrew your blender from the base with the blades and remove the rubber gasket. Wash the lid, jar, blades, and gasket in hot soapy water or your dishwasher. Reassemble the blender once all parts are completely dry. While you can’t submerge the base and cord in water, don’t forget to wipe them off—you never know where droplets or crumbs may have landed.

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Sara Kettler

Writer

Sara Kettler is a Connecticut-based freelance writer and editor who also pens mystery novels. She likes dogs, Broadway shows, and studying foreign languages.

This article is for general informational purposes only.
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Updated: August 7, 2023

Posted In: Home

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Wealth

6 Ways to Minimize Financial Stress

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Better Report

Whether times are great or the threat of financial instability looms large, financial stress is a quiet worry that is often invisible to those around you. Financial stress is often unavoidable, but there are ways to mitigate and tackle it by making consistent and intentional choices. Here are a few of those strategies.

Figure Out the Specific Cause of Your Financial Stress

The better you can articulate the source of your financial stress, the more equipped you will be to find workable solutions. Are you a compulsive spender? Do you have bad credit? Is budgeting confusing to you? Writing down possible causes of your stress in a journal or a spreadsheet can help you make connections and work through them.

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Find a Budget That Works for You

Finding a budgeting strategy that you can commit to is an important way to mitigate your financial stress in the long term. The internet is full of both saving and spending strategies, but one of the most effective ones is called 50-30-20, which allocates 50% of your income to needs (housing, food, utilities), 30% of your income to wants, and 20% to your savings. There might be better strategies for you; it all comes down to how controlled you want your budget to be.

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Have an Accessible Budgeting System

It can be difficult to budget effectively without a way to visualize your spending and saving habits. Luckily, there have never been more ways to access budgeting technology, whether you use a spreadsheet on your computer, a printed document, or an app like Mint. Regardless of your choice, make sure that it is easily accessible for regular reference.

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Build and Maintain Good Credit

Having a credit card can be nerve-wracking, but maintaining good credit helps alleviate your financial stressors. Whether you are worried about housing options or are considering a loan, good credit is essential for a healthy financial future. A small step you can take to start building your credit is setting automatic payments so that you consistently pay your bills on time.

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Ask For Outside Help

Financial issues can be touchy subjects. However, the more comfortable you are discussing your fears with the people close to you, the better they can help. Discussing your financial stress with friends, family, and professionals such as a therapist or a financial planner can help you externalize and confront the problem before it escalates. You can also gain a new perspective on possible sources of your stress.

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Have an Emergency Fund

One of the best ways to minimize financial stress is by allocating monthly money to an emergency fund. This fund is there to cushion you from unexpected costs, such as an injury that requires you to take time off from work. Money can’t solve every problem, but knowing it’s there when you need it will help you feel better.

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Lauren Dana Ellman

This article is for general informational purposes only.
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Health

What Is the Pomodoro Technique and How Does It Increase Productivity?

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Better Report

The paperwork that you keep setting aside, the housework that you “will do later,” the clean laundry that has been in a pile for a week — everyone procrastinates. Next time you struggle to complete a task, consider trying the Pomodoro Technique. This time management system divides tasks into 25-minute intervals known as “pomodoros” — the Italian word for “tomatoes” — to encourage the completion of a project.

The technique was initially devised in the ’80s by Francesco Cirillo, who was struggling to complete his college studies. He experimented with working for set periods that he measured using a tomato-shaped kitchen timer — hence the name — and eventually settled on 25 minutes as the ideal amount of time for each session. “I hadn’t noticed yet but for the first time I had managed to turn time into an ally,” Cirillo writes on his website. He wrote a book about his new findings, and the Pomodoro Technique grew in popularity and is still used today.

