Supermarket Savings Secrets

Ten top tips to get more food for less money.

Tips courtesy of Simple Savings 'The Secrets to Saving Money in Australia' website.

Buying in bulk

Where possible, buy in bulk. Do check that a large packet is actually cheaper than several small ones though. The economy size packs are sometimes more expensive per kg. Check this with products such as cereal, milk, biscuits, ice cream and so on - you can make big savings this way.

Comparison Shopping

Compare prices of shelf items. Those at eye level are not usually the cheapest. Shops are paid a premium by the manufacturers to get their products placed there. Look above and below to check prices of other brands.

Do Your Homework - Plan Your List

Do your shopping list on Excel, with the product name, size and price, and just copy from the master list the items you need for that week. Use Autosum to calculate the total amount. If it is more than you have, then delete the 'luxury' items until you get down to your budget.

Watch the Scanner

Watch the scanner and check all dockets. You'll get something for free regularly by doing this. Also, if any fresh produce does not last four days (deli meats included), ring the shop and advise them. They should be happy to give a full refund. Keep all your dockets to keep track of your spending, and helps when returning items.

Raincheck Items

If something is advertised in supermarkets as being on special, but have all sold out at the time of your visit, you may be able to get a raincheck on the product. Simply go to the service desk and ask.

When to Shop

If possible, try getting out to the shops between 9pm and midnight. You'll find that most of the mark downs occur during this time. There are many items reduced - cooked chickens, bread, juice, cakes, cheeses and fresh meats. Find out the trading hours for the major supermarkets in your area.

Reduced Goods

Check the use-by dates and get a mark down. When shopping, always check the dates thoroughly. If there are only a few days left, ask an assistant for a mark down due to the time limit. More often than not you may receive a few dollars off, depending on the item. It just takes a good eye.

Impulse Shopping

The best way to save is to only buy what you need. Walking into a shop with only a vague idea is the quickest way of falling victim to impulse buying. Make a shopping list so all your buying decisions are made at home, away from their influence.

Sometimes the corner shop is cheaper

When you only need bread and milk, go to the local milk bar. It may cost a little more there for those items, but you'll save more, because you only buy what you came for, instead of browsing supermarket shelves for things you don't need.

Online Shopping

Save money by doing grocery shopping online. This way, you wont be tempted to buy those little extras that catch your eye in the supermarket. You can keep better track of your spending and can shop at more convenient times. If you go over budget, just delete non-essential items to keep under it.

Be Flexible

Be flexible with what you buy. If sweet biscuits are on your shopping list, choose the ones that are on sale, instead of choosing the same brand every week. If you live by yourself, how about going grocery shopping with a friend in a similar situation? Apart from saving on petrol, there may be many items that you can split 50:50 and save!

More Suggestions:

These tips are extracted from the tips available at Simple Savings 'The Secrets to Saving Money in Australia' website. Our members area, known as the 'Savings Vault', contains over 6,000 money saving tips that work. For more information, or to sign up for our free monthly newsletter, visit Simple Savings Secrets.