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How to cut your weekly grocery shopping costs
That’s why we believe it’s important to budget and track your spending so you can remain the finance hero you love and most importantly your bank account loves. No matter what lifestyle or diet you may choose, you should always be able to buy the food you need whilst still saving money.
To assist you on your finance hero journey, here are our 10 simple grocery shopping hacks that we know you will love and can stick to!
Shop Seasonally
Craving peaches or mangoes?...think again. Right now in Australia, it is Spring, so that means it is the grapefruit and orange season. So berries and peaches are a bit more expensive in the off-season. It’s important to focus on fruits and vegetables that are in season when you’re shopping because not only do they taste better, but seasonal produce usually makes your money go that extra mile.Be a loyal shopper and sign up for loyalty programs
Whether it’s a Woolies rewards program or Coles’ Flybuys credit system, you can never underestimate the power of rewards and loyalty programs. Most likely your local grocery store has its own rewards program that might include discount and exclusive coupons, as well as offering special deals. Always have a look at their website before you shop, you might snag a very cool deal!Stick to your grocery list
Just like an emerging actor in Home and Away, never go off-script. In this case, stick to your grocery list! We don’t care that the DIY bread kit is on sale and you’ve always wanted to make at-home bread, you haven’t budgeted for it this week. The moral of the story is...if you want to splurge on an item, go right ahead but double-check if you can afford it this week (or save for it the following week!).Homebrand all the way
Sometimes in life, the home brand version will do and you just have to ask yourself “What’s the difference between this gourmet bag of almonds and this Coles-branded bag of almonds?” Most of the time there isn’t a real difference and you can easily check this by looking at the ingredients on the back of the packet/item. Don’t worry, you can thank us later.
Buy in bulk
Channel your inner “Buy in Bulk Beast”. If there is an opportunity to save money, here is your chance. As mentioned in our 10 Easy ways to save money every day blog, buying in bulk may seem expensive upfront, but over time it will be the difference between splurging on the large coffee or having no coffee at all.
Bring your reusable grocery bag
This is great for so many reasons. Firstly you can save on the 30 cent fee you now need to pay for plastic shopping bags and secondly, you’re saving the environment. Don’t be silly, always have reusable grocery bags in either the back of your car, near your front door or even in your bike basket.
Fresh food is for the win
Some might think that fresh produce is more expensive than packaged food! But you’d be surprised how far a bunch of bananas compared to 30 tiny packets of crisps can take you. If you have children, you might even be able to score free fruit at some grocery stores!Bargains are your best friends
Always subscribe to your grocery stores’ email list or check out their website for any hot deals or bargains. Another tip for sourcing bargains is to properly plan your shopping visit. We know life can be busy but grocery shopping can be an experience/learning curve to find out what offers are on and where to save a buck!Compare the pears
Never go grocery shopping on an empty tank! We should always be strategic about how we grocery shop, but also when we grocery shop. It’s just simple logic, if you’re hungry and go into the land of plenty...you will come out with plenty and a longer list of expenses. Eat before and shop safely.
We hope that these 10 ways to cut your weekly grocery costs have motivated you to be more coin conscious! If you are struggling to save or need help budgeting, the Beforepay app has a budgeting and spending tool, as well as a Pay Advance designed to help you keep your finances on track. Still hungry for more budgeting tips? Check out our 10 Easy ways to save money every day blog.
Disclaimer: Beforepay Group Ltd, ABN: 63 633 925 505. Beforepay allows eligible customers to access their pay and provides budgeting tools. Beforepay does not provide financial products, financial advice or credit products. The views provided in this article include factual information and the personal opinions of relevant Beforepay staff and do not constitute financial advice. Please read our Terms of Service and the Terms and Conditions of our Pay Advance carefully before deciding whether to use any of our services.
