With food being the second strongest driver of inflation after energy, saving a little money on your food shop is more important than ever.
Are there ways to do that without going without? Are there some simple tricks you can use to save a little money on your food shop?
Yes, there are.
None of these will massively reduce your food bill but they can help you save a little. They may even help reduce the impact inflation has on your food shop.
So, without further ado, let’s get to those tips.
Saving money on your food shop
Use these tips when you’re food shopping to help minimise your spend without having to go without.
Shop in the morning
If possible, do your food shopping in the morning. You may miss out on the yellow label offers but you may find it easier to avoid impulse buys.
The theory of ego depletion says willpower is like a muscle. Using it during the day, to avoid a doughnut or biscuit with your coffee or choosing a salad over chips at lunch, all deplete your willpower.
That’s why late in the day you may be more likely to say yes to something you otherwise might not.
Shopping in the morning means you’ll have all your mental energy to be able to say no.
Shop in the evening
If willpower isn’t an issue for you, try shopping in the evening. This is when you’ll get the yellow label deals and when you’ll see more discounts on fresh food.
Some supermarkets add yellow labels to foods without their own areas of the aisle. Others will have a dedicated discount section where most yellow labels will be placed.
Check for both and buy cheaper alternatives to what you’re planning to buy.
Make sure to only buy what you were planning though. Buy something extra and you’re not saving money, you’re spending money you would not otherwise have spent.
Use a shopping list
Shopping lists aren’t just ways to remember what to buy. They can also act as a guide to help you avoid impulse buys.
Assess what’s in your cupboards at home and make a list to help create full meals. Stick to your list as you go round the supermarket and you could save a lot of impulse purchases.
Create a weekly menu
Planning your weekly meals in advance is another way to help save money. That way you can create a shopping list that can provide 5-7 meals, plus any breakfast or lunches you may need.
It takes a little planning, but you can create a repertoire of meals over time that you can rinse and repeat over the weeks and months.
Shop for groceries online
Online shopping is an excellent way to avoid all the marketing tricks supermarkets use to try to get us to spend.
Combine with placing your order in the morning, from a list and you should be able to get what you need without overspending.
You’ll usually pay for delivery unless you spend a minimum amount. But, with food prices rising, it’s easier to spend that minimum than ever.
As an added bonus, you can create shopping lists on most supermarket websites. Set up your minimum grocery order and you can literally click once and avoid entering the online store altogether!
Try own brand products
Brands are usually the first to raise prices as soon as inflation hits new highs. You can get almost as good food for a lot less by trying supermarket own brands.
Believe me, these own brands have increased massively in quality over the past few years. They are also often made by named brands and given own brand labels.
Own brand products require a little trial and error as not all of them are created equal. You’ll find there is little difference in quality and taste for some, but huge variations in others.
Try own brand products wherever possible and mix and match the ones you like. It could save a lot of money!
Cook in bulk and freeze
Another good way to save money on food shopping is to shop for cooked meals, make a large pot of that meal and freeze it in portions.
You can buy all your ingredients at once, cook them all while they are fresh and create multiple meals from a single cook. It’s a very effective way to use food.
It’s also a great way of creating home cooked, nutritious meals without having to spend ages in the kitchen every day!
Compare total price and unit price
When you look at a price in a supermarket, check the price per product or per kg, whatever is most relevant to make sure you’re getting the cheapest deal.
For example, multipacks come in all shapes and sizes. The cynical amongst us think manufacturers and supermarkets do this on purpose to give the illusion of a good deal when it might not be.
You’ll see the main price on the shelf. But underneath you’ll see a breakdown.
Depending on the product, the price per unit may be individual price, per weight or per volume.
It isn’t the easiest to decipher but if you compare it to another size of multipack, choose the item with the lower price per unit.
Check the packaging
Check the packaging on fresh fruit and vegetables when you buy them. Some come in sealed packaging that isn’t ideal for longevity.
For example, keeping vegetables sealed in plastic packaging can make them go off sooner. Instead, take them out of the packaging and either place them in a dish or other container.
Removing salad from its packet can also help it last longer. The same for plastic packaging for most fresh fruit and vegetables.
For more information, check out the Love Food Hate Waste campaign as they have some great information.
Save on cleaning products
Cleaning products are made mainly for convenience. It’s easier to use a simple product on a stain or in our wash rather than make our own or use multiple options for the same cleaning power.
However, most cleaning products are expensive and not good for the environment.
There is a wide range of much cheaper alternatives that you can make easily at home for a lot less than a product will cost.
It will take planning and some effort, but it could save a lot of money!
