Doing the family shopping is a costly business, and prices only ever seem to go up. Being able to keep your family well-fed and satisfied, while spending less is not an easy task.
To help you achieve these two opposing goals, here are five tips for saving money on your food spending.
Price Comparisons
When your home or car insurance is due for renewal, I’m sure that the majority of people would be content to spend some time looking for cheaper alternatives. The same situation would apply for booking a hotel, or rental car, so why are people so reluctant to do it for their food?
Convenience and loyalty are two factors that make people not want to change their shopping habits. However, if you’re going to start cutting your weekly shop’s cost, you should consider shopping around.
Sites like mysupermarket.co.uk and COMPARASAURUS make it simple to compare food prices. Their apps compare the prices of the major UK supermarkets, indicating which products are cheapest, and in which store.
Purchase Own-Brand Products
Would you be able to tell the difference between Heinz beans and an own-brand alternative? I’m not convinced that most people would, and I certainly cannot.
Most supermarkets stock their own brand of staple foods. Their quality is good, and the prices are much lower than the branded alternatives. You can make considerable savings by opting for a supermarket’s own-brand products and still provide tasty and nutritious meals.
Seasonal Shopping
Today’s food production, procurement, and storage methods mean that you can have any fruit or vegetables all year round. However, it doesn’t mean that the cost will stay the same, and eating out-of-season foods will mean paying a higher price.
During traditional harvest cycles, fruit and vegetables become cheaper because their supply is increased. By eating only in-season fruit and vegetables, you will cut down on the cost of these foods, and do a little more good for the environment.
Cook In Bulk
Cooking in bulk is a fantastic way to save money on your food bill. Cooking in bulk means that you can buy in bulk, which results in lower prices per unit.
Of course, cooking in bulk doesn’t mean that you will be eating pasta for ten days on the trot. You can split the food up into meal-sized portions and freeze them until needed.
Cooking this way will also mean that you have always got something in reserve if you need a quick meal. If you don’t have the time to cook something, or want a break from the kitchen, break out the reserves.
Keep Your Cupboard Well-Stocked
Supermarkets are bursting with offers to get you to buy more. Two-for-ones, BOGOFs, and other offers might seem like unnecessary purchases at the time, but taking the time to stock up your cupboards will save you money in the long run.
The same principle applies to buying bulk items. Generally, buying larger bags of rice or pasta, for instance, will give you a lower price per kilogramme than purchasing in smaller quantities.
Also, routinely check what ingredients you have in your cupboards, and base your menus around these. Doing this will mean that you make the best use of what you already have and not spend unnecessarily.
Conclusion
The tips you’ve just read about are all straightforward. On their own, they might not seem like they’ll save you much. However, combined and used, you will soon notice your weekly shopping bill reduce.