The weekly shop can take a big chunk out of your earnings so it’s important to make sure you don’t spend more than you need to.

Here are five great ways to save on your supermarket shop.

 

1. Buy own brand

It’s all too easy to be a bit snobby about own brand products. Why buy a cheaper product when you can afford a better brand?

However, this kind of thinking could be putting you out of pocket for nothing. The reason we tend not to buy supermarket own brand products has got very little to do with taste and much more to with appearance – in fact supermarkets purposefully make their own brand packaging bland! Really though, own brands offer better value and many times you won’t be able to notice the difference. It won’t work in all cases but it’s worth testing to see where you can save money!

2. Don’t be fooled by supermarket tricks!

Most of us probably assume that the layout of a supermarket is essentially random – that where they’ve put each section hasn’t been given a whole load of thought. But if you think that, you’re wrong.

Supermarkets are designed to make you spend money!

For example, don’t you think it’s a bit convenient sweets are right near the checkout?

Or have you ever noticed you can find better value deals by looking at the higher or lower shelves rather than the one directly in your eye line?

Oh yes, supermarkets know exactly what they’re doing.

To beat them, be aware of these dirty tricks and take your time when deciding what to buy. Ask yourself if that’s really what you want and do you really need it.

 

3. Find REAL offers

Buy-one-get-one-free offers and big discounts can seem appealing but often they can coerce us into spending on something that we wouldn’t otherwise have bought. Plus some of these offers can be misleading and aren’t anywhere near the big saving they’re pretending to be.

To find REAL bargains you need to find out where your supermarket keeps reduced items. These are items that haven’t sold and are nearing their use by date. Sundays and evenings are the best times to check for reduced products. Most of the items you’ll be able to freeze if you don’t use them straight away so you can take advantage of all kinds of great bargains.

4. Research prices

By using a site like MySupermarket you can compare prices of any items at all major supermarkets so you know exactly where to find the best deal.

Even if the savings appear quite small, think how much you could be saving over the course of the year. For example, if you can just save £1 a week you’ll have pocketed an extra £52 over the course of the year.

5. Make your food go further

One of the best ways to save money on your supermarket spend is to reduce the amount of things you have to buy there!

Keep a good supply of canned, frozen and dried foods you know everyone in your household will eat so you don’t have to rush out when the fridge is empty.

Equally reduce your portions if you often find yourself throwing food away. If you do find yourself with leftovers then save them and think creatively about how you may use them. For example, check out our delicious, cheap curry recipes here for ways to use up any leftover meat or veg.

We also strongly recommend one or two vegetarian meals a week as you’ll save a small fortune on not buying meat and you’ll feel healthier for it!

 

This was a guest post by Moneymagpie.

Tried any of these methods yourself? Let us know in the comments below!