It used to be so easy for us money savers.

If we needed to shave some pennies and pounds from our grocery budgets, we headed straight for the bottom shelves in the supermarkets, where the cheapest baked beans, spaghetti hoops and pasta were to be found with easily identifiable budget branding.

But what has happened to supermarket value brands, most of which seem to have disappeared? The picture seems somewhat unclear at a time when many families are struggling the most.

First, we had the distinctive blue and white stripes of Tesco’s Value range, the orange Sainsbury’s Basics brand and Asda’s plain Smart Price offerings.

The supermarket price wars being waged when these were introduced in the 1990s meant that you could at one time pick up a can of beans for 3p and a loaf of bread for just 7p.

These brands may have been no frills, but they were excellent value for money. Although occasionally renamed and redesigned over the years, the ranges were still recognisably the best value. However, the picture is not so simple for the bargain hunters amongst us now.

Brand snobbery

Back in 2012 that Tesco revamped its Value range to spare the embarrassment of its customers. Renamed Everyday Value, the updated range boasted of being better quality and having fewer additives, as well as looking less obviously the cheapest of products on offer. However, it was still easily recognisable as a budget brand.

There was always a certain amount of shame among less well-off shoppers about resorting to the budget ranges. Lower prices tend to be associated with poorer quality, even when it isn’t necessarily true.

Personally, I had a family to feed on a limited budget, so had no compunction about buying such products. I would try them once, and if I didn’t like them move up to the next level own brands.

However, as Aldi and Lidl arrived and began to offer real competition to the larger supermarkets, the no-frills ranges became less popular. Customers could purchase items just as cheaply but with none of the stigma that might have come with buying a Value, Basics or Smart Price offering.

The budget brands weren’t offering the solution the big three supermarkets had hoped for in their battle against newcomers Aldi and Lidl, and they began to change their approach.

The arrival of phantom brands

So-called ‘phantom brands’ have now started to take the place of the original value ranges. These are own brands (also known as private labels) in a different format.

They have no reference to the supermarket and don’t carry their logos, so it isn’t obvious that they are private labels. They are given wholesome names such as Mary’s Dairy and Willow Farms and have eschewed the stark and basic packaging of the value brands for a softer, more general look.

As a result, customers perceive them as superior to the very basic ranges, although still very good value. 

In this respect, the big supermarket chains are simply playing catchup with Aldi and Lidl, who have carried dupes of everything from cornflakes to candles since their arrival.

Aldi’s popular private labels include Choceur, Cucina, Specially Selected and Bramwells, whilst at Lidl you can find Batts, Gellatelli and Deluxe.

How to identify the budget labels

So, how to identify the private labels? Phantom brands seem to muddy the water somewhat for the frugal shopper, although a simple price comparison will quickly identify the best-value products. 

At Tesco’s, private labels include Creamfields, Butcher’s Choice, Rosedene Farms and Eastman’s.

In Sainsbury’s you will find Hubbard’s Food Store, The Greengrocer and Stamford Street Food Company.

Asda’s approach

Asda has taken a different route from the other supermarkets, retaining an easily identifiable no-frills private label in the form of its Just Essentials range, launched in Just Essentials has been a big success for Asda: 

“Excluding fuel, like-for-like sales jumped 9.6% in the three months ended June 30, while revenue reached £5.4 billion (€6.2 billion).”

With the cost-of-living crisis ongoing and many families struggling, choosing budget private label ranges over their much more expensive branded rivals is a no-brainer.

Although it is more confusing, once you become aware of their existence, the cheaper brands will jump out at you, and you will know what to look for.

Do you regret the passing of many of the no-frills budget grocery brands, or have you embraced the new private labels? If you find it confusing, let me know in the comments below!

Photo Credits: Pexels

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The new year is a great time to revamp your finances and make some resolutions that you can stick to. Here are eight easy ways to save money in 2023.

1# Start planning all your meals

How can writing a meal plan save you money? Well, ten minutes each week organising your family’s meals has several benefits.

