We all know that food is one of the biggest expenses of any monthly budget. It’s also incredibly difficult to keep on top of, especially when the kids are eating you out of house and home each day! Slashing your food costs will make a huge difference to your overall monthly budget, and allow you save more money for things you want, like a holiday, a house deposit or you can even work towards paying off your debts – looking for debt advice? Try Creditifx for some simple guidance and information.
Believe it or not, saving money on your food costs doesn’t always mean you have to miss out on the foods that you love. All you need to do is change a few habits and be a little smarter with your spending. Check out how you can save money on food this month, below.
Hit the “whoops!” aisle
In every supermarket, you’ll find a section that contains items that have battered packaging or have maybe been damaged in transit. The food is perfectly edible, it just isn’t supermarket-shelf appropriate. These items are always heavily discounted, which means that there are bargains to find and savings to be had!
Supermarket brands are king!
Still, buying those big-name brands? Why? You’re only paying for the label. You can get a wide range of value products at considerably lower prices that are the same quality and taste as the brands you love. Consider only buying branded items if there isn’t a supermarket version available. Or, head to discount supermarkets like Lidl and Aldi where they only sell their own products.
Hit the markets
Some markets are still open or offering a delivery service. Don’t be afraid to haggle a little bit, you’re perfectly within your right to do so. Just be sensible and not too aggressive with it. You’re bartering for veggies, not gold!
Buy frozen veg/fruit
Fresh fruit and veg are great, but it has a shelf life and sometimes it only takes a few days before it starts to go bad. So, consider buying frozen options instead, you’ll still get the nutritional value and your 5-a-day intake. It’s also cheaper and there’ll be less waste.
Remember your bags!
Don’t get caught out by the 5/10p bag charge. Remember your shopping bags. Sure, it’s only a few extra pence here and there, but if you forget your bags every week and end up needing as many as ten to get your shopping back to the car, it’s going to add up over a year!
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