We all have to eat but your weekly shop doesn’t have to take a huge bite out of your budget. Supermarkets can be real spending traps, filled with things we think we want, but don’t actually need along with promotions that don’t quite add up. Be a careful customer and you could save a fortune every month on your food bills.
Use What You Already Have Wisely
Do you set off for the supermarket with a cupboard already full of food? Many people don’t think creatively enough about what’s already on their shelves and let plenty of food go to waste. Websites like BigOven are there to help you use up everything before you re-stock. Simply type in what’s in your kitchen and it will give you recipe ideas for your leftovers.
Are you caught in the habit of throwing things out as soon as they hit their best before? Be aware of what these labels really mean. Items past their “use by” date should be binned if you’ve forgotten to eat them. If it says “best before” this just means it’s not at its best taste and texture standards. Use your common sense on this one – if it smells bad, it probably is.
Try and Plan your Supermarket Trip Carefully
A simple shopping list taken in with you can go a long way. You won’t be tempted to fill your cart with unnecessary extras. You’ll make sure you’re spending money on what you really need. This way you can budget carefully and avoid falling into the temptation trap supermarkets love to set. If those sweets by the till aren’t on your list, stay well away.
You can boost this tip by planning your meals for the week so you’re really buying what you need, and you can be sure you’re eating what you buy. Be extra prepared by not showing up at the supermarket with a rumbling tummy. We all know from experience, hungry shoppers make more impulse purchases.
Could you Buy your Food Cheaper Somewhere Else?
Particularly when it comes to fruit and vegetables. The local market may be a less expensive, and more ethical option for your produce. Check the prices at your neighborhood butcher as well to make sure you’re not paying more than you need to for your meat. If you definitely want to stick with supermarkets due to the convenience, be sure you’re not spending too much at your particular local store.
MySupermarket is a comparison website that will take the cost of your latest shopping trolley and compare the prices with the other major supermarkets. You may have one only a mile further down the road that is offering better deals. There’s no point taking out payday loans to feed the family when you could get the same groceries for less at other supermarkets.
Try Not to get Pulled in by Brand Marketing and Clever Advertising
Often, we stick with branded products because they’re what we know. Try swapping your usual biscuit or box of breakfast cereal for the supermarket own brand version. If you can really taste a difference between the two, fair enough, but usually people find that they’re paying more for a same product.
Discount supermarkets like Lidl are experts at creating great, low-cost copies of premium products. This can also apply to toiletries and cleaning products, so experiment with your shopping to see if you could save.
Be Aware of Phony Promotional Offers.
It’s easy to get sucked into a “buy one get on free” or “2 for £5” offer. We all want to save money and these can trick us into believing we are. Read the prices carefully to be sure you’re not being fooled. Often the product on offer is the same price as it ever was with the original price falsely reduced.
You may also find that the “2 for…” deal is more expensive than the item on its own. “Buy one get on free” can be handy if the offer is on a product you’ll have to buy again anyway and that doesn’t go off, like toilet paper, but avoid these if the item is likely to go off before you get to the second one.
The more alert and aware you are at the supermarket, the more likely you are to cut your costs.
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