With the price of everything going through the roof, you are probably looking for ways to save money where possible. The increasing cost of living is hitting us all in our pockets. This can lead to stress, anxiety and constant worry. What can we do to help make ends meet? What can we do in order to continue putting food on the table, even when it seems unaffordable? Let's have a look at how to save money on food shopping.
Find the best prices
Buying what we need at the best possible price is key. We have staples that we need in our kitchens, things that we buy weekly and those items that perhaps are extra important just to allergies and intolerances. If we can find these items at the cheapest price, we're winning. The difference in price between some items can be huge. Maybe even double or triple. Did you know that you can compare grocery shopping at Trolley.co.uk? They say this could help you save as much as 30% on your next shopping trip. Find what you need at the best prices and note them down. Sure, it might mean visiting two shops or buying in bulk occasionally. However, if you save £1 on an item you buy every week. That's £52 over the year. Comparing groceries and writing down where you need to buy things from can save you money in the long run.
Earn cashback
If you do your food shop online to be delivered, are you clicking through to the retailer via a cashback site? New customers can get £5 cashback, when they order a £40+ home delivery from Asda, clicking via Quidco. Even returning customers get £2 cashback. That's 5% on a £40 grocery shop! You can get up to 8% cashback when you shop at Tesco online and up to £10 for shopping at Sainsbury's. Grab cashback every time to reduce the amount you are spending.
If you are shopping online, look for ways to save on your delivery costs. A midweek (Tues/Wed/Thurs) annual delivery pass for Asda costs £35. Much better than paying £4.50 per delivery! It might mean planning your week out a little bit more but it's probably also worth it when you consider the time (& petrol!) taken driving to the supermarket and shopping for yourself.
Downshift your brands
An obvious one, but something that is often overlooked is downshifting the brands that you buy. The difference between the supermarket brand and popular names has reduced, so the savings you can make are smaller. But savings are savings and anything you can keep in your pocket is better! If you can get a toastie loaf for 90p rather than £1.30, that's 40p saved. If you buy two a week, that's over £40 saved over 12 months. Small changes make big differences.
Find yellow stickered items
Do you know where your supermarket keeps the knocked-down goods? Those yellow sticker items that are close to expiry and have been slashed in price. Now is the time to find out and discover when the best time to shop that shelf is. Make some room in your freezer and you can put reduced meat, fish, veggies and even cheese in there for a later date. It's a great idea to keep a list of what is in your freezer, especially chest freezers which can quickly get disorganised. That way you can plan your meals and then buy more yellow stickered items!
Try something new
Yellow stickered items can actually sway you into trying new things. Reduced grub can be tempting because of the price reduction, however, it can break you away from those items you might automatically go for. How about a different cut of meat? Or an alternative type of apples, or juice? Give your tastebuds an adventure by trying different, cheaper products. You never know, you might find something you never imagined you'd like!
If you are looking at how to save money on food shopping, now is the time to try out some of these ideas.