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How to Practice the Pomodoro Technique

It’s relatively easy to adopt the Pomodoro Technique. The basic steps are:

1. Choose a task

2. Set a timer for 25 minutes and only work on that task

3. When the timer goes off, take a five-minute break

4. Repeat the previous steps four times

5. At the end of the fifth interval, take a longer 15-to-30-minute break

Rules To Keep In Mind

The most crucial rule is “If a pomodoro begins, it has to ring” — meaning that you shouldn’t abandon a task if you finish it early but instead use the remaining time to review your work, reflect on your process, or plan the next pomodoro. According to Cirillo, when completing a task early it’s “a good idea to take advantage of the opportunity for overlearning, using the remaining portion of the pomodoro to review or repeat what you’ve done, make small improvements, and note what you’ve learned until the pomodoro rings.”

The Pomodoro Technique is designed with some flexibility in mind, but try to avoid going over time. Remember to keep the initial breaks to just five minutes. Losing track of time by responding to emails or getting lost on your phone can throw off the entire system or cause you to abandon it altogether. How you spend your break is also important: If you’re working on the computer, consider stepping away from your desk to clear your head rather than browsing the internet.

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Why the Pomodoro Technique Works

There are countless productivity apps out there, but one reason the Pomodoro Technique works so well is because it’s relatively low-tech — you don’t need anything but a timer. It helps you rethink your approach to work, allowing each pomodoro to create a sense of urgency that inspires you to finish each task without stress.

While it might seem difficult at first to keep your eyes off the ticking timer, it becomes easier with practice. And the more you practice, the sooner you’ll experience the benefits of following the Pomodoro Technique in your everyday life.

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Michael Nordine

Staff Writer

Michael Nordine is senior writer and editor at Inbox Studio. A native Angeleno, he lives in Denver with two cats but wishes he lived in Tokyo.

This article is for general informational purposes only.
Affiliate Disclaimer Medical Disclaimer Financial Disclaimer

Updated: July 3, 2023

Posted In: Health

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Wealth

8 Surprising Places You Could Be Saving Money Right Now

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It’s no surprise that life is expensive, from housing, grocery, and utility bills to extracurricular activities, travel, and more. Figuring out where to cut back can be challenging, but saving a few dollars here and there can make a significant difference over time. Here are eight surprising — and simple — places you could be saving money.

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Make More Home Cooked Meals

There are few things more deflating than an extra-long grocery store receipt, but cooking at home saves a ton of money in the long run. Eating out is a luxury, and delivery fees, tips, and tax can add up in the blink of an eye. Keep food costs low by maintaining a stocked pantry of food staples, such as rice, pasta, and beans, and buying meat on sale and freezing it. By having the basics on-hand, you can whip up delicious meals at a fraction of the cost of going to a restaurant.

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Buy Bath Products at Discount Stores

It may be tempting to stick with the name-brand products we know and love, but name-brands often mean higher prices. Consider shopping at discount stores for generic products, such as hand soap and shampoo. The stores may even have the brands you recognize, but at a lower price point.

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Shop BOGO Deals With a Friend

Shopping with a friend is a great way to save. Seek out a buy-one-get-one deal and split the cost so that both of you save 50% on any purchase. BOGO doesn’t just apply to clothing but also to restaurants, concert tickets, and more.

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Pay With Cash

We live in an increasingly cashless world. However, credit card fees add up, and paying with cash can save a lot of money. Some stores even offer discounts if you pay with cash since it helps them avoid fees from credit card companies.

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Shower With Cold Water

Cold showers may not sound appealing, but reducing hot water use will lower utility bills. The colder the shower, the more you’ll save. Plus, cold showers have several health benefits. If you prefer hot showers, consider taking quick showers to save a little extra money.

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Use LED Light Bulbs

Lighting accounts for around 15% of a person’s home energy use. You can save hundreds of dollars on energy bills each year by switching to more energy-efficient LED bulbs. Consider using dimmers and make sure to turn the lights off when you leave a room to save even more. These choices are not just wallet-friendly but also environmentally friendly.