Firstly, you can ensure you use the food you already have, reducing food waste. Secondly, by doing an audit of your cupboards and writing a shopping list alongside your plan, you will only buy what you need. 

You can also plan for those times when you are likely to be in a rush and be tempted by a takeaway.

For example, if you know the kids have swimming or football on a certain evening after school, you can ensure you have something quick and easy ready to go.

2# Switch or haggle

Use a comparison site to get the best deal on all of your utilities and contracts. Even if you don’t switch, you can use the data to get your current suppliers to reduce your bills to match.

Spend half a day going through everything and you could potentially save hundreds on phone bills, water bills, broadband and more.

3# Get your hair cut by a student

I love getting my hair done; it’s a real treat. However, it’s easy to spend £45 plus on a cut and blow dry.

If you want to save money in 2023, consider finding a student hairdresser to tend to your hair. You will likely pay less than a tenner or even get it for free!

Ask at some local salons to see if there is a student night. Alternatively, see if you have a college near to you running hairdressing courses. 

Students need to practise on real people at some point in their training. They are very closely supervised by their tutor, so don’t worry about getting a disastrous haircut. I have always had a positive experience.

4# Cancel things you don’t use or can’t afford

Consider all of your subscriptions and be brutal about whether you use them enough to justify the cost. It’s not just gym and sports club memberships we sign up to on a whim then don’t use.

There are food and drink subscriptions, beauty boxes, TV packages, magazine subscriptions and so on to think about too. 

Perhaps you can find ways to get the same things more cheaply. For example, you can get audiobooks, digital magazines and e-books through your library service for free.

5# Go SIM only

If you own your phone and are out of contract, you are likely to save a lot of money by switching to a SIM only deal. 

You don’t have to upgrade your phone just because there is a shiny new model out. If your current phone works ok, keep using it! You can save a lot of money doing this.

6# Reduce the cost of your groceries

With food prices unrelentingly on the rise, the idea of reducing your food costs may seem unfathomable. However, there are ways you can reduce the cost of your groceries. 

Firstly, check out apps such as Olio and Too Good To Go. Both are designed to stop good food going to waste. You can get completely free food via the Olio up.

Volunteers collect from businesses at the end of the business day and list items that would otherwise be thrown away.  Too Good To Go offers ‘Magic Bags’ from retailers such as Morrisons, M&S, Greggs and Costa. You pay £3.50 to £5 for your bag, which will be a lucky dip of whatever needs using first.

Secondly, make use of so-called ‘yellow stickers’ – reduced food near the end of its best before date. Retailers generally start reducing a few hours before close of business, but chat with supermarket staff to find out the best times to arrive for the bargains. 

Lidl does a Too Good To Waste box for £1.50, containing around 5kg of fresh produce. I have found the best boxes arrive in my local Lidl at around 8 am but, again, chat to staff.

7# Track your spending

It may seem like a chore, but tracking your spending can be very revealing. It makes you hyper conscious of exactly where your money is going, so that you can identify areas of waste and achieve your goals around debt reduction and savings.

If your financial life feels out of control, tracking your spending allows you to feel more organised, reduces the chance of debt and relieves some of the stress you can feel when you aren’t on top of your finances.

Ignorance may be bliss in some areas of your life, but when it comes to money it pays to be aware! 

You can get various apps to help you track your spending, or hang onto your receipts and do it manually once a week or so.

8# Have a no-spend month

Another way to regain control of your finances is by challenging yourself to a no-spend month. January is an excellent time to do this, when the excesses of the festive period are behind you and you want a fresh start. 

Having a no-spend month means no extraneous spending. You do, of course, pay your regular bills and buy groceries, but you have a rule to buy nothing but essentials. This means that you say no to new clothing, makeup, nights out – anything that you can do without. If that sounds daunting, it really isn’t – it’s only a month!

