Looking for more ways to make your money stretch a little further? A great way to cut back on spending is to find out how other people do it.
Aldi has gathered up some top tips from real shoppers, to help others find more ways to save money on their supermarket shop.
A survey from Aldi found three in 10 (28 per cent) of us have become more aware of grocery costs since the pandemic. Their real price report found nearly a third (31 per cent) of customers say the price is now the most important consideration during the weekly shop, and about one in 10 (12 per cent) are limiting how much they spend.
Read more: Five ways you may be wasting money on food
Savvy shoppers were invited on the Aldi shoppers Facebook page to share their tips for saving money on groceries.
Here’s the pick of the crop to help you save on your supermarket shops.
1. Plan your meals
Include lunches and dinners. If making a paper shopping list seems a bit old school, list ingredients on your mobile phone, so nothing slips your mind.
By planning, you may also spend less on takeaways. As one consumer said: “100 per cent meal plan and do more homemade cooking. Vegetables cost a lot less than convenience food!”
2. Beware of ‘Bogofs’
Aldi found one in 10 shoppers find supermarket price promotions confusing. Bogofs – ‘buy one get one free’ offers – can encourage people to spend more than they need, and they may not end up using everything, in which case it actually ends up being a big waste.
3. Do your homework
Compare supermarket prices before setting off to get the best deals.
Read more: Where to bag the cheapest groceries
4. Check before you shop
“Checking your fridge, cupboards and freezer” before you head to the supermarket is important when trying to save money, another shopper highlighted.
If you’re in a hurry, take a photo of what’s in your fridge and cupboards so you can refer back to it when shopping.
5. Check use-by dates
Another Facebook user suggested you “look for the longest sell-by date on products” when making selections. This way, you’re less likely to end up not using items in time and having to chuck them away.
6. Budget
Have your budget set out before you head to the shops. Also, sticking to budgets can be trickier when you are food shopping on an empty stomach – something Aldi fans advised against in order to avoid overspending at the supermarket.
7. Buy in bulk and freeze
One shopper said: “Buy big. Large chicken portions or big trays of pork chops are great to separate at home, then put them into zip-lock bags and freeze individually.”
Another added: “Instead of buying pre-cooked chicken pieces for sandwiches and wraps, every week I buy an ‘in the bag’ whole chicken. This way it does the family’s lunches for the week and saves us a lot of money.”
Read more: Best recipes for freezing
8. Time your trip for big reductions
Keep your eyes peeled for reductions and work out what time of day your local supermarket unleashes its ‘clearance’ stickers.
But one shopper cautioned: “It can only be seen as a good discount if you’re actually going to use it.”
9. Make fruit and veg go further
Having multiple meals in mind cuts costs too. Halves of vegetables, such as onions, can be sliced and frozen for later use.
Place carrots in the coolest place in your refrigerator. Remove the tops, which can be also used for salads or as a herb component to other dishes, but only last up to a week. Once you have cleaned the carrots, wrap them in damp paper towels. Fresh carrots stored this way can last for a month.
With asparagus, remove the rubber bands, trim an inch off the bottoms and stand them up in a glass jar. Don’t crowd them, though. You might have to split a bunch across two jars. Fill halfway with water, then cover the stalks with a plastic produce bag and secure with a rubber band. Asparagus will stay fresh this way for at least a week.
How much do you spend on your weekly shop? Do you shop at Aldi? Do you have any other tips to add?
– With PA
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