Saturday 11 July 2009

Save Money On Your Weekly Shop


This post follows on from my earlier one recommending the substitution of higher price 'branded' products for cheaper alternatives. There is however an alternative! Check out what offers your supermarket has on and use them.

For example currently at Asda, dried pasta is on special offer - buy 2 500g bags for £1 (usual price 70p each). Therefore if you choose this option rather than say buying a single 1kg bag (at £1.08), you can save money.

However, you have to watch out because these "special offers" are not always the cheapest option for the product you want.

For example: Coke Zero - special offer 2 packs of 8 x 330ml cans at Asda are 2 for £6, which works out as 37.5p per can. However alongside this special offer Asda sell a box of 15 x 330ml cans for £5.50, which works out as approximately 36.67p per can.

Okay I know these examples only save you pennies here and there but it all adds up and there are occasions when the offer can save pounds.

My tips to saving money on your shopping over time would be: -

  1. Always check the cost per can/100ml/100g of a product (usually highlighted on the price label). Check around on the same shelf and see whether you can save money by buying a different size product (like with the pasta above).


  2. When a supermarket have a special offer on, stock up! This works best with dry packet foods, cans and frozen goods, which can be stored in the cupboard/freezer and use as and when you need them.
    For example; I always buy Quorn Mince, at the moment it is currently over £2.50 per 350g bag, however about a month ago it was on special for as little as £1! Needless to say I bought 3-4 bags and put them in the freezer. Another good saving I've made is on Batchelors' savoury rice, supermarkets have in the past had offers such as 4 for £1 whilst these are currently at 50p each.


  3. Shop around! If you have the time or patience consider which supermarkets have the best deals on which foods. For example, Aldi have their "Super 6" fruit and veg at 49p each - this week including 49p for 1kg bananas and 49p for 500g grapes - conversely 1kg bananas when checked at Tesco are 84p, with 500g of grapes at £1.44.


  4. Watch out for the offers each supermarket has in any given week, it is common for supermarkets to 'follow' each other with special offers (e.g. one week Asda have Mullerlight yoghurts on offer and then the next Tesco will have the same offer when Asda's offer ends).


  5. Try internet shopping. The first time you use it, you may find it confusing and yes it could take a little longer than you would like to start with, however as time goes on the quicker it will become and it can save you money! I've been using online shopping for years now and find that I always spend less when doing this than when I go to the local supermarket. You know what it's like, you pop to the shop for one thing and come out having spent over £20 on things you didn't really need. Internet shopping prevents this, you get what you need and you aren't attracted to what's on the next shelf, ergo you buy less and save money. Finally it also leaves you time to do other things and completely takes the stress out of shopping (who hasn't wanted to ram their trolley into someone in a busy supermarket on a Saturday afternoon?!)


  6. If you do your shopping online, don't always rely on your saved favourites. Whilst it is quick and easy for you to just select the usual items you need, it can mean that you miss out on offers. Using my example above, if you usually buy the 1kg bag of pasta, you wont necessarily know that it's infact cheaper to buy 2 500g bags instead. Look at what offers are on that week!


  7. Plan your meals around what is on offer, for example make a curry/stir-fry using vegetables from Aldi's "Super 6".

  8. Try the cheaper option. If you don't like it fair enough but if you do you could be spending less every week. - for example I would have Smartprice Digestive Biscuits any day over McVities.



For more money saving advice go to moneysavingexpert.com

All prices stated are correct online as of 11th July 2009