I find that having a strict no-spend rule doesn’t just help me to rein in my spending for the period I have chosen. It encourages me to make use of the stuff I already have and focus on things that don’t cost money, like time with friends and family. This tends to have a beneficial effect for the weeks and months ahead too, as I become vigilant about my spending urges and where I waste money.

How do you plan to save money in 2023?

Photo by Adam Winger on Unsplash

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With the cost of food rising, the last thing you want is to have to clear your fridge of unused items. Here are 12 money saving tips to help you stop wasting fresh food.

We’ve all been there. A bag of wilted spinach that was never opened, or a sad bowl of mushy fruit – food is easy to forget or mismatch and let go to waste. But this waste can be avoided with mindful preparation and planning.

In 2018 (the most recent available official data), food wastage cost the UK £19 billion, with households alone responsible for £13.8 billion. Each UK household could be saving hundreds a year by lessening food wastage.

Making fewer trips to the supermarket and cutting down on wasted groceries is one of the easiest ways to save on unnecessary snack splurges and make sure you’re using up everything you bought.

But the good food practices don’t end there, and with the cost-of-living crisis biting, what are some of the best ways to make the most of every shop?

Cutting your own food waste can save you some much-needed cash at a time when money might be tight.

Top tips to make your food last longer

From the best ways to store greens, to what foods to separate, these tips have got you and your groceries covered.

1. Store cut or peeled raw veg in water to keep it fresh and crisp. One of the best ways to slow your freshly cut veggies drying out between meals is to cover them with water in a jar or Tupperware and store them in the fridge. If you chop them up first, they’ll be ready for you to use whenever you need and you’ll be less likely to forget about them

2. If you’re only using half an avocado at a time, eat the side without the pip first. Leaving the pip in slows the avocado browning, giving you more time between uses. This can also be fully submerged in water for best results, as it’s the oxygen exposure that causes the flesh to brown!

3. Keep your milk at the back of the fridge! The best place in the fridge for milk actually isn’t the door. While it may be more accessible, the door is one of the warmest places in the fridge, so keep it further back to lengthen its lifespan.

4. Store a paper towel with your leafy greens in an airtight container to absorb any excess moisture, and keep them crisp. Wash and dry them first (easiest with a salad spinner).

5. Potatoes are the most wasted single food in the UK according to The Eco Experts – Store your potatoes with apples, it will slow the sprouting process! The gas that apples produce help to keep your potatoes sprout-free and firmer for longer.

6. Save crystalised honey with heat. Place your jar of hardened honey into a pot of hot water for 30 minutes, or microwave it (not in a plastic container) or a minute, and it will melt back to its original state.

7. No more slimy mushrooms! Storing mushrooms in paper bags, rather than plastic packaging, allows them to stay dry for longer.

8. If you forgot the paper towel trick, gently dunk your wilted greens in ice cold water for half an hour to crunch them up again! Use them as soon as possible after, as this trick rarely works more than once.

9. Freeze your bread! Especially if you live alone, bread is one of the most commonly wasted foods – store it in the freezer and defrost/toast when needed to never be greeted with a mouldy slice ever again.

10. Keep bananas away from your fruit bowl to stop the other fruits from going brown quickly. Ripening bananas release a gas that speeds up decay for others around it!

11. Ginger lasts longest in the freezer. It also makes it much easier to peel.

12. Let cheese breathe by double wrapping it in baking paper, rather than plastic, inside an airtight container at the top of the fridge. This will keep it fresh for weeks, while retaining its flavour.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

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Families are feeling the pinch as inflation rises 7% and the cost-of-living crisis bites. Shoestring Jane has 15 tips to save money immediately.

When your finances are being squeezed, there are steps you can take to save money quickly, starting with your purchasing habits.

With some thought and creativity, you can cut your spending with very little effort. Here are some ideas for things you can stop buying to save money.

1. Food items from vending machines

Who hasn’t been tempted by the lure of the vending machine from time to time? You can get snacks, drinks, sanitary products and even emergency toothbrushes. 

