How To Perfect The Art Of Immigrant Shopping

I learned how to shop for groceries from my parents. Because of the way they were raised, and how they had to save while we were young, they've adapted to American shopping habits with a decidedly Chinese outlook. If you do what they do, you'll save yourself a lot of money. It takes some dedicated effort, though. Here's what you can do to be like them:

• Grow your own garden. In China, my parents were farmers who grew plants and raised animals. Here, they couldn't raise animals, so they grew plants instead. They grew green onions, tomatoes, zucchinis, various melons and fruits. Free food. 
• Shop all the grocery stores that are within the vicinity of your home. If there's a Safeway and an Albertson's within 3 blocks of you, shop at both of them. Some items will be cheaper at the Safeway and others will be cheaper at Albertson's. Go to both to take advantage of the cost-differences.
• Get loyalty cards for every store possible. These cards allow you to maximize your savings. 
• Get an extra fridge. The reason you need an extra fridge is to store all the extra food you can't use up immediately with all the great deals. Sometimes stores will run deals that you can only take advantage of if you only buy 10 of them. So stock up and store. 
• American grocery stores will not have everything you need for a well-stocked pantry. Go also to your local ethnic grocers to take advantage of even fresher and cheaper produce, and to find items you can't get anywhere else for cheaper, like deli meats at Super King, or tofu at 99 Ranch.
• Walk through your neighborhood and pick in-season fruit off your neighbors' trees. You're not stealing; you're just making sure the food isn't going to waste.