Top Tips for Grocery Shopping Saving

Snugglebunny8

Jeni-smith wrote: »

I try to shop for my family(2 adults and 2 kids) for £240 a month. This is tough but means we are clearing our debts. The most useful tips I have found are to shop in the evening if possible - loads of products are reduced. I do plan for the number of meals I need (having checked the fridge, freezer and cupboards) before I set off but I also find it pays to be flexible - if something is reduced then I would substitute that item for something on my list. The one thing that has most changed the way I shop though is to pay with cash. I used to have a figure in my head which was my 'budget' and then pay by card - it's easy to overspend this way. Now, at the beginning of the month, I take out my £240 in cash. I keep this money in a separate purse and that has to last me the month (along with any money off coupons etc I can collect!). We eat lots of jacket potatoes and pasta but these are 2 meals that the whole family enjoys so the fact they are cheap is just a bonus. :-)

welcome to the forum! you are very like me, 2 + 2 children, and my grocery budget is 240 as well, I take it out £60 per week though as my willpower is terrible! the cash thing really works for me too, also found as Im spending less Im getting more till spits for money off, maybe they think Im shopping elsewhere! had £3 off £20 shop last week at till and now got 400 Nectar off next £20 shop, really helps! I try and have 3 meat free evening meals each week with past/jackets/omelettes etc which means I take advantage of the current salmon fillet deals as we all love salmon - I use my slow cooker a lot for lamb dishes and curries etc, biggest dent in my budget is fruit, it all disappears so fast between 4 of us, so go every 2/3 days just for fruit an take advantage of the deals that are on

JBFAN

I'm going to answer this in a slightly different way to the other replies, which are mainly concentrating on vouchers, discount stores and websites. I slashed my grocery costs, yet increased the variety of food I eat, and have virtually no waste. I plan my menu for a month in advance, write it up and stick it up. I then do my shop (normally on line - no temptations, you can see you spend, and if necessary save it and come back to it - and I HATE shopping!!). You can check what you have in the cupboards and freezer already, and just order what you need. I subscribe monthly to a food magazine, so menu planning starts when that arrives - lots of new ideas every month, mixed in with those old favourites. Because I plan in advance, i can make sure i get good variety across the week, a mix of fish meat, veg etc, and I can also plan to use up any bits from previous recipes. Eg a roast chicken on a Sunday will make way for two more dishes early in the week. A dish that required half a cabbage - the other half features later on. I apply a similar method to cleaning products, toiletries etc. I have a list of what we use, then before i do the shopping order i can check what we need. If something is on special offer that will keep, eg washing power, i'll stock up on it whilst it's cheap. Each week i then do one small top up shop at my local supermarket or market, for fresh bread, veg etc - having checked my menu for the week ahead first. All left overs go into the fridge or freezer for lunch, or another dinner later on.

I appreciate a month is going to be too long for most people - but try it for a week. Before you do the next week ask what have i got left that needs using up, what's in the freezer, what's in the garden, etc, then away you go.

Edwardia

gailey, with you on the Formil washing powder from Lidl. We're not alone as Which? tested loads of powders and it came out top.

materialgirl

wo! Learning lots here! I know one of my top tips is to buy fruit & veg from Aldi, as its so much cheaper then Mr T's or Mr M's anyday!
I also buy Loo roll from Aldi, but am going to have a look into the bargains as above.
oh and there are loads of farms around us that sell their chickens eggs which are 200 times better than battery chickens eggs and it helps the farmers/farmers wives and they're cheaper too. :j
We also batch cook as we work long hours and have quite busy lives with our dogs, so batch cookign soups & spag bol are life savers for us!

We shop fortnightly as i dont have time to always go to the shops and it saves on petrol and if we shop online it save delivery costs too!
:beer:

metropolis

Just do the pound shops. Cleaning stuff and toiletries can be very cheap. I use Sanex shower gel. In Boots and the supermarkets its £1.98. In Poundland its only £1.
Also, dont go straight to your usual supermarket. Go to Aldi or Lidl first and get what you can there. They sell many familair products as well as fresh fruit and veg. Then go to your usual supermarket and get the things left on your list. If you have Coop supermarkets locally, they also have many offers.

tomtombeanie

i am a huge aldi fan - i write a weekly meal plan after checking fridge/freezer/cupboard, and keep a list of freezer contents pinned up so i can see at a glance what's there - then head to aldi first. asda then to get any bits we want from there (aldi don't have any low/no fat yogs that i like, for example) & every now and then i pop to home bargains/b&m to get toiletries and toilet roll - 3.59 for 18 pack. i second everyone who says freeze freeze freeze - it's amazing what we would waste otherwise. bananas on the turn (freeze for use in muffins/smoothies), half packs of stir fry noodles or sauces, leftover pasta - i think if you're prepared to bin it, freeze it instead & see what it's like when you defrost it!
definitely agree that for all my careful planning, it's good to be flexible if you see an unexpected bargain. we spend on average about 60-70 per week for 2 adults, 2 kids (age 6 & 10).

lmp0507

If you aren't fussed on big branded cleaning products, switch and save,
Aldi do their own brand of cleaning products, just a few examples of what you'll save:
Flash One For All Crisp Lemons (hard floor cleaner) £2.00 - Power force all in one cleaner Lemon (hard floor cleaner) 99p (Aldi)
Fairy original washing liquid £1.25 - Magnum washing up liquid 59p (Aldi)

There's a huge list of how you can save £30 on cleaning products by switching to aldi, If you google 'Switch and save more than £30 on cleaning products and nappies' It should bring up a link to an article in the mirror.
(Unfortunately I can't post links or it would be a direct link)

Hope this helps!

VfM4meplse

JBFAN wrote: »

I plan my menu for a month in advance, write it up and stick it up. I then do my shop

I wish I could do that but don't think that I'd last a week, mainly because my working hours are very long and can often be erratic, when I am hungry I want to eat there and then, can't wait for the ping of the microwave to tell me my freezer dinner is done so end up eating snack after snack after snack...although tbh I've now run down all my rubbish and "instant" food is Weetabix with cold milk.

katskorner

Snugglebunny8 wrote: »

other Mr S Basics we use and find really good;

Basics Marmalade 30p- hubby says its as good as the expensive stuff

Basics teabags 27p - I buy branded ones on half price offers but also use these, cant tell the difference

Basics 2 x part baked baguettes, 39p - realy tasty, crisp up nicely.

wondered if anyone tried Mr S own brand of yeast extract? we get through jar of Marmite a week and its 2.99 now everywhere near me, keeping eye on Amazon to bulk buy but still as expensive, would love to know if own brand any good before I risk it!

Yes we use the Yeast Extract from all the supermarkets and they are all fine and cheaper. switch! x

jenblackrod

My tip is to try to stretch out times between your shops. i.e. if you usually shop once a week, try to stretch it to ten days and wait until you're really desparate to stock up before you go shopping. Once you've managed ten days, try to stretch it to two weeks etc. I find that I manage three rather than four visits per month easily which saves me approx £80 per month. I have two freezers and buy loads of bread etc so Im not forced to the shop when I need a basic and end up spending £30. Worth a try?