However, you will pay a premium for the convenience of a vending machine. With a little forethought and planning, you can avoid the need to make purchases from them.

For example, you can keep a chocolate bar in your bag for when you get a snack attack and make sure to carry a bottle of water with you.

2. Take out coffees

Ok, I’m not saying I NEVER buy a take out latte. Everyone needs a pick-me-up from time to time. However, buying tea or coffee every day on your morning and evening commute can derail your money saving plans.

Wait until you get to work and make your own, or take a flask with you.

3. Fabric softener

Fabric softener is not essential. In fact, it didn’t exist until the 1960s. Some experts say that fabric conditioners actually do more harm than good.

Domestic guru and author Shannon Lush recommends skipping the fabric softener as: “It will damage your clothes, it is basically oil.”

A cup of white vinegar is said to help, but these days I don’t bother.

4. Magazines and newspapers

Some glossy magazines can cost more than a fiver. A daily newspaper could also set you back at least £10 a week.

However, if you enjoy magazines and newspapers and don’t want to break the habit, you can read them for free. 

Most library services offer online access to well known titles via apps such as Pressreader. 

5. E-books, audio books and real books

Anybody visiting a charity shop will find a range of fantastic books from around 50p each. If you are saving money, it pays to buy second hand.

If you want a specific title, you can usually order it via your local library service and read it for free. 

And if you enjoy an e-book or an audio book, you can get these for nothing through your library too. I am addicted to audio books, which I get via the BorrowBox app. I just had to log in with my library card number.

6. Ironing water

Like fabric softener, ironing water has only become available in recent years. Although there is evidence that using demineralised water extends the life of your iron, the bottled stuff can cost a pretty penny.

If you have a dehumidifier, use the water collected from that in your iron. As it comes from the air, it contains fewer mineral deposits than water from the tap. You can also distill your own water using these instructions.

7. Kitchen roll

For a more economical and eco-friendly alternative to kitchen roll, try cutting an old towel into squares to use instead.

We keep ours in a small basket on the work surface, and throw them straight into the washing machine after use.

8. Bottled water

I am often perplexed to see people buying multipacks of bottled water in the supermarket. In the UK, we are fortunate to have safe drinking water on tap. As we have to pay our water rates anyway, why pay more on top for the bottled stuff?

I find that pouring a jugful and keeping it in the fridge gets rid of any smell and taste of chlorine.

9. Microwaveable rice

If you are in the habit of buying packs of ready cooked rice that you heat in the microwave, consider instead weighing out about 100g per person and cooking it in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Sure, you have to wait for it to cook, but the extra preparation time is negligible. Just give it a stir once it has come to the boil.

It is much cheaper to cook your own rice and there is less packaging for those of us who are eco-conscious.

10. Cotton wool pads

A pack of cotton wool pads costs at least £1.50. Alternatively, you can purchase a pack of 20 reusable cotton or bamboo pads for £8-10 and they will last you for years. Just throw them in the washing machine when you are doing your laundry.

11. Chopped vegetables, fruits and salads

Unless you have a disability that makes chopping difficult, you can save a lot of money by selecting whole produce instead of pre-cut vegetables, fruits and salads. They also last much longer in your fridge, so there is less likelihood of food waste.

12. A different cleaning product for each room

Our grandparents would be astonished at the number of different cleaning products found in the average home today.

While I am not saying that you have to go back to carbolic soap and a scrubbing brush, do you really need to buy a separate cleaning product for each area of your home?

In my experience, a good, general purpose cleaner will do the job, whether you are cleaning your work surfaces, your floor or your toilet. As a bonus, there will be fewer chemicals floating around your home too.

13. Disposable wipes

Pretty much any kind of disposable wipe will have a washable reusable alternative to save you money. 

Cotton dishcloths or cut up towels can be dipped into a little detergent or disinfectant to wipe surfaces, and you can use a separate one to clean the bathroom. To clean your floors, try a good, old-fashioned mop and bucket. 