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Cut Dryer Sheets in Half

Dryer sheets are an important tool in the laundry room, but buying box after box adds up quickly. You can double your savings by cutting dryer sheets in half. The sheets also remain effective for another load, so you can use them a second time to be even more cost-effective. If you’re looking to cut down on expenses even more, purchase a set of dryer balls that can be used for more than a year and eliminate dryer sheets altogether.

Get a Library Card

Libraries are an excellent resource for more than books. By signing up for a library card, you gain access to books, movies, music, and many other media forms that are free. Many libraries also offer discount passes for museums, zoos, and local events, as well.

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Bennett Kleinman

Staff Writer

This article is for general informational purposes only.
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Updated: July 20, 2023

Posted In: Wealth

Hero Image Credit: Better Report

Home

10 Surprising Household Uses For WD-40

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Not only is WD-40 one of the most recognizable brands at the hardware store — it’s also one of the most versatile, acting as a lubricant, rust preventer, and moisture displacer. Besides these uses, however, WD-40 also comes in handy in several unlikely situations. Here are 10 surprising household uses for WD-40.

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Remove Chewing Gum

Getting chewing gum stuck on the bottom of your shoe or in your hair is incredibly annoying. Thankfully, WD-40’s lubricating ability makes removing the sticky mass a breeze. Spray the sole of your shoe with WD-40 and let sit for several seconds before wiping away the gum’s sticky residue. The same logic applies to your hair, but be extra careful as you don’t want to accidentally get WD-40 in your eyes.

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Clean Bird Droppings Off Your Car

You often can’t avoid getting bird waste on your car, especially if you live around many trees. That’s where WD-40 comes to the rescue. Spray the dried gunk with WD-40, let it sit for 60 seconds, then wipe it off, leaving the car looking as good as new. Consider keeping a small can of WD-40 in your glove compartment for easy clean-up on the go.

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Separate Stuck LEGO Bricks

Being a parent comes with a unique set of challenges, and one of them is getting those pesky LEGO bricks unstuck from each other. If you have two bricks that won’t budge, spray the pieces with WD-40 and wait several seconds before easily pulling them apart.

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Break-in Baseball Gloves

One of the best methods to break in a new baseball glove involves WD-40. Spray the glove with the product, place a baseball in the palm, fold the glove sideways, and then secure it with a rubber band overnight. The oils from the WD-40 will help loosen stiff leather and get the mitt ready for play.

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Remove Crayon Markings

Stubborn crayon drawings on your walls can be easily removed with WD-40. Spray the marks before letting the WD-40 sit for several minutes. The colorful crayon marks will wipe off, restoring the wall to its pristine condition.

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Revive Patio Furniture

Rather than buying a new patio furniture set, you can restore that grimy old set with WD-40. Spray the product onto a cloth and wipe the dirt off the furniture. While it may take a little elbow grease to get the job done, it’ll be well worth it when your furniture looks as good as new.

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Slide Off Tight Jewelry

Tight jewelry can quickly go from being uncomfortable to a real problem. With a quick spray of WD-40, you can sufficiently lubricate fingers and wrists, allowing stuck jewelry to slide off without hurting you or ruining the accessory.

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Wipe Away Bathroom Grime

WD-40 is a jack-of-all-trades for cleaning the bathroom without being as harsh as many other chemical bathroom cleaners. Spray the product on soap scum, dirty grout, or anywhere else in the bathroom that needs cleaning. After letting it sit for a few minutes, wipe away the dirt, leaving the bathroom sparkling clean.

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Waterproof Your Shoes

If it’s raining or snowing and you don’t have a pair of waterproof shoes, simply spray your leather shoes with WD-40. The coating will act as a waterproof barrier that prevents any moisture from seeping in. However, only spray dark-colored leather, as lighter-colored shoes will stain.

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Remove Decals and Stickers

WD-40 is the perfect tool for removing decals without relying on a sharp razor blade, from weathered bumper stickers to stubborn wall decorations. Spray the stuck decal and wait a few minutes before easily wiping away the residue with a paper towel.

