Save Money On Groceries: 40 Frugal Food Hacks
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Learning how to save money on groceries could save you an absolute fortune – I’ve managed to slash the cost of my grocery bill using these tried and tested tips. From saving money on your online groceries shop to knowing when food is gone off these supermarket hacks and frugal foodie tips should help you save money every week.
Frugal Food Hacks To Save Money On Groceries
1. Cut down on Junk
Junk food – since reducing our grocery budget and we really keeping an eye on what we spend buy far less fizzy drinks, crisps and chocolate. We use a maximum base price for some products.
For example, we won’t pay more than £2.50 for a tub of Ben & Jerry’s Ice cream. You can read about how I save on some of my favourite luxury food items in this post.
2.Use a basket instead of a trolley
Having to carry all your shopping around with you means you’ll be less likely to grab loads of stuff you don’t need! A small basket also makes you much more aware of every little thing that goes into it and hopefully will encourage you to spend less on your groceries.
3.Drop a brand, or two
An oldie but a goodie. Try dropping a brand down in the supermarket and see how you get on. If you don’t notice the difference then stick with it. You could then try dropping again to the economy/budget version rather than supermarket own brand and save even more. We did this with fizzy drinks – Lidls own Cola is about 45p 75% cheaper than the brand and we’re used to it now so don’t really notice the difference.
4. Check the price per 100 grams
When products are on offer, a smaller bottle or different brand may still be cheaper. Look at the measures and take note of the price you are paying per 100 grams or 100mls. One of the places to wacth out for this Poundland. While they do offer lots of bargains – sometimes the bottles on cleaning products are slightly smaller so supermarkets come out cheaper on price per 100ml.
5. Co-op’s £5 Meal Deal is a winner
I’ve mentioned before about how much I love co-op for several reasons:
- They have great late night reductions – I buy most of my meat and veggies from them.
- They have really good special offers – the same as most of the big four.
- An excellent loyalty points scheme
- Super friendly and helpful staff (at least at my local ones anyway)
One of their best offers is £5 frozen meal deal which usually runs for two or three weeks and has five or six items which make up a meal and pudding for 4. There are usually a couple of main items (such as pizza, fish or breaded chicken) plus two or three sides, such as frozen vegetables, fries or onion rings and a dessert such as a tub of ice cream or Apple Pie. The value changed depending on the featured products but the RRP is usually around £12.00
6.Do much smaller shops
Before a major overhaul of our spending, we didn’t budget for our groceries. We would head to the supermarket and throw whatever we wanted into the trolley. We now shop more but spend a lot less – a few smaller shops each week buying exactly what we need and stocking up on reduced meat and vegetables. It also means we are more aware of what we have at home so don’t buy things we don’t need.
7. Try the World Foods aisle or an Oriental Supermarket for cheaper Spices
Buying little jars of herbs and spices from the supermarket is by far the most expensive place to buy them. This is especially true if you do a lot of cooking from scratch and use lots of them. Find the world food aisle where they are likely to be significantly cheaper – even in the same supermarket. Oriental supermarkets are also fab for stocking up on cheap herbs and spices.
8. Bulk Buy Your Meat
We tend to buy meat when it’s reduced in the supermarket or my local Co-op but I know some people aren’t always able out in the evenings to get the best bargains.
Muscle Foods started out trying to appeal to those on a high protein diet such as bodybuilders – but the prices are so good that plenty of families have begun ordering from them too. It is always wise to compare with supermarket prices first to ensure you really are getting a bargain, but generally speaking, they have good deals on good quality meat.
9. Try Joining a Wholesalers Such as Costco
Certain professions are entitled to apply for a membership to wholesalers such as Costco.