Face wipes can be replaced by the bamboo pads I mentioned earlier, with a little cleanser. 

14. Dryer sheets

Dryer sheets are another recent invention, one we didn’t know we needed until the advertisers told us we did.

According to Eco Watch, they give off chemicals that: “rub off the dryer sheet and coat your clothing in a slimy layer that has the effect of making your clothes feel softer.”

When you look at it that way, they don’t seem quite so appealing!

Eco Watch suggests using dryer balls instead, which can be used hundreds of times to help get rid of static and wrinkles.

Of course, you will save a lot of money by using a clothes horse or outdoor washing line to dry your laundry rather than a tumble dryer.

15. Extended warranties

Before you consider paying for an extended warranty on a purchase, remember that many items are already covered for a year by the manufacturer. Sometimes you can even call them after that period to extend the cover for free.

Work out how much it will cost you for an extended warranty for, say two years, versus paying to get your item repaired or replaced yourself.

Extended warranties make a lot of money for retailers but are often not worth spending your cash on. Personally, I never bother.

I hope you find this list helpful. Once you start questioning all of the purchases you make, you are likely to find a lot more items you can stop buying to save money!

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

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With the cost of living soaring, it’s important to make savings where you can – including the weekly grocery shop – so take advantage of our Ocado discount.

Luckily, our Deal of the Week does just that.

We’ve combed the internet and found a voucher code offering up to £20 off your first order with Ocado, the online supermarket.

However, you’ll have to move fast as the offer runs out Saturday (5 March).

More about the Ocado discount

Ocado is a supermarket just like Tesco, Sainsbury’s or Lidl. However, it doesn’t have any stores.

Instead, you order what you want online and it is delivered straight to your chosen address.

Just because it only operates online doesn’t mean Ocado has a limited range. In fact, it is thought to offer up to 55,000 products, from essentials such as fruit & veg to kitchenware and garden furniture.

It is also currently the only website offering home delivery on Marks & Spencer food.

Ok, so what is the deal exactly?

Well, there are a number of them.

According to deals website LatestDeals.co.uk, Ocado is offering new customers £20 off if they spend £80 or more by Saturday (5 March). All you have to do is enter the voucher code VOU7814068 at the checkout.

If you don’t spend that much on grocery shopping, don’t worry. Ocado is also offering £10 off when you spend £60 or more. All you have to do is enter the code VOU8272993 at the checkout.

Why should I care?

With the cost of living soaring, every little bit helps.

And with the average family of four spending roughly £99 a week on groceries, having £20 off means you’ll save a fifth on the weekly shop.

What’s the catch?

Unfortunately, you need to be a new customer to qualify for the discounts. So if you already have an Ocado account, sorry but you can’t use this deal.

In order to qualify for the £20 voucher you need to spend at least £80 or £60 for the £10 voucher. However, items such as tobacco, postage stamps and instant formula don’t count towards the minimum spend. To a see the full list of the exclusions, visit LatestDeals.co.uk.

It’s also worth noting that Ocado doesn’t deliver to all parts of the country, so use its postcode checker (ocado.com/postcode) before placing your order.

Where can I find out more?

To find out more about this deal and other Ocado offers, visit LatestDeals.co.uk.

Photo by Doug Peters/PA Wire.

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Deal of the week: 20 million Clubcard members can now use Tesco Clubcard Pay+, a new way for shoppers to pay, save and pick up Clubcard points – both in and outside of Tesco.

What’s the deal?

Firstly, Clubcard Pay+ is not the same product as Tesco Bank’s current account, which is no longer available to new or existing customers.

The Tesco Clubcard Pay+ card launched on 18 March 2021 to a limited number of customers, and from now onwards all Tesco Clubcard holders who are UK residents and aged 18 or over can join the scheme.

You can top up the prepaid card via any UK bank account, and it also rounds up spending and puts it into savings.