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Wealth

5 Ways to Save Time and Money at the Airport

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Better Report

As wonderful and enriching as travel is, the part where you’re actually traveling tends to be less so. Most of us aren’t fans of airports in particular, and for a good reason — they’re stressful, you have to show up hours early for your flight, and everything costs more than it should. However, there are ways to make the most of your time and money. If you’re looking to save a bit of both the next time you head to the airport, follow these tips.

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Don’t Check Bags

Checking luggage has grown increasingly expensive in recent years. Besides Southwest, which allows two free checked bags, most airlines charge at least $30 for your first, $40 for the second, and $100 for the third — fees that add up over multiple journeys. It’s less costly if you pay in advance, but that doesn’t account for the extra time dropping it off and picking it up at the airport, in addition to the possibility of the airline losing your precious cargo. While relying on a carry-on requires you to travel light and put your Tetris skills to good use when it comes time to pack, it’s always worth the ease of mind.

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Exchange Money Before Your Trip

In order to avoid exorbitant service fees and poor exchange rates, exchange your currency before you get to the airport. Your best bet is to change your American dollars at your bank or credit union, and aggressively budget — you can always exchange the money back. And if you’re running low, you can always get more from an ATM but be prepared for a foreign transaction fee.

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If you’ve ever wondered whether TSA PreCheck is worth it, the short answer is yes — especially if you’re a frequent flyer. Signing up is easy and costs $78 for a five-year membership. After filling out the online application, you’ll receive an email in a few days stating if your application was accepted. Then, you’ll have a short in-person interview at one of the local enrollment centers. Once enrolled, you get to skip the regular security line and no longer have to take off your shoes or remove the electronics from your bag.

If you find yourself abroad often, Global Entry affords you all the benefits of PreCheck, as well as expedited customs screenings when re-entering the U.S. While the application process is a bit more difficult, it costs just $35 more than PreCheck ($120 for five years).

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If you’ve ever wondered about the difference between PreCheck and CLEAR, here’s the skinny: CLEAR is a private company — not a government entity — and signing up for its services allows you to bypass security entirely. Instead, you go to their kiosk, where your biometric information is verified. It’s more expensive than PreCheck — $209 per year — but several credit card companies will reimburse you for one or both programs.

However, CLEAR isn’t just for airports. The program is also available at certain stadiums, which is great for people who attend lots of sporting events. If you can afford it and travel often, signing up for PreCheck and CLEAR is a good idea.

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Bring a Reusable Water Bottle

Pouring out liquids before the security screening often means that you may find yourself needing to buy water at one of the airport’s many shopping kiosks. Save yourself the time and inflated prices — bring along an empty, reusable water bottle that you can refill while waiting for your flight. While you’re at it, bring solid food items, such as snack mix and granola bars, to avoid buying an overpriced bag of chips at the convenience store.

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Michael Nordine

Staff Writer

Michael Nordine is senior writer and editor at Inbox Studio. A native Angeleno, he lives in Denver with two cats but wishes he lived in Tokyo.

This article is for general informational purposes only.
Affiliate Disclaimer Medical Disclaimer Financial Disclaimer

Updated: July 3, 2023

Posted In: Wealth

Hero Image Credit: Better Report

Wealth

7 Things You Should Never Keep in Your Wallet

Better Report

All featured products and deals are selected independently and objectively by the author. Better Report may receive a share of sales via affiliate links in content.

Losing your wallet can be a nightmare. It’s never fun to misplace cash, let alone worry about replacing your driver’s license and credit cards. While wallets are designed to hold money, many also store personal items, such as passwords, receipts, and social security cards. However, if your wallet is misplaced or stolen, these items will make it easy for thieves to steal your identity. To help protect yourself, here are seven things you should never keep in your wallet.

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The Best Wallet Available

Before we talk about items that you should never keep in your wallet, let’s talk about what we consider to be the best wallet currently available. The Bellroy flip case is a sleek, hardshell wallet that conveniently holds up to eight cards. What makes this wallet especially cool are the dual magnetic trapdoors that keep its contents secure, yet easily open when you need access to a credit card or cash.