Groupon currently has an offer for a years membership which includes the following:
- £28 for a 12-month Costco membership including a £14 in-warehouse voucher and freebies
- Membership also includes a complimentary 12-month spouse/domestic partner card
- Freebies include: Kirkland Signature Rotisserie Chicken, Kirkland Signature Chocolate Fudge Cake & Kirkland Signature 48pack of AAA batteries
This means you get the £28 back immediately. Some things can be a bit pricier, some are definitely cheaper too – in particular meat. It’s also a great place to stock up if you’re getting married – wholesale sweets are ridiculously cheap as are things like napkins and candles.
10. Loyalty Points
While you should definitely not shop anywhere just for the loyalty points, as you’ll be much worse off – if you’re shopping somewhere anyway always be sure to have loyalty cards with you. There are Apps that can store all your loyalty cards digitally, as can many of the individual supermarket apps such as the Nectar app and the Morrisons More app although I always worry about my battery dying.
It’s not only in-store either – Nectar points can be collected on Petrol, online at stores such as eBay and by doing surveys. My full post on Loyalty Points is here.
11. Try some shopping Non-Supermarkets for Groceries such as Poundland or B&M
While not all groceries are cheaper in Poundland, it’s great for stocking up on certain items for less. Pot Noodles are 2 for £1 when most other supermarkets are charging £1 each. Foxes Viennese Melts (chocolate biscuits) are 2 packets for £1 – most other supermarkets charge £1 but I’ve seen them for as much £1.58. Poundland is also perfect for stocking up packets of sweets especially as these are usually 50p a pack cheaper than supermarkets – a must do before any cinema trip where there often £2.50 plus.
B&M has an ever growing range of branded food items which sell for much less than many of the supermarkets. While it would be very difficult to do a week’s shopping there, it’s worth keeping an eye for your favourite products.
You could also pick up this Jo Malone Candle Dupe for £285 less than the branded version.
12. Knowing The Difference Between ‘Best Before’ and Use By’
Knowing the difference between Best Before and Use by could make a huge difference to the amount of food you throw away.
Best before is an indicator of the quality of food before that date – food is often delicious and completely safe to eat long after this date as long as it has been stored properly, there’s just a small chance it might not quite be at it’s best. Most tins, jars and dried goods will have a best before date but generally speaking, you can probably ignore it unless the food is showing serious signs of deterioration.
Use by is the date that food should potentially be used by and is used on fresh and ready to eat foods. While supermarkets and restaurants are required by law to stick stringently to these dates, what you do at home is entirely up to you. If you buy a portion of food with today’s date as it’s used by date, it is not going to give you food poisoning at one minute past midnight. Using sensible judgement on the feel and smell of the food is fine. People not understanding this is something contributes hugely to food waste in the U.K. It’s worth remembering that butchers and greengrocers don’t put a use by date on their products so we tend to use our best judgement anyway.
13. Split Your Coupons
As an example, Lidl’s often have coupons in their seasonal magazine for £5 off a £40 shop. Their coupons also appear in national newspapers – there was recently one for £10 of a £40 shop which is a huge saving. If you normally spend over £80 split your shopping in two and get the money of each half, doubling your savings.
Save money on groceries: Online Shopping
14. Take advantage of new shopper discounts
If you do your grocery shopping online don’t be afraid to shop around. There are lots of new customer codes out there, don’t be afraid to take advantage of all of them!
- Sainsbury’s are offering £18 off a £60 shop
- Ocado is offering 30% off your first two shops
- Waitrose is currently offering £30 (min £100) off your first shop and £20 off the next two shops (min £80 spend).
- Morrisons £12 off when you spend £60
Buying Reduced Food To Save Money
15. Buy reduced food
I’m one of the people that lurk around the reduced aisles hoping to find a bargain and I usually do. The majority of the meat and vegetables we buy are reduced and this saves us an absolute fortune. I try to aim for products that have been reduced by at least 50% and then freeze or batch cook them into something to fill the freezer as soon as I get home.