The key benefits are:

• Pay – Tesco Clubcard Pay+ comes with a debit card which customers can use anywhere they would normally shop using a debit card.  Shoppers can add money to their Tesco Clubcard Pay+ account by simply linking any UK bank account to it using the Tesco Bank mobile banking app.
• Save – Payments made using Tesco Clubcard Pay+ can automatically be rounded up to the nearest pound.  So ‘spare change’ goes into a Tesco Bank savings account, which customers can add to from other accounts, and is accessible via the Tesco Bank mobile banking app. This can help customers who might find it difficult to start saving.
• Rewards – With Tesco Clubcard Pay+ shoppers can pick up Clubcard points both in and outside Tesco.  And, for the first 3 months after opening an account, shoppers can collect double Clubcard points in Tesco with Clubcard Pay+. That’s an extra 1 Clubcard point for every £1 spent.  Terms and conditions below.
• Shop – The Tesco Bank mobile banking app is also connected to the Tesco Grocery & Clubcard App, where shoppers can instantly take advantage of offers in store and online.  Using the mobile banking app, Tesco Clubcard Pay+ account holders can ringfence their grocery spend into their Clubcard Pay+ account, access their balance and identify opportunities to save money in Tesco stores with Clubcard prices, putting more pounds in their pockets.

Why should I care about this deal of the week?

If you have a local Tesco store you always visit, it can be a money-saving idea to join the Tesco Clubcard Pay+ scheme as it offers a wide range of instore discounts on products.

Plus, for the first three months after opening an account, shoppers can collect double Clubcard points in Tesco with the scheme.

What’s the catch?

It can be expensive to use abroad. Tesco charges a 2.75% foreign exchange fee on all Clubcard Pay+ debit card transactions made outside of the UK.

You’ll also need to pay an additional 1% cash withdrawal fee If you make an ATM cash withdrawal outside the UK in a foreign currency (excluding Euro).

You need to useTesco Bank mobile banking app to access the Tesco Clubcard Pay+ to get the ‘round-up’ features.

Plus, if you don’t have much storage on your phone, another banking app might feel overwhelming, but it also depends on how important it is to you to save money on groceries.

What other options do I have?

You can join Nectar from Sainsbury’s for more benefits with a similar point-based system.

Get up to £11.00 of your purchase back when you shop with Sainsbury’s Groceries by signing up to Topcashback.

Get up to 10% of your purchase back when you shop with Iceland, by joining Topcashback. Check Quidco for more discounts on Iceland too.

Where can I get more information?

You can apply online via Tesco’s website for Clubcard Pay+.

Image courtesy of Tesco

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In the second of a two part series, new Mouthy Money blogger Shoestring Jane looks at 10 ways you can save serious cash on your weekly shop.

Whether you are on a reduced income, have debts to repay or are focussed on a particular savings goal, reducing your food bill can be an easy win. It just takes a little organisation.

Here are the second five ways to save big money on your groceries without compromising on nutritional quality. You can find the first five here.

6# Ready steady cook!

If you think you cannot cook, think again. Most of us aren’t pro chef standard, but we have learned through trial and error how to cobble some meals together that are enjoyable to eat.

Follow some YouTube videos, search for easy online recipes or ask someone who is more proficient to give you some lessons.

You can make an art of cooking, but – honestly – it really isn’t that difficult and you might even quite enjoy it.

Cooking for yourself means that you will be able to eat better and more cheaply than if you constantly buy microwave ping meals or takeaways.

7# Eat less meat

Substituting meat for vegetarian alternatives such as pulses, soya mince, cheese and eggs can save big money on your groceries. Decent quality meat is expensive!

You can also stretch meat by bulking it out with cheaper vegetable ingredients. For example, adding a cup of lentils to mince will make it go further without anyone noticing, and will also add more fibre to the dish. 

Chucking a can of chickpeas or some pearl barley into your chicken casserole will do the same.

You could consider eating vegetarian meals once or twice a week. I don’t mean buying processed veggie food; this is just as expensive as eating meat, possibly even more so. Take a look at Meat Free Mondays for inspiration.

