Whether you love it or dread it, for most people, grocery shopping is a weekly or, sometimes, bi-weekly occurrence that’s totally necessary. But how many times do we go to the store, see the first thing that we want, grab it, and check out without analyzing the potential savings? Guilty.

Fortunately, there’s a strategy we use called the C.H.O.P Shop method to help you get ahead and save when it comes to the weekly supermarket visit. And here’s how it goes:

1. Count your dollars.Put aside a weekly or bi-weekly shopping budget to work within. It’s important to set a budget, or you might just grab any old thing off the shelf when there’s a cheaper alternative just around the aisle. Not to mention, it prevents from splurging on your cheat day too. Your piggy bank and your Summer diet will thank you in the end.
2. Hungry Shopping is Hangry Shopping. Have you ever went shopping while hungry? It’s the worst thing ever. Not only do you pick up that ice-cream you already bought last week, along with 23.5 items that you didn’t need, but the hunger encroaches on the overall experience as well. For example, the nice lady in front of you is moving just a little slower than you’d like so you fantasize buggy bumping her over a bit so you can speed on through. Sound familiar? You may have had a hangry shopping experience. The grocery foods make you overspend and angry. And in this particular instance, a Snickers is totally necessary.
3. Only buy what’s on your list. Grocery lists have been a shopper’s life raft for many, many years now. If you’re not a list-user, then consider trying it for your next trip to the store, especially if you have a forgetful track record. The shopping list is the one thing standing in between you and forgetting that one super important ingredient that your partner needed back at home to create that dish they have been prepping for all week. It’s a life saver, literally. Plus, you don’t go and buy unnecessary items, food, hair products, desserts, random plants, etc. You get the point. Sticking to the list helps you stick to counting your dollars and keeping your sanity.
4. Put the pre-made foods down. Food that come already prepared will wind up costing you more than if you were to buy the ingredient to make that dish yourself. Yes, it takes a little more time, energy and risk to cook it without burning yourself, but hey – you’re saving money. Plus, it won’t taste so store-bought when you reheat it. If you cook it at home, it’ll taste great – just like you.

And if you’re shopping for much more than groceries and you don’t want to empty your emergency cash stash, a LendingPoint loan may be a great option.

Even if your credit score is lower than you would like it to be, you do have personal loan options. A personal loan can even help improve your credit score. By taking out one of our personal loans. you can make affordable monthly payments and build your credit story by making on-time payments each month. As you continue to make your payments on-time, you build your credibility and your credit history.