Food Shopping Savings

  • Write a menu and shopping list before you go shopping so that you are not tempted to buy unnecessary food.  Supermarkets want your money and are experts at enticing you to buy more than you really want.
  • Avoid shopping for food when you are hungry – your willpower will be weakened!
  • Try the supermarket comparison site. It compares the cost of your supermarket trolley at the major supermarkets including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s, Aldi, Iceland, Waitrose, Ocado and M&S. Although it checks the prices online they are usually the same price in store. It also suggests alternative options that may be cheaper.
  • Check for coupons before you go shopping. Supermarkets often give money off coupons so check if you have any when you have prepared your shopping list. The online site Money Saving Expert regularly updates its page showing a list of food coupons here  
  • Don’t be tempted by supermarket offers, such as Buy One Get One Free, unless you really want the two items. Also check that their offers will genuinely save you money – sometimes their offers are misleading! 
  • Don’t forget to look at the higher and lower shelves for your items. The items supermarkets want you to buy tend to be at you eye level – or in the case of sweets, at the eye level of children. 
  • Try a different brand – sometimes (not always) you can’t tell the difference. Sometimes it’s just the packaging that makes the item more expensive. I’m not suggesting you replace all your favourite branded products with cheaper ones, but try a couple each time you go shopping.
  • Buy discounted food that’s close or past its best before date or with damaged packaging. You will often find a section at the supermarket selling these items cheaply. Remember:

Use By Date

The use by date is about safety.

Foods can be eaten (and most can be frozen) up until the use by date, but not after.  You will see use by dates on food that goes off quickly, such as meat products or ready-prepared salads.  For the use by date to be a valid guide, you must carefully follow storage instructions.

Best Before Date

The best before date is about quality and not food safety.

The food will be safe to eat after this date but may not be at its best.  Its flavour and texture may not be as good.  The best before dates appear on a wide range of frozen, dried, tinned and other foods.  The best before date will only be accurate if the food is stored according to the instructions on the label.

Difference between use by and best before dates(Food Standards Agency)

  • Save money by purchasing food that is close or past its best before date online from approvedfood.co.uk.
  • Shop when the supermarkets discount some of their products. The Money Saving Expert has updated its guide when supermarkets reduce their prices:

Food Shopping Savings

Food Shopping Savings
Food Shopping Savings
Food Shopping Savings

Asda

7pm

Co-op

5pm for 50% Discounts

8pm for 75% Discounts

M&S

6pm for 7pm Closing

8pm for 9pm Closing

Some Discounts after lunch

Morrisons

Late morning/lunchtime

Sainsbury’s

Can be 1.30pm, more likely 7pm

Tesco

Can start at 8am

Big Discounts early evening

  • Use budget supermarkets. I regularly shop at Lidl and have noticed a big reduction in my food bill. Unfortunately I cannot buy everything I need from there so have to then shop at one of the larger supermarkets. Admittedly it takes more time to do my shopping but the savings are worth it.
  • Divide your trolley to take advantage of ‘price match’.  Tesco, Asda and Ocado promise to refund the difference when groceries are cheaper at their rivals. The trick here is to separate your purchases into those you will pay full price for and those that have been discounted. At the checkout present those full price items first and pay for them. You may receive a price match voucher, and if you do present it with your discounted shopping. By separating your purchases your discounted shopping items will not reduce your spend and you are likely to get a greater price match discount voucher.

If you are really struggling, click here for places where you may be able to get free food and/or food at greatly reduced prices.

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