Food Shopping Savings

(image courtesy of wholefoods.com)


Ah, the joys of food shopping! It has to be done. We need to eat. But how to do it efficiently? Being a couple without children right now, one of the hardest things we have found is not over-spending on food we may end up having to throw out because we haven't eaten it before it's gone bad. Having tried some things recently that have made a difference to our weekly food budget, (saving us at least £20.00 / $40.00 per week!) I came across this list below on msn today which reinforces some of the positive success we have found, and gives some other "food for thought" (I know, bad pun!). A lot of these are common sense, and also things you may be doing already, but I thought it would be a helpful reference.


Ten Ways to Save on your Food Shopping Bill

1) Make a list
If you find that every week your trolley is full of impulse buys, make some time to sit down and plan what you really need. This way there will be less temptation to pick up things you won’t really use. You may also discover items that you could live without, reducing your bill even further.

2) Grab bargains
You will usually find meat, bread and other fresh products reduced for quick sale just before their sell-by date. If you have a reasonably large freezer, you can freeze most fresh items for later. Just make sure you are buying items you will actually eat and are not just buying them because they are cheap.

3) Bulk buy
‘BOGOF’. No, not an insult, it actually stands for ‘Buy One Get One Free’. Supermarkets are very good at these offers and you can take advantage. Providing you’ve got the storage space, stock up when essential items like toilet roll, washing powder and beer are on special. Just beware of bulk buying items with a limited lifespan or that you don’t actually use that often, otherwise you’ll be wasting instead of spending.

4) Try own brand goods
Supermarkets produce a range of own brand goods, covering everything from pasta to tea. In many cases, you won’t notice the difference in taste but you will notice the difference in price. Basic items such as flour and rice are often produced by the same supplier as other ranges but just in different packaging. (as a note, we have experimented with this, but there is a taste difference in some things - whilst own-brand bread is fine, for example, there is a distinct difference between Heinz tomato soup and Sainsbury's own - it is worth paying a little extra if the taste is not great!)

5) Downsize
In many cases, smaller shops, and the farmers’ markets that are springing up every where, are cheaper and fresher than the supermarkets.

6) Cut down on luxuries
If you are really determined to shave some money off your bill, reduce the number of luxury items you buy, such as chocolate and alcohol. In many cases, this will cut down the pounds you spend in the shop and the pounds in weight you put on at home.

7) Eat seasonally
Foods that are in season are in more plentiful supply and therefore cheaper. Simple really. The Eat The Seasons website provides an up-to-date list of what’s growing right now and what you can do with it. You are also doing your bit for the environment as many out of season foods are brought in from abroad, generating a carbon footprint in the process.

Here's a look at the Eat The Seasons website

8) Grow your own
It is amazing how many vegetables and fruits you can grow in your back garden or allotment. From tomatoes to runner beans to strawberries, you can have the satisfaction of eating what you’ve grown.

9) Eat more veg
Meat is generally among the most expensive items on a shopping bill. Cut out a couple of meat dishes a week in favour of some seasonal vegetable meals and you will save. It may well turn out to be beneficial to your health as well as your wealth.

10) Use your reward points
If you don’t like theme parks, spa breaks or the other discounts the various reward cards offer, use your points to get money off your shopping. Pound for pound, it offers as good value as some of the other offers. Just don’t spend the money you have saved on items you don’t need later.

If you have any other tips, feel free to comment!