If you are able to cut and prepare your own produce, then paying for packaging and convenience isn’t worth it.

Not to mention it takes a toll on the planet.

If you need a new spatula or cookie sheet, just make your way to a department store and stock up, as these utensils have a steep markup.

A grocery store’s selection of greeting cards is lacking, but you’ll be paying upwards of $3 or $4 for even the cheaper ones.

If you are looking for the perfect card, go to the department store to pay less and have way more options.

You could argue that it’s easier to pick up your medications along with your weekly shopping, but grocery stores charge higher premiums for common prescription drugs.

If you see that you’re paying more then go find a dedicated pharmacy instead.

It’s easier and cheaper to prepare dressings for salads that you make yourself.

Bottled brands also have all the added fat, sugar, and calories, essentially making eating salads a waste of time.

Don’t trust the food dates on packaged meat you see since workers are known to simply repackage the products about to expire.

They simply replace the sticker date, so you could be buying meat that’s about to go bad.

Ask for fresh cuts, or just go to a real butcher shop instead.

Grocery stores cannot wait for exhausted parents to get their supplies for the week.

That’s why they mark up diapers, since it’s easier for moms to buy there instead of making multiple stops with a baby in tow.

But the effort is worth it so grab your baby supplies somewhere else.

If you need supplements, you can find them cheaper, and in larger quantities elsewhere.

Their effectiveness is still the subject of debate anyway, so they’re still something you should be wary of buying.

If you need to stock up on personal care items, skip the grocery store.

You’ll pay twice as much for smaller sizes there.

Get your toiletries and other necessities at big-box department stores and see just how much you save.

Go ahead if you don’t mind paying cover price for magazines you’ll read and toss into the trash.

It’s not like you can’t use your library card to read the latest issues online or on your phone for free.

It is possible to encounter a decent sale on your favorite beer or wine, but booze at a grocery store can cost way more than heading to a liquor store or buying in bulk at places like Costco.

Buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself to save money.

There are countless additives sprinkled into those pre-shredded packages.

Take care of your health and wallet by shredding cheese yourself.

Walking past the bakery section is tempting with those cookies and perfectly decorated cupcakes calling your name, but skip the sweet stuff.

It’s cheaper to make your own, all while shaving off the extra sugar and calories grocery store bakeries stuff their products with.

It is tempting to grab that new tube of lipstick and toss it in your cart, but save money by heading to the drugstore instead.

You can stop and grab your prescriptions along with your makeup too.

Produce labeled “organic” at the grocery store is usually marked up, with a price to match.

If it’s the label that concerns you, check out a local farmer’s market for the freshest, most organic fruits and veggies instead.

Not everyone has the time in the day to make a healthy, delicious dinner.

So it’s easier to grab a Banquet family meal to delight your family with at the end of a long day, even though you’re spending too much money on meals full of salt, fat, and calories.

Grocery stores are stocked full of pet food for your furry best friends, but they aren’t always the high-quality chow you expect.

Grab your typical brand from the pet store so as not to upset your dog’s tummy with lower-quality food.

Prepare to pay a premium when purchasing packaged tomato sauce.

It’s mostly crushed-up tomatoes and spices though, so skip the plastic or glass container and just make your own.

You’ll be doing your part for the environment and creating less waste.

We all know avoiding soda is best since they bring a myriad of health problems.

Besides the way it’s priced, even when it’s on sale, soda just isn’t worth buying into.

Buy a water filter since it’s cheaper and far healthier than grabbing soda from stores every few weeks.

Batteries are also overpriced, and they’re not available in bulk, so you pay more and get less.

Instead of purchasing batteries at your local supermarket, buy them at a warehouse store so you can get them in bulk.

You can also order from Amazon for a better price.

Coffee from the grocery store is often expensive, plus they don’t offer the best options.

If you’re after Keurig or Nespresso pods, get them from the brand websites to get a discount and other offers.

Warehouse stores offer great deals on bulk coffees.

You can also find inexpensive coffee at office supply stores.

Sure it’s convenient to pick up balloons, candles, and streamers at the grocery store at the same time you’re after supplies to bake a cake, but these items are surely marked up.

Go to the dollar store and find really cheap party supplies that will get the job done.

You can also order them in advance on Amazon for a lower price.

Spices and fresh or dried herbs can be super pricey, but you can purchase them in bulk at a warehouse store for a cheaper price.

Instead of buying fresh herbs, plant them yourself since they’re low-maintenance and easy to grow.

You’ll always have them in abundance.

And if there’s an ethnic market nearby, you may find spices for much lower prices.

Those boxed baking mixes for pancakes or cakes seem much easier and more convenient.

But they mostly contain a mix of things like flour, sugar, and baking powder that you can easily mix up on your own at home.

The healthiest and cheapest way is to buy flour, sugar, and baking powder separately, then mix them up yourself.

It’s fun, cheap, and delicious!

Minced garlic in a jar isn’t expensive, but it is more money compared to buying fresh cloves of garlic.

They are not as fresh and comes packed with other ingredients to keep them from going bad.

Mincing your own garlic is simple, plus fresh garlic is really cheap.

Ignore the bottles in the grocery store aisles. They don’t taste great, and are costly.

Just use an actual bottle of wine you have laying around the house.

Old bottles of red or white for cooking will help you use up wine you’re not going to drink.

Don’t let them sit for too long, or they’ll get vinegary.

Buying a salad for lunch at the grocery store is not the best idea for lots of reasons.

You’ll pay close to $10, or even more, for something you could throw together on your own.

The quality is questionable, especially the age of those fruits and veggies, it’s a waste of plastic, and there aren’t many safety regulations stores follow.

Buy your own ingredients and just make salads with those instead.

These are easy to grab and go, but they’re pretty much a waste of money.

You spend more on small packages than a regular size bag of chips, when you could just buy the bigger bag for a lower price, then divide the chips up back home.

If you insist on the smaller bags, go to a warehouse so you can buy them in bulk for less money.

Some grocery stores sell a small selection of books so it is tempting to grab the latest best-seller that’s gone viral, but ignore them.

Books are also marked up at the grocery store.

You can get them for lower prices on Amazon or even in the local bookstore.