BILL SLASH
My ten steps will help you cut hundreds of pounds off your supermarket shopping bill – can you take on the challenge?
Before hitting the shops, do a stock check of your cupboard, fridge and freezer
INFLATION dropped to its slowest pace in two years this week, according to the Office for National Statistics.
But the pressure on shoppers to cut their weekly shop costs is still growing.
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Harriet Meyer takes you through her step-by-step guide on how to cut costs.
STEP ONE: DO A STOCK CHECK
I’M always trying to find ways to cut my weekly shop.
Before hitting the shops I do a stock check of my cupboard, fridge and freezer. I jot down anything essential we are running low on, such as milk, eggs, bread and pasta.
I also take a look at what we have and whether we can make any meals from existing items.
READ MORE ON SUPERMARKET HACKS
STEP TWO: SET A BUDGET
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I USUALLY set a total budget to feed myself and my partner Duncan at £60 per week. I shop at the cheapest supermarkets that are closest to where we live — Lidl and Sainsbury’s. I buy most basics from Lidl, adding anything I can’t get at Sainsbury’s.
Sometimes I go over budget because I buy litter for our two cats at Sainsbury’s (Stamford Street Co. Cat Litter, £2.30 for 10 litres, right) or when I pick up staples such as cleaning products when they’re on offer.
STEP THREE: MAKE A MEAL PLAN
I PLAN for the week ahead before I go to the supermarket. That way I can avoid any sneaky impulse buys in the aisles when I get to the supermarket.
I have five weekly meal plans, with a shopping list for each, and alternate between them. I keep them simple by including our favourites — this week, it’s spaghetti Bolognese, chicken curry, and a Sunday roast. I focus on meals that share similar ingredients — leftover items can be used up later in the week. Then I just add the essentials we need.
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STEP FOUR: WRITE YOUR LIST
WHEN I’m writing my list, I have trolley.co.uk open to compare prices on bigger ticket items such as meat, fish and household supplies. I double-check for prices per kg on larger items too, to make sure I’m getting the best deal.
If I’m near an Aldi, I stock up on some of its long shelf-life items as it often comes out on top for own-brand products.
Plus, I carefully organise my shopping list in the same order as the store layout, so I can quickly tick things off as I go with the vegetables and fruit first, and frozen items last. This helps me to stay focused and avoid missing anything.
How to find the best bargains at the supermarket
STEP FIVE: AROUND THE WORLD
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ALWAYS check the “world foods aisle” for cheaper tinned items, spices, and lots more.
For example, I love the Grace hot pepper sauce, which is £1.10 for 85ml at Sainsbury’s, compared to Tabasco at £2.50 for 57ml.
STEP SIX: SCAN AS YOU SHOP
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LOTS of supermarkets now have scan-as-you-go apps that let you count up your spending as you shop.
I’ve used apps or hand-held scanners at Asda, Tesco, and Morrisons and recently downloaded the Sainsbury’s SmartShop app to tally up costs before I get to the till. This helps to stay within budget.
STEP SEVEN: YELLOW STICKER ITEMS
I KEEP my eyes peeled for yellow sticker discounts. Almost every supermarket has a section filled with them.
They are popped on items which are nearing or at their sell-by date.
The first yellow sticker goods usually appear mid-morning, while the biggest price drops can often be found at the end of the day, from 7pm.
Last week at Lidl, I picked up a pack of chicken breasts reduced from £5 to just £1.50, and some yoghurt that was 80p instead of £1.65.
STEP EIGHT: ‘DOWNSHIFT’ BRANDS
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SUPERMARKET own brands have upped their game in terms of quality — and you can often save 20 to 30 per cent by downshifting to them.
I’m quite attached to some branded snacks like Walkers crisps. So I try to downshift my staple items such as flour, sugar, tinned tomatoes, laundry detergent or cleaning products. A 1.5kg bag of Sainsbury’s own-brand flour is just 79p compared to £2.05 for a branded version.
STEP NINE: BUY FROZEN
TOWARDS the end of my shop, I head to the frozen aisle to pick up spinach, cod and chicken breasts for my freezer.
They are easy to cook straight from frozen and I’ve saved a small fortune.
A 2kg bag of frozen chicken is £3.75 at Sainsbury’s, compared to a whopping £15.66 for the same quantity of fresh chicken breasts. I also buy frozen fruit and veg such as beans and broccoli.
STEP TEN: USE LOYALTY SCHEMES
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BEFORE I head to the till, I activate Lidl coupons on the app.
These give me free items when I reach a certain spend. I get a free bakery item for spending £50 in a month.
Wherever you shop, make use of the supermarket’s loyalty scheme. Tesco’s Clubcard members get access to cheaper prices on thousands of products. With Sainsbury’s Nectar, you’ll get a lower price on selected items.
I also use my Nectar card to build up points with 500 points worth £2.50 to spend.
I get coupons that boost my points on certain items, such as toiletries.
SAVE SHOPPING ONLINE
BOOST your savings when you’re shopping online:
SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE: Supermarkets tend to place their highest-priced items at the top of the page. Scroll down to uncover the best deals.
SEARCH BY “CHEAPEST”: This will push the most budget-friendly options to the top of the page.
SIGN UP FOR DELIVERY SUBSCRIPTIONS: If you do two or more online shops per month, the subscription pays for itself.
CHECK FOR ONLINE VOUCHERS: Check the supermarket’s website for any current vouchers or discounts. Sainsbury’s, for example, has a freebies and competitions page showcasing their latest deals.
SCAN THE “SPECIAL OFFERS” OR “REDUCED” PAGES: Find discounted items nearing their sell-by date that you can snap up for big savings.
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BEST BULK BUY ITEMS
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POPPY NEEDHAM, pricing pro at Approved Food, shares her top tips on what to bulk buy . . .
- Toilet paper, kitchen roll, tissues, cleaning products, and laundry supplies. Poppy says: “A 24-pack of loo roll or a large bottle of washing-up liquid will save you money in the long run.”
- Staples such as rice, pasta, quinoa, oats, lentils, and beans have long shelf lives and form the basis of many meals. “Buying larger bags of 5kg or more can significantly reduce the cost per gram,” says Poppy.
- Large packs of chicken. You can also buy cheap frozen chicken breasts in bulk.
- Tinned tomatoes, tuna, salmon, soup, fruits and vegetables. “Stock up when you see offers on multipacks or catering-size tins,” she says.
- Cooking oils, spices, seasonings, tea, coffee, and drinks. These items keep their quality for a long time.
- Larger or sharing packs of treats like chocolate. These are usually better value than single-serve portions.