The cost of almost everything seems to be rising at the moment – while many people’s wages remain stagnant.
This can put a lot of strain on your household budget, especially when it comes to the rising price of necessities, such as food and fuel. You have to do your food shopping no matter what, so how can you make it cheaper? Follow the tips in this guide for a few ideas.
Do it online
Supermarkets are designed to lure you into buying things you don’t particularly want or need, and it can be quite difficult to compare prices with other stores.
If you do your food shopping online, however, you’ll be less tempted to just pick stuff up and throw it in your basket. You’ll be able to look through what you’ve bought before you check out, and decide whether everything is strictly necessary.
You can also compare products side by side and decide which is better value – and it’s often easier to find the best deals and special offers.
Many online food shopping websites will also save your ‘regularly bought’ items, so the whole process can be much quicker.
Look for value
Value or ‘own’ brand supermarket products are often immensely cheaper than their branded counterparts. Some are basically the same product at a fraction of the price – just in less attractive packaging.
If you love a certain branded product, look for its non-branded counterpart next time you’re in the supermarket. As it won’t cost as much, you could risk buying it once just to try it. If you don’t like it, you can go back to the branded product next time. If you do like it, you’ve just saved yourself a lot of money on your future shopping.
Don’t shop when you’re hungry
This is a simple one, but it’s also very important. Have something to eat before you do your supermarket shopping, and you won’t be tempted to just throw tasty-looking things into your trolley. You’ll be much more likely to only buy what you need.
Make a shopping list – and stick to it
It’ll be easier to only buy what you need if you make a list beforehand. Keep your list on you while you browse the supermarket – and make a point to only go in the sections you need. Nothing is allowed in the trolley if it’s not on the list – even if it looks like a good deal.
Be wary of deals
Everyone loves a good deal – so when you see one it can be hard not to stock up. But some deals could actually cost you more than you set out to spend. For example, buying ’3 for the price of 2′ when you only needed one means you’re spending double the amount you meant to spend. ‘Buy one get one free’, on the other hand, is always good value.
Only take advantage of deals if you’re positive you’re going to use what you buy. This is especially important for perishable items.
You can find more money saving tips and debt help on the Debt Advisory Centre website.
