One word. INFLATION. Isn’t it depressing to see food prices rising every week, not to mention petrol! We are counting every cent, and still it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep the grocery spend to a minimum. Here are 11 ways that I have found to shop smarter and save you money at the grocery store.
Here’s a fact that may surprise you: you may spend most of your money at the grocery shop this year. So it is crucial to master the art of grocery shopping.
The grocery shop is a place where your atomic habits really confront you. The tricky thing is, you are buying a lot of small cost things, every week. With small cost items, it is so easy for you to justify “Just One More Thing”. And if there are a lot of “Just One More Things” then…well, you know.
Also, it is so easy for the “Just One More Thing” to set in and become a weekly thing, and if you are not careful, it becomes the norm.
Plus, the supermarket is a gauntlet of “Just Get This One More Thing”.
So, when trying to save on your grocery bill, be wary of the store. Be wise to it’s schemes!
And that’s where I come in: to give you 11 practical ways to shop smarter so you won’t be bested by the grocery store. Let’s hop to it, shall we?
1. Order your groceries online
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This is a really challenging one for me because I am a bit strange and actually LOVE going to the supermarket. I love strolling through the aisles, seeing what new products are in, comparing prices, and seeing all the deals.
But supermarkets are physically designed to get you to buy more than you went in for. Look it up. End of aisle displays, treats at the counter, you name it. They have tricks galore.
Mind you, some supermarkets have injected these kinds of schemes onto their websites, but it IS easier to say “no” when you aren’t confronted with the physical product.
I’m guessing you don’t have the money to have your groceries delivered if you are reading this blog, but many supermarkets do offer a Click and Collect option. Do it. It’ll change your life. Especially if you have children (ya feel me?).
2. Discipline yourself to go to the shop ONLY once a week
Run out of milk? Nappies? OK, there are SOME things that you really can’t live without.
This is quite a big one. If you “know” that you can go to the shop every time you run out of something, then you will fall into the habit of frittering (been here).
You can actually live without many items for a few days, even if it means living on toast and peanut butter (actually, our peanut butter NEVER lasts till the end of the week).
The dangerous thing about frittering, is that your mind doesn’t actually register that you are spending money. You could actually spend $50 – $100 on these “emergency” shops.
I’ll tell you why you always over-spend on these kinds of trips. You are in a state of elevated stress, so you are slightly unguarded. In this state, you are entering the fray of the Supermarket, confronted at every turn by bargains and specials and new products. As you only went in to get 1 or 2 things, probably only $10 worth, it is easy to add another $5 or $10.
If the total price is still only in the double digits, you still don’t think you have spent that much.
So you do it again. And again. And again.
Therefore, I urge you: Master the Art of Making Do. You probably have already learned this through the lockdowns of 2020 and beyond. Hold on to this skill – it will bring so much value to your life. Financially and for your health.
3. Make Things From Scratch
I can hear you screaming “I haven’t got time for that, woman!” But, hear me out.
Things like bread, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, and cookies require generic ingredients that you will probably have on hand anyway. And if you organise yourself, you can carve 10 minute windows out of your day to get some of these things made. These items can cost $5-10 dollars each, and if you buy them every week, that really adds up. This amount of money could pay for a small holiday for you!
4. Buy versatile ingredients
Say to yourself: Ingredients, not meals. Ingredients, not meals. Buying ingredients sets you up to Make Things From Scratch and also to Make Do when you are beginning to see the bottom of the barrel. Pre made meals last for, well – one meal.
Versatile ingredients are the items that can be eaten in multiple ways like milk, pumpkin, tomatoes, cabbage, flour, rice, eggs. They can do multiple servings and you won’t use all of them up for one meal.
5. Buy Frozen
No, I’m not talking about chicken nuggets or potato wedges. In fact, there are actually a lot of foods that are in the frozen section that are more expensive and terrible for your health. What I’m talking about are berries, vegetables and pure meat (such as whole chicken or mince). This is the cheapest way to eat these healthy foods and pack a lot of nutrition into your meals without burning your pocket.
6. Only buy items when they are on special.
Supermarkets generally have sale rotations for their products. Some products have shorter rotations, meaning they come on sale more often (fresh fruits and veges). Some products have longer rotations – once a month or so. You may have already noticed this rhythm from your own shopping experience.
I recommend revolving your shop around this sale rotation. You could organise your shop to the extent you are only buying things when they are discounted (although some items never come on special. A 3 litre bottle of milk for example).
7. Buy in bulk if it is on special
This one goes hand in hand with my point above.
I get pricier things such as Honey or Truvia, only when they are on special, but enough to last me till I know they will be on sale again. I go through a box of Truvia every week, so I know that I am definitely saving when I buy it in bulk once a month at the reduced price.
If I am bulking up on one thing then I will forgo another to balance the bill out. For example, I will probably still have a supply of eggs so I know I won’t need to buy any more until next week, and then perhaps they will have come on sale again.
You know your own items that are your regulars. Challenge yourself to how many products you buy on special. Play the supermarket game, and beat them at it!
8. Buy the house brand
OK, if I was super rich, I would buy all organic, all the time. That kind of thing I am a sucker for. But as you know, I am a skin flint and I love a good bargain. For coconut cream, beans, milk, frozen vegetables, I buy the budget brands. Otherwise, it just adds up, you know?
9. See if your discount store has it before you buy full price
Another way to shop smarter is to go to the discount store, first. Discount stores are a great way to save money on shampoo, conditioner, meat, fridge and frozen items. Beware though – it’s so hard to walk away from all that cheap confectionery!
10. Make the most out of your expensive items.
Meat is a BIG portion of the grocery budget. It is very essential for growing children, so I do recommend buying one form of meat every week and try to flesh(ha, see what I did there?) it out as much as possible.
You don’t have to eat meat every night and only need to have about 100 grams at a time. So 1kg of meat should do about 10 servings.
I can make 1kg of mince last for 4 nights plus, and the same with a whole chicken. I have posted articles on how I do this, under the budgeting tab.
The meat you choose should be determined, of course, by what is on special.
11. Ask yourself “Do I really NEED this”?
Put the Coke back. Yes, all of those bottles! Back!
But seriously. The last way to shop smarter is to Question. Everything.
Try to find the items in your trolley that aren’t adding any health benefits to you or your family. They aren’t diet staples, they are diet fillers. Cookies, bars, drinks, chippies, you name it. For me, this was hot chocolate powder. And coffee sachets. And when I was pregnant, I had a huge addiction for sour cream-and-chive chippies (trying to blame it on the pregnancy…pah).
Now, these items don’t actually cost very much so it is easy to add them to the trolley. But I saved $20/week when I said “no” to these items.
These 11 practical Ways To Shop Smarter might seem a little bit daunting to you. Start trying to do at least 2 or 3 of these things now. Phase it in slowly so that it becomes your way of life – otherwise you might give up. You are still saving even if is only a little!
Remember, doing lots of little things can change your life in big ways!
What are some ways that you save at the grocery store?
Steph x