BUY FOR $65 AT BELLROY

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Your Social Security card contains sensitive personal information tied to everything from health insurance to tax returns. That’s why this card should be stashed away in a safe place and not in your wallet. If your Social Security number falls into the wrong hands, your identity could be stolen, leading to a myriad of problems. Instead, keep the card safely at home and memorize your Social Security number.

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List of Passwords

We all forget our passwords and PINs from time to time, and writing them down in one place serves as a helpful reminder. However, don’t store this document in your wallet. If you lose your wallet, someone will have the key to your email, bank account, and other personal accounts. Keep your written passwords stored safely at home — or better yet, store passwords in an online database, such as 1Password.

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Birth Certificate

Your birth certificate is one of the most relied-upon documents for verifying identity, so a wallet is not a good place to store it. If a pickpocket snatches your wallet and gains access to your birth certificate, they’re one step closer to stealing your identity. Since you don’t have to show your birth certificate often, keep it locked away in a safe at home and only take it out as needed.

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Checks

Take caution when keeping checks in your wallet. If a wallet snatcher stumbles across a blank check, they can easily forge it to transfer money from your account to theirs. Be sure only to carry checks written out to a specific person.

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Spare Key

The combination of a spare key and a driver’s license in your wallet can lead to unimaginable nightmares. If someone finds your license and house key, they know where you live and how to gain access. Avoid this problem by keeping your spare key in a safe location or with a trusted neighbor.

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A Large Number of Credit Cards

Keeping credit cards in your wallet is par for the course. However, problems arise when you keep too many credit cards on you. If your wallet is stolen or misplaced and you have to cancel every credit card, it’s a big hassle. And if you can’t cancel the cards before charges are made, you’ll have the additional problem of disputing fraudulent charges. Make sure only to carry the credit cards you regularly use and keep secondary credit cards at home.

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Receipts

While you may think keeping receipts in your wallet is okay, cunning thieves can use the information to access your credit cards fraudulently. If a robber ends up with your receipts, they can easily figure out what stores you shop at and when you usually go. Once they have that information, a thief can use your credit cards to make seemingly legitimate purchases.

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An Item Worth Keeping in Your Wallet

For all this talk of items that you should never keep in your wallet, this AirTag holder from Nomad is an absolute must-have. Apple AirTags are a great way to keep track of your wallet if it gets misplaced, and connect with any Bluetooth device so that you can see the AirTag’s exact location. This slim AirTag holder fits right into your wallet, giving you added peace of mind that you’ll never lose your wallet again.

BUY FOR $39 FROM NOMAD

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Bennett Kleinman

Staff Writer

This article is for general informational purposes only.
Affiliate Disclaimer Medical Disclaimer Financial Disclaimer

Updated: July 20, 2023

Posted In: Wealth

Hero Image Credit: Better Report

Wealth

12 Tips to Help You Save Money on Groceries

Hands exchanging a card reader over fresh vegetables

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Buying groceries can break the bank, especially if you’ve got a family to feed. That being said, there are ways to keep a little more cash in your pocket at the end of the day. From signing up for rewards cards to buying generic products, these hacks will keep your fridge full and your credit card bills low.

Most grocery stores offer a loyalty program that rewards shoppers for their consistent business. In many cases, all it takes is a name and phone number to start saving on food instantly. Some loyalty cards offer deals that the average shopper misses out on, while others give you cash back for meeting certain thresholds. Whatever benefits are offered, there’s no downside to signing up for a cost-saving loyalty program as soon as possible.

A hand selecting a peach from many different fruits — Credit: cottonbro studio/ Pixels

Buy Generic Instead of Name Brands

Many of us swear by certain name-brand products. However, buying off name recognition alone may be costing unnecessary dollars at the register. From snacks to beverages, medications, and paper towels, name-brand products upcharge based on their successful marketing, whereas generic grocery store brands are often just as good.

