Food Shopping On A Budget
Food shopping can be really expensive if you are doing it in the wrong places. With the rising prices in today’s society, everything can feel a little overpriced/expensive where ever you go. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of ways you can slash the prices and get everything which you need for cheaper. So, how can you do your food shopping on a budget?
Find out which supermarkets offer the best prices
The last thing which you want to do is pay more for an item which is a cheaper price in a different supermarket. According to recent research from the website, ‘Which?’, the cheapest supermarket of July 2020 is Aldi. They reviewed multiple items every single day throughout July to get the most accurate results possible. For a trolley filled with 85 of the most essential items, Aldi’s total came to £78.50 whereas Waitrose was a whopping £122.47. So, we advise that you try and do as much research as possible into which supermarkets offer the cheapest items you are looking for.
Create a shopping list
Creating a shopping list is a great way to avoid overspending when shopping on a budget. If you have prepared a list then you know exactly what you will pick up, meaning that you will not spend your money on unnecessary products which you may not use. Not only this, but you will also be able to get a brief understanding of how much your shopping trip will cost before you actually leave the house. If you write down what you are going to buy and how much it will roughly cost then you have an idea of how much you will be spending beforehand.
Try non branded products
Most supermarkets offer similar products at different prices. They are often split into different tiers so people can see the difference. For example, you have the premium brands (the ‘finest’), then you have branded products, then the supermarkets own items and lastly the value products.
Typically, the supermarkets own items and the value products are the cheapest options. Although despite the price being significantly lower than the others, the taste of some of the non branded products are very similar and can easily be the same quality. So, why not try meals including non-branded products to see if they work for you.
Have a look on the reduced shelf
The reduced shelf is full of products which have to be consumed on the same day or the following day. Depending on the product, prices could be cut down to under 50p. These items are great for people who can make use of foods on the same day. This could be by either eating them or freezing them.
Other Advice
If you are struggling to pay for essential food items and you are unable to get any financial help from the people around you, there are other options. For example, a loan. A loan is a sum of money you borrow from a lender and repay over time, but these should not be borrowed if you cannot repay them. For more information on loans and different types click here.