We spend a lot of money feeding our families. Favourite meals, store cupboard staples, maybe paying extra for organic. It all adds up. So how do you save money on groceries? We’ve got a few ideas.
How Much?
Statistics published earlier this year state that the average weekly family food shop comes out at £60.60. That’s just shy of £250 a month and over £3000 a year! We get into routines and stick to them. Buying the same things from the same shops week in week out. Being sucked into discounts that the retailers somehow know we’ll buy. It’s hard to break that cycle and approach things differently but if you do, you can find ways to save some cash!
Change Supermarkets
Maybe you’re spending a small fortune every week on things you could get cheaper elsewhere. Why have loyalty to a supermarket when they are charging you a lot of money? It’s time to swap supermarkets. Budget supermarkets might not have as wide a selection of olives or bread but they have more affordable prices. The products are decent, they have fantastic offers and you can save a huge percentage of what you’d usually spend.
Downshift Brands
If you want to stick at the supermarket you’re used to, start looking at other options instead of the brand you usually buy. Downshift your brands, even if that means dropping to value brands for some purchases. Dried pasta is dried pasta at the end of the day so why are you paying £1 for 500g when you could pay 40p? Some products are identical, from the exact same factory, just packaged different with a premium. Buy the ones that are cheaper!
Shop Those Yellow Stickers
Never walk on by that reduced section. Food might be close to it’s expiration but you could cook it that evening or pop it in the freezer for another day. Find out what time your preferred supermarket starts to look popping yellow stickers on their items so you can grab bargains. Many savvy shoppers buy reduced items every day and it’s a great way to save money on groceries.
Stick To A List
Start meal planning and write a list for your week. When you shop with a list, stick to the list. Supermarkets are planned out to entice you to buy things you don’t need. If you need bread, head to the bread aisle, then to the fruit and veg. Ignore the things inbetween and you won’t buy them. Some people say to shop wearing headphones playing dance music playing as it encourages you to shop faster. If you stick to a list you only buy what you need and cut back on food waste, which is also wasted cash!
Learn The Art Of The Haggle
If you choose to shop at food markets instead of supermarkets you can get great prices on fantastic produce. You can haggle at these places though. Maybe get them to chuck in a bit of something extra or drop the price as you’re buying in bulk. Haggling is generally accepted at markets and whilst you might not always get a discount, if you don’t ask, you certainly won’t get!
Use Coupons
There are people out there who only shop with coupons. Whether they get them directly from the retailer or find them on the internet, they can really help you save money on groceries. Also check out supermarkets magazines which often include coupons to use on certain products. A top tip is to grab one of the freebies before starting your shopping as there might be something you can use that shopping trip!
New Customer Discount Codes
It’s a well known fact that new customers tend to get the best deals. Supermarkets and retailers want you to shop with them so they try to entice you in with discounts. That way they then have you details and can send you emails or offers through the post. One of the discounts we see the most of £18 off a £60 shop at Sainsbury’s online. That’s £60 worth of shopping for £42. Whilst you might be able to get some products cheaper at other supermarkets, if you combine these new customer discounts with items that are on offer, you’ll save and save again!
Hopefully this article shows you that there are loads of ways to save money on your groceries. Let me know your success stories over on Twitter.
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