Planning and preparation are key when it comes to saving money on your groceries. With a little bit of research and forward thinking, you can save big on your weekly shop. We’ve put some together some top tips you can put to use before you even step foot in the store.
Take a look at our favourite pointers below and you’ll be saving money on your groceries in no time.
Shop your pantry
You may have heard the term shop your closet before, well now it’s time to shop your pantry! Take stock of what you have and see what you can turn into a meal. You may be surprised how many dishes you can create or at least get a head start on based on what you already have. SuperCook is a great resource for recipe inspiration, you can type in the ingredients you already have and they’ll show you how to turn it into a meal.
Utilise your leftovers
Chances are you’ve thrown away more than a few leftovers this year. Try to make better use of them by turning dinner leftovers in to lunch the next day or dedicating a particular night to eating up any leftovers in your fridge. This could potentially save you money on a couple extra meals a week – how great is that?!
Check discount sites
Discount sties like OzBargain and Grocery Run are great for grocery specific deals. You can even purchase e-gift cards from Ozbargain at a 5% discount to use on your weekly shop so every shop you do is an extra 5% off – winning!
Make a list
Whether you jot things down throughout the week or you write your list before you step out the door, it’s a good idea to keep a list handy to ensure you’re buying only what you need. This will also ensure your stick to your allocated grocery budget.
Track your spending
Part of any good budgeting practice, it’s helpful to track your grocery spending habits to see how you’re really spending your money. There are plenty of tracking apps around like Wally, to help automate this process. And if you like apps, checkout this other article on our favourite money managing apps.
Manage your children’s expectations
If you have children, you know that they can be pretty clever about sneaking extra items into your basket. The simplest solution is to leave them at home with a sitter, however that’s not always an option. If you’re taking the kids along, let them pick one item each from your list that they’re able to choose themselves. For example if you have cheese on the list, let them pick what type of cheese. That way they feel like they are included in the decision-making process and they each get something they want.
Don’t go hangry
You know that cross over when hungry meets angry? Don’t shop when you get into this zone. Studies show that you buy more when you shop hungry, so make sure to fill up before you go.
Plan for impulse buys
Some people would advise you to avoid impulse buys, we say plan for them! Similar to the way many people approach their diet, plan for some cheat room in your budget. That way you can feel guilt free about buying those Pringles by the checkout aisle. Even if you only build in $2 for impulse buys, you still feel like you’ve treated yourself. Sometimes it’s easier to stick to a budget when you know you’ve got a bit of room to budge.
As you can see, there are plenty of things you can do to save money on your next grocery shop before you even step out the door. With a little bit of planning and preparation, you’ll be well on your way to mastering those groceries.
If you’re having trouble saving money and you need a better way to manage your expenses, give us a call. We’ve helped thousands of Australians regain financial control and we can help you too. Call 1300 368 322 today to speak with one of our friendly consultants.