Eight ways to go grocery shopping on a budget
Skim £££s off your grocery shopping with our top tips.
Find out how you can cut the cost of your average weekly supermarket shop? Scroll down to see our top tips and save even more cash…
Make a meal plan
Time to get serious about your meals. Sit down on a Sunday and plan your meals for the coming week, then make a shopping list based on those ingredients. Shopping this way means you only buy what you really need, avoids waste and saves big bucks.
Save food, help the planet
There is even a way to reveal the eco warrior in you when you save on your food. Check out Too Good To Go an rescue unsold food from shops and restaurants so it doesn't go to waste and save money at the same time. Every day, delicious, fresh food goes to waste at cafes, restaurants, hotels, shops and supermarkets - just because it hasn't sold in time. Too Good To Go lets you find and rescue this food so it gets eaten instead of thrown away. You won't know exactly what's in your order until you pick it up - it's all part of the surprise. Great food at great prices, served with a side of environmental kudos.
Eat before you shop
Never shop when you're hungry! You'll come out with all kinds of yummy yet unnecessary snacks that you want to eat RIGHT NOW, as well as speedy (but expensive) treats like ready meals. Don't do it. Always eat before you shop. A full shopper is a frugal shopper.
Choose loose veggies
Do your bit for the planet and opt for loose fruit and veg. It's usually cheaper by the kg, means you only buy what you need and cuts down on unnecessary packaging, most of which is unrecyclable.
Shop own-brand
How often are you lured in by big brand names just because you know them? Stores' own-brand products are far cheaper and often just as tasty, so it's worth the swap.
Buy in bulk
When you see a fantastic deal for meat or fish, buy a truckload to freeze for future meals. The same goes for store cupboard staples that rarely go off, such as rice, pasta and tins. Buying in bulk also means fewer trips to the supermarket, which will save on fuel costs.
Collect those coupons!
Yes it sounds a bit grannyish but there are some seriously good money-off deals with supermarket vouchers. Find them in those free in-store magazines, with store loyalty cards and on websites like extremecouponing.co.uk.
Sign up to deal-sharing sites
Supermarkets often have a deal that's so good – such as cut-price meat joints – the item on offer sells out in a day. Check websites like hotukdeals.co.uk for store deals first thing in the morning so you don't miss out.
