Money Saving Tips - Food Shopping

Times are tough right now and we are all pulling our purse strings just that little bit tighter in order to just get by.

Many of us will remember experiencing tough times in our youth or hearing anecdotes from older family members about surviving through tough times, "pulling together", "making do" and "doing without". It's unfortunate that, whilst we live in an age where convenience is key and mass production has meant that many goods and services are more affordable than they have ever been this very convenience factor may be the very thing that can end up costing you more.

It's so easy to jump in the car and drive down to the local supermarket, pay your bills at the click of a button or contact anyone all over the world in an instant. We never question it, we just accept that it's part of life and feel comforted that this convenience gives us more time to get on with everything else. Then of course we wonder why our pay packets don't quite stretch as far as we would like them to!

But stop and ask yourself this...what is that "everything else" that you are getting on with? Work, cooking, looking after the kids, cleaning, socialising, sport, holidays? Although the pace of life is very different than it was in your parents or grandparents day, they didn't do any less than you do right now, in fact back in the day, they didn't have microwaves, dishwashers, tumble dryers, convenience foods etc, so carrying out daily chores took even longer. But they still managed and often on a lot less money (in relative terms)!

So how can you get on with your life whilst at the same time saving a bit more money? Well it's easy! As long as you are prepared to set aside a small amount of time every so often. All it takes is a little planning and forethought.

Food Shopping 

Spend a few minutes each week planning your meals then make a list of what you need and stick to it.

Rotate your food cupboards and freezer. Plan your meals around those packets, tins and freezer items that are about to expire

If your regular shopping outlet has a web site – check out what is on offer and try to plan your meals around those items – although don’t be pulled into the trap of buying something that is on offer if it is still more expensive than something you would normally have. You can brag all you like over the dinner table about that Rib Eye Steak that you bought for £8 instead of £12 but if you would have normally had a chicken for £4, who are you trying to convince that you bagged a bargain?

Try to do one big food shop per week this will cut down on travel costs and temptation to buy something more than you need.

Never go food shopping on an empty stomach, you will end up buying little snacks or treats that you would not normally buy.

Bargains are great if the bargain applies to something that is already on your shopping list. If you didn't put it on the list, you didn't need it so don't buy it, it's not saving you money therefore it's not a bargain!

Only buy offers such as buy one get one half price or three for two, etc if the food you are buying a) is on your list and b)will last twice as long as buying just the one item either naturally or by freezing otherwise you will end up throwing away perfectly good food that you have paid for. Of course if its buy one get one free and it's on your list then just go for it. You can always give it to a relative if you think you won't eat it.

Consider buying the shops own brand goods - they are invariably cheaper and usually taste just as good

Always sign up for loyalty cards - these often come with their own offers, money off or vouchers

There's a lot to be said for loyalty and, as a nation, we tend to stick with what we know so most of us have our favourite shop or supermarket and stick to it - they almost become our friends - but if you are serious about saving money maybe it's time to sever the ties! If you tend to shop at any of the big name supermarkets then consider changing. Supermarkets like LIDL and ALDI are really up there competing with the big names. Just because you don't recognise a brand name does not mean its poor quality. The fresh produce is very good and packaged foods are great value.

It’s always nice to treat yourself but those naughty but nice treats, wine, cakes, sweets and biscuits are usually the items that bump up that shopping bill. Maybe you always like to have a glass of wine with each evening meal; a pudding; a slice of cake with your morning cup of coffee? Set yourself a goal of reducing those treats by at least one. Instead of two biscuits with your tea, have one. Make one day a week a non alcohol or no pudding day. Not only will you reap the rewards financially but you’ll also shed a few pounds in the process. Once you have gotten into the habit of reducing your treat intake by one – take the next step and reduce it by two and so on until those treats become what they should be – something to be enjoyed occasionally – not every day.

Do consider having some staples on hand in case of emergency (although if you have planned your meals and shopping list you shouldn’t have any food emergencies). Canned pulses are an excellent substitute for meats in stews and casseroles. Kidney beans, chick peas in fact almost any bean is packed with protein, is a lot healthier and cheaper than meat and you would be surprised at how tasty they are when they have absorbed all the flavours of the dish. So next time you are halfway through preparing your casserole only to realise you’ve forgotten to defrost the meat – don’t jump in the car and waste petrol going to the supermarket - throw in a can or two of pulses.