Low Budget Grocery Shopping - How to Save Money Doing Your Shopping?

No matter what your budget, nobody likes spending hundreds of pounds on grocery shopping and then throwing out expensive food as it was not used or not using a shopping list and end up buying randomly aanything which looks appetizing... my tips are all tested and saved me a lot of money during the years.

The Shopping Trip:

Please follow the rules as this will save you a lot of time and money...
1) Never go hungry shopping!
You will be in danger of wanting to buy more than you need...

2) If you can, go on your own!
Taking the kids with you could end up in a longer and more expensive trip...

3) Make a list before you leave
Stick to this list and don't just write it before you go but everytime you notice something is needed put it on the
list between shopping trips

4) Buy non-perishable goods in larger quantities
Dried pasta, canned food, frozen food, non-chilled drinks (water, juice, lemonades etc.), toilet roll and
everything else is mostly much cheaper in large quantities and saves you from running to the shop inbetween
to get e.g. toilet roll because you ran out and then end up buying it far more expensive

5) Don't be afraid to buy value products or unbranded ones
as they are good in quality and mostly half price, e.g.
if you can choose a whole chicken for 2.50 or for 10 pounds...they do taste the same if cooked properly and
nobody will notice!

6) Frozen veg or canned veg, fruit, fish etc.
has still loads of vitamins and comes in larger and cheaper quantities -
You can portion it better, you throw out less perished food and you can keep it for a long time in your freezer

8) Look out for special offers
such as 2 for one (attention if you do not need 2 packages it still comes cheaper to buy just one and not to
throw the rest out!) or buy one get one free etc. just browse through the advertisements before you go
shopping

9) Collect Vouchers, Club Card Points, Bonus Cards etc. and do not forget to bring them with you

10) Make a meal plan for the coming week -
This way you won't be forced to leave the house again to go for another shopping trip and it will help you to
plan your budget (p.11)

11) Set your budget
Together with a meal plan and a continous shopping list you will be able to guess approximately your
shopping budget and should try to take a set amount of money with you, which should be just a little bit
higher than your calculation (in case you guessed it wrong). This way you do not have to think if you should
put something not on your list in the trolley, as you cannot afford it! Do not cheat and take cards with you... it
helps to write down your price guess next to the items of the list. I got so good in guessing, that whenever I
go shopping I am never more than 2 pounds off my guessed total price. If i go shopping randomly I end up
giving away nearly double the amount of money!

12) Grab perishable products from the last row
Those have a longer date stamp and this gives you more time to use them and reduces wastage

13) Reduced Shelves
Most large super markets have certain days in the week where they drastically reduce perishables and it is a
true bargain as the food is still fine for a couple of days and looks still great. Find out when and where the
reduced shelves are filled up and have a look, it kind of fun too as you never know what you might find in there
and you can save up to 80% and more on price

I hope these ideas will help you as much as they helped me.