How To Save Money On Food
Tips For Saving Money On Food
Most people want to save their money, but for whatever reason never get round to it.
So if you are one of those people who would like to save but aren’t doing so, make a commitment to yourself right now that you will start saving a portion of your income each month.
However before you make this commitment, you must also understand that saving your money will sometimes mean cutting back expenses in areas of your life.
To help you do this have a look at the following tips on how you can save your money, and then apply whatever is relevant to you.
How To Save Money On Your Food Bills
Food is something you have to spend your money on, and it can be very expensive if you go about it the wrong way. So here are some tips on how you can save money on your food bills.
Shop At Large Stores
Try to avoid the temptation to buy food from your local convenience store or petrol station, as their prices are often much more expensive than supermarkets.
Convenience stores are just that, a convenience, so unless it is an absolute emergency buy your food somewhere else.
Don’t Shop When You Are Hungry
One of the worst times you can go shopping for food is when you are hungry, because everything looks so tasty and you end up buying things you don’t need. So never go shopping on an empty stomach!
Use A Shopping List
Before you go shopping write down exactly what you intend to buy and stick to it.
People who don’t have a shopping list tend to buy much more than they originally intended, and as a result have extremely high monthly food bills.
Shop Psychology
You may not realise this, but the way your local store lays out its product are designed to get you to spend the most amount of money during your stay there.
Generally you will find expensive brands positioned at eye level, because they are the first place you look.
Below these items will usually be cheaper brands and the stores own label brand, which in most cases is exactly the same product as the more expensive brands.
Another thing to look out for is products that are positioned near the checkout.
These are designed to get extra money from you by displaying low value items you can easily pick up while you are waiting to be served. Usually these will be things such as chocolates and magazines.
Buy Multipacks
If you drink a can of coke everyday then it is pointless buying individual cans. Instead get a multipack, and you can save yourself a lot of money each month.
The same goes for other items of food, so whenever possible buy in bulk.
Check Your Reduced Section
Most stores will have a reduced section where you can buy discounted food that has been damaged slightly (usually it is just the packaging).
Another tip is to find out when your store reduces its food. Most stores reduce food in the evening, because if they don’t sell it then they will have to throw it away.
Look for perishable goods such as meat, eggs and bread as often these are heavily discounted if they are approaching their sell by date. You can either use them immediately when you get home, or freeze them for future use.
Make Your Own Lunch
Making your own lunch is one of the best ways to cut down on your food bills, especially if you buy ready made sandwiches everyday.
The same goes for drinks such as coffee and tea, both of which you can make at home and then take to work with you in a thermos flask.
At dinner time make your own food rather than eating ready meals, as this will also help you to save money.
Watch What You Eat
If you eat food for comfort then you probably spend a lot of money on junk food such as potato chips and chocolate.
Try to adjust your eating habits by eating less often and eating better quality food. This will benefit your health and your wallet.
Grow Your Own Food
It is unlikely you will be able to grow everything you need, but growing your own food can still make a significant reduction to your monthly food bills.
Seeds are very cheap to buy, and as an added benefit the food you grow will also be organic, something which you would pay a premium for if you were to get it at the store.
Food which is easy to grow includes tomatoes, potatoes, herbs, onions, carrots and lettuce.
If you have a garden, buy some young fruit trees such as apple trees, plum trees or orange trees and in few years you will have a regular supply of organic fruit.
Supersizing
Some products come in different sizes, and the larger sizes work out to be more cost effective.
However unless you actually need the larger sized item, avoid getting them just because they work out cheaper. If you don’t need it, then you will probably end up throwing it away which will be a waste of money.
The same applies to offers on products. In order to get you to spend more, the stores will often label one product as £3 or two for £5. Again, if you don’t need it don’t spend extra money on it.
There is an exception to this, and that is with non perishable items which you can store away and will eventually use.
For example, washing up liquid, washing powder or dried foods are all good items to buy if you can get them cheaper in bulk.
Special Offers & Coupons
When new products are released they are usually done so at an introductory price which is cheaper than what they will be sold at later on.
Stores will also tend to have seasonal special offers, such as after Easter or Christmas.
Buying an Easter egg at Easter is very expensive, so if you do want an Easter egg wait till after Easter and get it when they reduce them.
When you enter a store pick up a their magazine if they have one, as sometimes there will be coupons in them.
However only use the coupon if you intended to get that item, otherwise it is just another tactic the store uses to get you to spend more money.
Eating Out
If you enjoy eating at restaurants be aware that this is an expensive habit to have, especially if you eat out every week.
If eating out is not important to you, avoid this expense by eating at home and only eat out on special occasions.
The same applies to fast food restaurants such as McDonalds or Burger King. Even though these are cheaper than regular restaurants, they can still work out to be very expensive over the course of a month.
If you want to enjoy eating food with friends, then invite them over to eat at your place instead.
Your Money Saving Tips
If you have any good money saving tips, please share them in the comments section at the end of this page.