I’ve written a couple of posts about how much I love buying reduced food:
Reduced Food and Why You Should Be Buying It
10 Misconceptions about buying reduced food.
16. Look out for deleted lines to save money on groceries
As well as buying reduced items in the fresh section, there are lots of other places to find reductions. My local co-op recently had a HUGE clear out and I got stocked up on lots of store cupboard essential for very little money.
This included 1-litre bottles of Napolina olive oil for £1.50 and foxes biscuits that had been reduced to 13p and went through the till on a buy one get one free offer. I actually went back and got more to donate to the local food bank.
17.Freeze Whole Birthday Cakes
When I head out late in the evening to grab reduced bargains, I’ll often find whole birthday cakes reduced by as much as 90% – sometimes making them less than a pound. If you think one would be perfect for you, buy it and pop it in the freezer until needed – just allow a day or two to thaw beforehand.
How To Freeze Yellow Sticker Birthday Cakes
18. Corner Shops have reductions too
Usually, I try to avoid corner shops, due to how expensive they are. However, my local Spar does seem to reduce their fresh produce right down to pennies. Recently I’ve had whole chickens for £1, packs of minced beef for just £50p and sausages for 20p for a pack of 12.
Budgeting & Planning to save money on groceries
19. Be prepared
If you’re always buying lots of reduced food it’s worth making sure you have the room at home to store it. I usually take food out of its bulky plastic packaging and decant it into smaller, reusable containers or sandwich bags before freezing.
20.Budget Envelopes
Set a budget and put the money for spending on shopping in a different purse or wallet. This will make it easier to keep track of and you will be able to see what you have left to spend after each shop. This method really helped when I cut my groceries bill down to just £50 a month.
21. Know what you can and can’t freeze
Having a good knowledge of what can and can’t be frozen can really help when picking up reduced food, especially when it comes to meat and other fresh produce. I will often freeze whole pieces of cheese, fresh pasta sauces and cakes as well as joints of meat or packs of sausages.
22. Make the most of your Freezer Space
Having the space to store reduced food in my freezer ensures I’m saving money and letting any food go to waste – whether I’ picking up reduced goodies from the supermarket late at night or bulk buying from somewhere like Muscle Food, using the space as efficiently as possible means my freezer is always full on a super tight budget. You can read my full post on saving space in the freezer here.
23. Freeze Chocolate
Whether it’s chocolate leftover from Christmas that’s not going to get eaten or lots of cheap chocolate bought in the post-Christmas sales, everyone seems to be chucking it in their freezers. While chocolate does have quite a long best before date, having a high dairy content means it can off more easily than some other products.
24. Don’t forget your Carrier Bags
This is still something I often forget to do. If you do a big weekly shop and buy 10 strong carrier bags each time that’s ‘only’ £1 a week – or over £50 a year which for us is another two weeks worth of shopping. In a bid to reduce plastic waste, some supermarkets are upping the cost of theirs – Morrisons to 20p and Iceland to 50p for it’s home delivery service.
Cashback and Coupons and Freebies
25. Use Shopping Apps
Shopping apps such as checkout smart, Shopmium and GreenJinn have saved me an absolute fortune over the last few years. I’ve saved money on everything from food & drink to toiletries to pet food. They are definitely worth signing up for and you can read my full post on them here: Try these Apps to save Hundreds on your Grocery Bills each year
26.Try Couponing
Couponing can be a great way to save money on groceries. Start out with just one or two coupons and you’ll still be making a saving, then as you get more confident use more and save more money. Here is my beginners guide to couponing
Recipes & Cooking
27. Get Creative in the Kitchen
Don’t be scared of trying new ingredients if they are cheaper. I often pick up more unusual meat in the reduced section and then look up recipes to make a meal out of it.
It can also help not to stick to the same meals every week – mixing things up can help save money as you’ll be able to advantage of a bigger range of special offers.
28. Go Meat-Free once a week
I’m slowly starting to get my husband on board with going meat-free once in a while. Using ingredients that have a strong taste such as chilli and ginger can help disguise the fact there’s no meat but still make the dish super tasty.