Buy In Person, Not Online

Online grocery services are undeniably convenient, but when you factor in delivery fees, service charges, and driver tips, you end up spending far more on groceries than needed. Yes, going to the grocery store isn’t always the most convenient option, but if you can schedule some time to do so then you’ll easily avoid the hidden fees associated with online shopping.

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Purchase Certain Groceries Wholesale

Wholesale stores like Costco offer tremendous financial benefits when it comes to purchasing certain groceries. While buying wholesale may not be the best idea for fresh food — depending on the size of your family — purchasing shelf-stable items like cereals, nuts, and other products will drastically cut down on the price per unit. While you may be paying a little more upfront, you’ll save a lot in the long run.

Make a List and Resist Impulse Buys

Making a grocery list and sticking to it is one of the surest ways to stay on budget. Yes, it may be difficult to resist impulse buying a pack of gum and a magazine at the register, but there’s no better way to save money at the grocery store than by maintaining a little discipline. Skip out on that last-minute candy bar and stick to your initial plan in order to save big.

Pay With Cash

It can be easy to overspend when paying with a credit card, as there’s seemingly no limit. That’s why it can be so useful to carry tangible cash in hand, as coming with a few crisp dollar bills means you won’t go over your budget. While you can always worry about paying off that credit card bill another day, you can’t magically make another $20 appear out of thin air. This keeps your grocery cart from overflowing with unnecessary purchases.

Shop at Different Grocery Stores

Depending on what’s available in the neighborhood, certain grocery stores may offer more affordable prices than others. For instance, brands like Trader Joe’s and Walmart offer lower prices nationwide than chains like Whole Foods, even if you still rely on the latter for certain items. If you can avoid it then don’t buy all your groceries in one place, as comparing prices from store to store will ultimately keep cash in your pocket.

A person holding a red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper in their hands — Credit: Greta Hoffman/ Pexels

Avoid Pre-Packaged Items

Pre-sliced vegetables and pre-shredded cheese are just some of the items that charge customers for the convenience of not having to do the work themselves. But if you have the time to cut your own vegetables, then buying whole veggies and other similar items is a great way to save while grocery shopping. All it takes is a few minutes of slicing and dicing once you get home, and your wallet will thank you.

Shop the Farmer’s Market at the End of the Day

Some farmer’s markets offer organic products at a higher price than the grocery store. But at the end of the day, those farmers are looking to get rid of whatever products remain. Stopping by your local market just before it closes means you can often score some great bargains on whatever delicious produce remains that would otherwise go to waste.

Never Shop Hungry

One of the greatest self-inflicted wounds that shoppers suffer at the grocery store is arriving hungry. When you shop hungry, everything looks extremely appetizing, and your wallet suffers for it. Planning ahead and shopping on a full stomach ensures a clearer mind while pushing your cart through the aisles.

Wooden spoon in a white bag full of pistachios — Credit: Sarah Chai/ Pexels

Bring Your Own Bag

In certain states, bag taxes are mandated at grocery stores. While a few cents per bag doesn’t seem like much, those fees can add up over time, especially if you’re going to the supermarket multiple times per month. Bringing your own reusable grocery bag not only cuts down on waste but helps save on those taxes adding up in the long run.

Grocery Shop Alone

All parents know the pain of grocery shopping with kids who beg you to buy their favorite snacks or treats. But even a spouse or a friend can add to the guilt trip and convince you to buy unnecessary groceries. That’s why it’s so important to visit the grocery store solo, as shopping alone is the best way to ensure that you stick to the list and avoid any outside influence.

^{_{Featured Image Credit: Kampus Production/ Pexels}}

Lauren Dana Ellman

This article is for general informational purposes only.
Affiliate Disclaimer Medical Disclaimer Financial Disclaimer

Updated:

Posted In: Wealth

Hero Image Credit: Credit: Kampus Production/ Pexels

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