Most of us like to eat and eat well! This is becoming more and more difficult with the rising inflation rate. Increasing fuel prices push up the cost of goods delivery, which in turn pushes up the prices of the goods.
This leaves us cautiously checking the prices of every item and wondering if we can afford it or not.
So, let’s see how we can keep the menu exciting and the costs down.
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How to Lower the Cost of Your Grocery Bill
There are ways and means to shop and feed your family more cost-effectively, and these tips will help you keep the hungry hordes happy.
- Make a shopping list and stick to it!
- Use your coupons and rewards
- Plan meals weekly
- Stay away from fancy meals with unusual ingredients
- Stay away from convenience meals
- Prepare more food than you need for leftovers the next day
- Make sure you clean and check your fridge, freezer and pantry regularly
- Shop around for the best deals
- Buy in bulk for items on special
If you’re feeling the pinch, you’re not alone. Australia’s annual food price inflation climbed to 4.3% in March 2022. This is up from the 1.9% in Q4 – the highest reading since Q3 in 2011.
Delving Deeper into Cost-Saving Grocery Tips
Let’s not waste time. We’ll dive right into our cost-saving tips.
1. Make a list and stick to it
Firstly, check your fridge and pantry to see what’s missing. If foods are about to expire, try planning your meal around this. Not only will it reduce your food waste, but it’ll also save you money. Next, keep your meal planning in mind so you know what items to buy.
A shopping list helps you avoid making impulse purchases, so walk past everything that’s not on your list unless you come across a fantastic special you can take advantage of.
2. Use your coupons and rewards
Certain stores like IGA, Woolworths, and Coles offer special rewards programs, which provide discounts or rewards points every time you shop there. Once your points have accumulated, you can redeem them for cash against your purchase.
The only thing is you have to spend a little first before your rewards points come into effect. There are also discounts you can get on the back of shopping receipts.
3. Plan meals on a weekly basis
Planning your meals for a week at a time will save a lot of food that would otherwise go to waste and save you money. Also, daily shopping is not a good idea because you could end up impulse buying! This way, you get the yummiest and cheapest seasonal items as well.
4. Avoid fancy meals with unusual ingredients
Fancy meals cost a lot, as do unusual and exclusive ingredients. If you want to try a particular meal, try and think of a substitute ingredient to replace the expensive one. For instance, instead of making a prawn cocktail, try using tuna fish instead.
5. Avoid convenience foods
Processed or premade foods can be expensive and are full of chemical ingredients and preservatives that tend to be unhealthy. Instead, make your meals from scratch, saving money and boosting your health.
6. Prepare more food than you need
Making more food than is needed will leave you with leftovers that can be used as a base for another meal or even just to give you a night off cooking. Bubble and Squeak is a traditionally British recipe made using leftovers, and you can get creative and change the ingredients slightly to use your leftover food.
7. Clean & check your fridge, freezer and pantry regularly
Keep an eye on the expiry date of items in your fridge and pantry and use them before they reach their “best before” date. If they are past their use-by date, throw them out. If you don’t check regularly, you may forget you have an item and end up repurchasing it unnecessarily.
8. Shop around for the best deals
Before planning your shop, go online and check which specials are available at which stores.
This takes a little longer because you might have to go to Woolies for your vegetables and Coles for your sugar and coffee. But you will surely get the best deals with the lowest possible prices for those items.
Buying non-perishables in bulk is also a great way to save in the long run.
Conclusion
As much as we try to save, sometimes we could benefit from a cash boost. Credit24 offers fast loans with repayments that won’t put you too much out-of-pocket.
IPF Digital Australia Pty Ltd, trading as Credit24, ABN 59 130 894 405. Australian Credit Licence 422839. The information in this article is of general nature and does not take into consideration your objectives, financial situation or needs. Lending criteria, fees and charges apply. For more information about our products, eligibility criteria and terms and conditions, please visit www.credit24.com.au.
Sources:
https://takeatumble.com.au/guides/how-to-save-money-on-groceries-australia/
https://tradingeconomics.com/australia/food-inflation
https://www.maggi.com.au/sdp/planning-weekly-shop/
https://takeatumble.com.au/guides/vip-and-discount-reward-clubs-in-australia/
https://www.nutritics.com/en/food/recipe-menu-management
https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipes/bubble-squeak-recipe/ufzesqbx
