Very few people enjoy going to the supermarket to shop for groceries; the time it takes to write a list, find the items you want and then to have to pay through the nose for your purchases are more than an annoyance.
To take some of the pain out of grocery shopping, here are our six tips for reducing your bill at the checkout. We would love to have you share yours in the comments section below.
Read the specials catalogues
Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and even your local independent grocer will, during most weeks, arrange for a special catalogue to be dropped in your letterbox. Take a few minutes to note deals on items you’re planning to buy anyway – don’t spend money on the specials you don’t really need. If you don’t have a letterbox drop, check them out online.
How much will you really save?
Take note of how much you’re saving. If a particular shop has a special that will only save you a few cents but you have to drive 10 kilometres to get there, you may spend more in fuel than what you save on your shopping.
Opt for the smaller trolley
Most supermarkets offer two sizes of shopping trolley and it goes without saying that the smaller your trolley, the less likely you are to drop in items you don’t really need.
Let the butcher do the work
If you’re lucky enough to have an instore butcher at your local supermarket, buy a large cut of meat and ask them to remove the bone for soup, mince the meat and package the fillets. This can save you a considerable amount on buying already prepared meat.
Check the shelf labels
While a special may seem like a great deal, check the shelf price for other sizes of the product. For example, a special may work out at $1 per 100ml whereas the normal 100ml price for a larger size may only be 75 cents. Sometimes a special isn’t always that good a deal.
Start in the middle
Begin your shopping in the middle of the store – where most of your staples are located. You will then fill up your trolley with the items you really need, rather than be tempted by the colourful produce, the freshly baked bread and delicious but expensive deli items you don’t really need.
Now, why not share your supermarket savings tip below?
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