How To Save Money On Your Food Shopping Trip
Trying to save money on your food shop? Spending money on food can be frustrating, it can cost a ton and isn’t the most exciting thing to be spending your hard earned money on, but it’s sort of a necessity, isn’t it? Luckily, there are ways to ease the financial burden slightly by making some smart cuts and swaps: follow these tips to save money on your grub!
1. Compare retailers
Some supermarkets are simply more pricey than others, you can make cuts easily just by choosing the right place to shop. Instead of heading to the nearest retailer, take some time to research prices either in-store on online, you’ll be surprised by the ridiculous difference of price for exactly the same items! It’s definitely worth travelling a bit further to somewhere like Aldi than popping to the M&S round the corner.
2. Non- branded products
Ever seen those blind taste tests on Youtube where people compare branded products to the supermarket-own equivalent? If not, you need to check them out. It’s crazy how often people couldn’t taste a difference or even prefer the supermarket-own item. Yes, there may be certain products that are worth the splurge for a high-end brand, but if you can substitute the majority of your products for the supermarket’s version you could save money like you wouldn’t believe. Try swapping all your products on your next shop to discover which items you can definitely make the trade on and which ones you can’t possibly part with.
3. Shop local!
So many positives on this one: save money, support local businesses and eat fresher, organic produce… there’s nothing to lose! If you’re lucky enough to have a farmers market or a local fruit and veg store nearby (it’s really sad how many there are left) take advantage of it. The quality of the fresh produce compared to the supermarkets will honestly shock you, and you’ll seriously save money in the process. Local markets also don’t wrap all their veg in single-use plastics like the supermarkets mostly do (boooo), so take a reusable bag and take pride in doing your part in saving the planet whilst saving some money!
4. Buy in bulk
For things that last a while (tinned goods, rice, pasta, etc) buy in bulk to save money. You can buy in bulk in a regular supermarket or head to a specialist bulk buy retailer (think Costco) for the things that you know you’ll get through fairly quickly. Just make sure you have the storage space for this one before you stock up on 100 cans of baked beans and 20 packs of Oreos.
5. Add up as you go
Open up a note page on your phone and add up the prices of everything you put into your basket. This is a great way to save money as you won’t get any nasty big bill surprises at the checkout and it helps you to really asses the worth of everything you pick up. Is that $5 box of cereal really worth taking your total over $50? Or will the $1.50 non-branded box do the trick instead? This method holds you more accountable for what you’re spending and helps you keep to your budget.
