Unless you’ve been living in a cave somewhere, you would have noticed your grocery bill slowly rising. All the basics have been hit, leaving us shoppers sandwiched anywhere between high prices and fewer wages.
We’ve all been feeling the pinch, but there are a few simple tips and tricks you can use to help you save time and money next time you hit the shops. You really can save over 50% on your shopping bill by making just a few simple changes, and by rethinking how you cook, shop and eat as a family.
You all know I’m pretty hardcore when it comes to my grocery shopping, but not even I can keep my bill down every week, but by shopping around for a good deal I can at least keep it to a minimum.
I spent £63 last week in my local discount store by NOT using any of these tips. This week, using most of them, I halved my bill to £31.12, and that included a lot of my kitchen staples. Win!
So here are my nine easy tips to help you become a savvier shopper and cut your bill in half!
Change Your Shopping Habits
Meal planning and bringing on a shopping list could trim a massive 40% off your bill. Every time you use something, write it down. You can use your phone, a dedicated app or one of my simple shopping lists.
I normally start by writing my meal plan, then transferring that to my meal plan. I then add that to what I’ve been using all week, then finally check the cupboards, freezer, and fridge.
The main aim is to NOT go shopping again that week.
Shop Around
This applies to everything you buy, from groceries and toys to internet packages and electric.
EON recently launched their Cap and Track 1 Year tariff which is a new dual fuel, fixed monthly Direct Debit tariff, which tracks the average price of all energy tariffs on the market and is priced below the market standard.
Using comparable websites work too, or just simply going in other shops and having a look!
Haggle
This is one of my favourite tips by financial expert Jasmine Birtles. In partnership with EON, she revealed that almost a third of us believe that it’s harder to get a good deal now than it was five years ago.
That may be true, but there are still easy ways you can grab a bargain.
Jasmine suggests haggling in person, but also online too. This can be done by getting as far as the checkout screen then logging out. Many retailers will contact you asking why you didn’t buy, and that’s the time to haggle. Get them chatting, tell them is the item is a little bit too expensive and watch them knock a bit off the top.
Switch to Cheaper Cuts
Save more at the meat counter by asking for cheaper cuts. Slow-cook them for a full deep flavour or use them for your tomato-based meals.
Swap beef steak for a beef skirt or chicken breast for a leg. Just these two savings alone could save you £120 a year!
Time Your Purchases
Go against the seasons. Jasmine suggests you get your boiler fixed in the summer when plumbers have less work and buy Christmas cards and presents in January when shops are trying to get rid of it.
Take Snacks with You
A coffee here and a bagel there might not be much, but over a year, for two of you, could cost £40 a week, making it £4000 a year! Take food and drink with you, and add it to your shopping list as you go.
Store Food Right
We all throw too much away; the average family bins up to £50 a month of food. Make sure that fruit and vegetables are stored right. Freeze what you don’t use and turn it into smoothies.
Avoid the fridge chaos. The bottom shelf is the coolest so keep all your meat there and work your way up.
Related Posts:
- FREE Money Saving Printables, which includes Meal plans, Shopping Lists and Budget Planners
- 5 Budget School Packed Lunch Ideas That Cost Under £1
- Feeding a Family of Four on £2.50 a Day
If it looks to good….
Then it probably is. Look around and investigate before you buy. Is it really a good deal? Would you use it all? Can you freeze it and use?
Only buy if you KNOW you’re going to you it.
I know spend under £30 a week on food. Add in a “staples week” and it may be closer to £40, but that is my max. Using these tips can really save you money and keep more in your pocket.
How much do you spend a week? Do you think these tips could help you?
***Disclosure: I was paid by EON to go shopping for two weeks, one week using none of the above tips and one week using them. I honestly saved money using them. All thoughts are my own. Please refer to our Disclosure Statement for further information. ***
