In this cost of living crisis one thing that has hit everyone is the increase in their weekly grocery bill. An unavoidable expense. You need to eat three times a day 7 days a week as a basic so let me give you tips to drastically reduce how much you are spending weekly.
When I original wrote this post I said I spent ‘£20-25 groceries per week and eat nutritiously and a good portion.’.
That has since changed with the prices of food going up across the board its more £30-40 as an individual which is quite concerning thinking about how families are dealing in this time however I know there’s still cutting down I can do. Below are ways I personally am able to plan and make my money stretch.
Plan your meals
Planning your meals roughly before you go shopping allows you to identify the ingredients and how much you’ll need to spend. I tend to plan week by week. If something you were going to buy is half price buy two but try not to impulsively buy things that can’t be worked out in your budget. The first meals of the week should utilise what is leftover in your house from the week before. If you have some tomatoes you haven’t used, some salad plan around that. This reduces your food waste and helps you the following week. Opt for ingredients that are more versatile and can make multiple things to reduce how much you are buying. This also allows you to preview prices comparatively which brings me to my next point.
Go to Different Stores For Different things. Location dependant
People tend to go to the shop the is closest to where they live out of connivence but as times as getting tougher it might be worth venturing out and shopping at a variety of stores. If there’s a more affordable supermarket, butchers etc. near your office, your gym or somewhere you frequent that’s where you’re going to shop. I shop at M&S (its not as expensive as you think), Sainsbury’s and Aldi.
Do The Food Prep
Cut, dice and fillet yourself that already cuts the price in half. We pay for convinience a lot of the time and the premium attached to it. It is now more inconvenient than the work it takes to do it yourself. When you do those things yourself you also tend to get more for less. Especially with things like chicken, beef and veg. With things like chicken you have the bones you can use to make bone broth, stock instead of having to pay for it. Protein is the priciest part of my diet so it helps keep costs down. You are also learning important cooking skills that make cooking more rewarding and enjoyable.
Shop More Generic
There are somethings you can never buy the generic versions of. For me that is Heinz Ketchup and Fairy Washing up liquid. For most things I don’t mind buying the more generic versions. I would recommend trying different more affordable generic brands to see if you taste the difference. If you don’t then great if you do then just return back to what you were buying before. No point buying food you don’t like the taste of long term.
Use Your Freezer
Nothing lasts forever but most things can freeze. If food is approaching the expiry date and you don’t think you’ll use it in time stick it in the freezer. I tend to try to eat it within three weeks and it helps plan my future meals. It helps with planning and using food that you might buy in bulk last a long time. Also helps when you make bigger meals to store for your later self. I used to hate the freezer and eating food that’s been cooked and left there for who knows how long?, but I have found taking it out the day before and putting it in the oven or a pan to warm it up it tastes fresh and doesn’t break down. Avoid using a microwave!
Get Supermarket Rewards Cards
Every little helps so get your supermarket rewards cards they can provide coupons, vouchers and points which can reduce your spending. I tend to collect my nectar points and use it towards my Christmas food shop at the end of the year and it always makes a substantial dent in the total.
So there you have it. My tips to reduce the costs of your groceries. Hopefully there’s something in there you might not have thought about but if you have any tips you use please share them below.
Bye Now x
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