How to Save Money When Supermarket Shopping
Doing the weekly shop can be a chore for many, especially those with a large brood to feed. Getting to the till and seeing that total figure for your goods can fill you with dread at the best of times – however there are a number of ways to save money when you go to the supermarkets.
Don’t do your shopping when hungry
The first and most basic rule of going shopping is NEVER walk around the aisles when you are hungry. In fact, if you can, eat a good meal before you go to the supermarket. This way, you won’t get excited by all of the yummy looking food on offer and buy things that you ultimately don’t even need or want
Make a list and stick to it
The best tactic for doing your shop is go through your cupboards, fridge and freezer beforehand and make a list of the things that you definitely need to get. Take this list with you and be disciplined enough to ONLY pick up the things that are on this list. Yes, there’ll be many temptations around the store – they are designed to get you to pick up those extra goodies. Just don’t do it!
Look for special offers and vouchers
There’ll be regular supermarket offers available; whether that be through discount vouchers, deals for using their online delivery service or 2 for 1 on purchases of certain items. If you see something you always end up buying advertised on TV at a different supermarket, consider whether it is worth making a visit to this store to stock up on an item if it will help you save money in the long run.
Don’t pick up things from the ends of aisles
Supermarkets layouts are designed by some very clever product and marketing experts who know exactly how to entice customers into making impulse purchases. So although it may look like that there are some very good offers on the ends of the aisles, it’s more than likely that you’ll be able to find similar cheaper items actually further down the aisles with the rest of the products.
Buy fresh ingredients rather than ready meals
Although it may be easier to just buy a pre-prepared meal from the fridge or freezer sections, it will actually be more economical to buy the separate ingredients to make the meal from scratch, as well as being much healthier to do so. And if you can’t cook, it’s time to learn if you want to save some money!
Buy larger bottles and packs
It may appear cheaper to buy a smaller pack of tea bags or bottle of cordial, though it may actually save you in the long run to spend extra to buy a larger item. If you can try dividing the cost per gram, millilitre or any other metric which is being used on the pack.
