If you’re a constantly broke young person, then you’ve probably made at least some of these mistakes before when shopping for groceries. 

If you’re in a hurry it can be easy to forget to look at the price of each item you pick up at the grocery store, but the costs can add up quickly if you’re not paying attention!

We’ll let you in on a little secret: those generic unheard-of store-brand products are waaayy cheaper than the brand you always see on TV. And it’s usually the exact same product as the name brand anyway.

If you don’t make a shopping list before going to the grocery store it can be easy to forget what it is you came there for in the first place. Then you just end up spending money on a bunch of stuff you don’t really need!

Sometimes it’s just easier to reach for those pre-cut chunks of watermelon, because let’s be honest, who really has the time or energy to cut up a whole watermelon? 

However, if you’re trying to save money, it’s definitely cheaper to buy the whole watermelon and just cut it up yourself.

If you’re vegetarian then you probably know the temptation of reaching for those expensive imitation meats. Those products can actually end up being more expensive than buying regular meat. It’s more cost-effective (and probably healthier) to save them for special occasions and fill up on fruits and vegetables instead.

Grocery stores are always chock-full of discounts, so take advantage of them! Those little tags next to the items that are easy to ignore often say “buy one get one half off,” so you could end up saving a significant amount of money.

If you’re someone who eats rice or pasta regularly, then it’s definitely a good idea to spend a little bit more in order to buy that huge bag that’ll last you a month instead of buying a small bag that lasts you a week. You’ll save money in the long-run.

While it might be super convenient to pick up some toothpaste or hand soap at the grocery store while you shop for food, it’s also more expensive, so it might be worth it to take a later trip to the drugstore to get those things.

Here’s another little secret that grocery stores don’t want you to know: employees stock the items with the nearest expiration dates at the very front, while the freshest items are stocked behind. If you want your products to last as long as possible, go for the ones in the back!

Sometimes, for example, companies will charge more for brown eggs, but in reality they’re exactly the same as plain-old white eggs. Furthermore, don’t fall for more expensive products that claim to be “fortified” with different vitamins.

Obviously, fresh produce is healthier and tastier than frozen, but if money is really tight then buying frozen fruits and vegetables might be the way to go. It’s still good for you, it’s cheaper, and it’ll last in the freezer for a long time.

Sure they’re more convenient, but they’re also always more expensive, and probably not that great for you. You’re already at the grocery store, so just buy the ingredients to make it yourself and save some $$.

Sometimes you’re just craving that one fruit that’s not coming back into season until next year, but trust us on this: it’ll taste better in-season and it’ll be a lot less expensive!

It can be really tempting to pick up that garam masala you’ve been eyeing at your local grocery store, but the truth is that they’ve almost certainly jacked the price up on it significantly, whereas you can pick the same thing up at an Indian grocery store for much cheaper.

Don’t do it! You’ll stuff absolutely everything that looks good into your cart and end up spending way more than you need to. Do yourself a favor and eat a good meal before you go shopping!