Meat Free Monday isn’t always the best day of the week for a vegetarian dinner – if you have lots of leftovers from your Sunday dinner then Monday is the day to get them used up! You could do them in the slow cooker using one of these tasty recipes.
29.Meal Planning With a difference
Flexible meal planning is the way forward for me. I’m not at all strict about which days we have which meals and I tend to make a list and then cross them off as we have them each night during the week instead of rigidly sticking to a plan. ]Sometimes I’ll write something vague like ‘Mince’ and decide what to do with it on the day, depending on what we fancy – burgers, bolognese, cottage pie, chilli. There is so much you can do with mince!
30.Have a ‘No Spend on Groceries’ Week
This idea might not be doable for everyone but if you go shopping each week out of habit, rather than a necessity, having a no spend week on groceries may well help you get creative and will save money.
It’s great for using up what you have lurking at the back of the cupboards and finding food that might have otherwise been forgotten about. It’s worth setting aside a very small amount of cash for fresh essentials such as milk and bread and seeing how far you can go living off of what you already have in.
This could also be a perfect opportunity to do a bit of stock take of what’s in the cupboards, make sure everything is in date order and to donate anything you’ve bought but won’t use to a local food-bank.
31.Make meals go further by Bulking out with cheaper ingredients
There are plenty of hacks for making your meals go further and typically they involve adding grains like beans or lentils. My favourite bulking out meals hack is to add a whole packet of dried stuffing mix – I do this in creamy pies such as my post Christmas turkey, ham, stilton and stuffing pie plus it’s a tasty and welcome addition to cheese sauces that can be used for macaroni cheese or other pasta dishes.
32. Love your Leftovers
Leftovers are one of the biggest types of food waste – it’s so easy too cook too much rice or pasta or make too much sauce. Make sure leftovers go straight in the fridge or freezer to stop them going off and have for lunch the next a day or add to another meal a later date. You can find some of my Sunday lunch leftover recipes in this post.
Saving Money On Alcohol
33.Ditch The Brands
34.Use Money Saving Apps
35.Do Some DIY
36. Avoid Overbuying
37. Be Quick on Special Offers
And Finally
38. Remember it’s okay to have a treat
While I love being frugal and saving money where I can – it’s also okay to have a treat sometimes too, as long as you can afford it and it’s not getting you into debt.
Our treats are usually foods that would be considered a luxury in our usual food budget such as a nice steak or a rack of lamb.
39. Remember, any saving is an achievement
Even if you are only able to save £2 a week on your bills that’s more than £100 saved over the course of a year. Small changes can make a big difference and the more you look at spending less the easier it becomes.
40. Find out how to save money on groceries at your favourite supermarket:
While I’ve not yet covered how to save money on groceries at all supermarkets, here are a few I have written about
- How To Save Even More at Lidl and Aldi
- Why Co-Op Is My Favourite Supermarket
- How To Save Money at Waitrose and M&S
- Saving Money at Sainsbury’s
- How To Save Money On Groceries when Shopping Online
How to Save Money on Groceries – Other Posts You Might Find Helpful
Saving money on groceries is one of my favourite ways to save money and something I have written about a lot. Here’s a quick round-up of posts not already mentioned in this articles.
- How To Beat Rising Food Costs
- Could Freeze Dried Foods save on food waste?
- How To Eat For Free: Free Samples
- Saving Money on Groceries: All Posts
- How To Do A Targeted Coupon Shop
- Save Money on Slimming World Foods
- How To Save Money On Groceries When You’re Vegan
- How To Save Money on Groceries When You Have a Food Intolerance
- All Food and Drink Posts
- Supermarket Reduction Times
Looking for more ways to cut costs? Take a look at my Money Saving Hub where I’ve brought together all of my best tips, tricks and guides to help you spend less and save more.
