How to save money on food shop?

pumpkin89

MysteryMe said:

The OP posted asking for help cutting down their weekly food spend.  It's irrelevant whether they can afford to spend X amount or not,  the fact is they don't want to spend X amount and that's why they posted in the first place.

That's true, but the first few responses were very harsh (in my view) - "your spending is astronomical", "you need more discipline", "your massive shopping bill".  I know if I'd been OP, I'd have felt attacked (although I don't for a moment think that was anyone's intention).  I think other posters were trying to balance that out.

At the end of the day, we're all here to save money, but everyone will have a different view of what is reasonable to spend, what is frugal vs penny pinching, etc.

RobM99

1. Make a list and stick to it - avoids impulse buys.
2. Differentiate between what you want and what you need.
3. Eat before you go, again stops impulse buys!
   

calleyw

Would have thought this question would be better to have been asked in the oldstyle money saving board.

Yours

Calley x

Vickyh

Thanks for all the replies- lots of food for thought.
We could not continue spending the way we have been going, and covid has been a right eye opener - i did a small shop today (our shopping day is tomorrow) and i bought bread, a cucumber and some chicken. Everything on my list nothing extra!

MysteryMe

Well done for sticking to your list.
When you say shopping day, do you mean that's the day you have an online shop due or that you always shop on a Wednesday. If it's the latter then I would ditch the fixed day and shop on the day when you actually need to do a shop. 

maman

Yes, trying to push your 'shopping day' to 8 days or more will save you money and encourage you to use up things you have in store. 

Well done on sticking to your list on a top up shop OP. 👏

I understand people who say they can afford to spend more than they need to. It's their money, their choice. Personally I'm happy with the value for money I get from mostly shopping in Aldi. I resent paying more for essentially the same products in Sainsburys. The money I save I can then spend on travel and eating out or treating my children or many other things I enjoy. . I'd rather do that than give the money to Sainsburys but each to his own. 

mimi1234

1.  Buy when on promotion.  If you eat Coco Pops for instance and they are £3 a box, buy a few (check the dates first) if they are on 2 for £5 or buy one get one free.  
2.  Switch to own label brands - some are the same product but a lot cheaper.  Try them and if they work for you, switch.  If not, see above.
3.  Yellow label hunts are always good if you are able to go to shops.  Try and go an hour or two before closing time when they put the final reductions on.  Yesterday, the local Poundland had full packets of bread down to 25p with 3 days to go before the best before date.  I picked up 3 and put 2 in the fridge.
4.  If you have a local Quality Save / Home Bargains / Poundland / Heron Foods / Fulton Foods, go there for a look round.  The stock is a bit hit and miss but things you can buy for say £2 / £3 at Tesco you might find for less than a pound at any of the above shops.  The more you research, the cheaper you will get some items.    

Good luck.

GaleSF63

Some things are  regularly on offer. Notice what sort of frequency (non-fresh) products turn up on offer, and try to buy enough to last from one offer to another. 

I drink Nescafe Gold Blend and it's probably at least 10 years since I had to buy any at full price (although got a bit close occasionally!)  It's easier to manage that with something that has a best before date well into the future of course. 

PennyForThem_2

Totally agree.  Stock up on discounted items that you use regularly.  BUT.......you have too have room to store them even if utilising outside building.  Some items..... well I really don't care by the 'use by' dates 

MrsStepford

OP, with husband working from home and grazing, I'm easily spending as much as you. Where I can, I'm buying items I use regularly in bulk now from Amazon and Costco. After Ocado let me down, I switched to Morrisons with cheaper delivery pass and £25 minimum order. The demise of mysupermarket is really annoying as is the dearth of special offers, right when we need them.