8# Get your five a day on a budget

You might think that eating loads of fruit and veg to get your five a day will be too expensive. However, it is easier than you think to do it on a budget.

Fresh produce can be expensive, but if you have a market it will be much cheaper than most supermarkets, especially if you go at the end of the day when they are desperate to get rid of stuff.

Check out the weekly specials at Aldi and Lidl too. They always have several items that are particularly discounted.

Frozen is another option, tending to be much cheaper, and don’t forget canned. These are just as nutritious and have the advantage that they won’t go off before you get round to using them.

9# Batch cook

Another way to avoid the lure of the takeaway or ‘ping’ cuisine is to have some of your own ready made meals in your freezer.

Some people spend a whole day a month batch cooking vats of bolognese sauce, soup, casseroles, etc, then portioning them up to use as they are needed. I prefer to just double up on the ingredients, then eat half of what I make and freeze the other half.

Make sure you label your batches though. You might think you will recognise a vegetable curry from a chicken stew, but they all start looking remarkably similar once frozen!

Batch cooking means you can purchase larger, bulk packs of ingredients, which will also save you money.

10# Forget best before dates

If you want to save big money on your groceries, please don’t be one of those people who looks at the best before date on a pack of carrots and chucks them in the bin if they are a day over.

Vegetables often last a lot longer than the date on the packet. And, yes, I have fished a pack of carrots out of the food waste that my lodger threw away. There was absolutely nothing wrong with them!

Best before dates are mainly for the retailers benefit, enabling them to push older stock to the front and not have it hanging around the store for too long. Use your common sense: if something looks and smells OK, it is doubtless still perfectly good to eat.

I am even quite blase about use by dates, which you will find on perishable items such as milk, yogurt, processed meat, etc. If something is just a few days over, looks and smells good, then I will risk it.

However, you do need to be cautious. I probably wouldn’t eat out of date chicken, because salmonella is not something I would want to experience.

Packets and tins will last for years. If they are much past their best before date, maybe they won’t taste quite as good, but they won’t kill you. The exception to this is where canned food has ‘blown’ – where you can press the top of the can and it will click – or where the can is badly damaged. The food inside is probably spoiled and you can even get botulism.

I hope you like my ideas on how to save big money on your groceries. For more ideas on how to live a more frugal lifestyle, come join my Facebook group and check out my blog, Shoestring Cottage.

Photo by Ella Olsson from Pexels

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In the first of a two part series, new Mouthy Money blogger Shoestring Jane looks at 10 ways you can save serious cash on your weekly shop.

Whether you are on a reduced income, have debts to repay or are focussed on a particular savings goal, reducing your food bill can be an easy win. It just takes a little organisation.

Here are the first five ways to save big money on your groceries without compromising on nutritional quality.

1# Shop at the discount stores

Our traditional supermarkets were badly shaken with the arrival of discount stores such as Aldi and Lidl, and with good reason. They really are cheaper!

Personally, when I started shopping at Aldi to feed my family of five, I found I easily saved at least £30 a week on the staples. At the time, the product range was more limited than it is now and I had to top up at Sainsbury’s. Nowadays, you can find pretty much everything you need, including foods for those with particular dietary needs.

As a bonus, in my opinion, the quality of the discounters own brands is actually much better than some of the ‘value’ brands that are often cheap but not that cheerful.

It’s not just Aldi and Lidl that enable you to save big money on your groceries. Now, general discounters such as B&M and Home Bargains have food ranges, which are also excellent value.

2# Plan all of your meals

Meal planning might sound like a faff, but in reality it only takes about 15 minutes to plan your food for the week. It saves you money because you only buy what you need and don’t waste food. It also saves time and brain power day to day.

Start by checking what is in your fridge, freezer and cupboards. Make sure you plan some meals around what needs using up first.

Think about what is on your schedule for the week ahead. Are there days when you will be late in and need something really easy? 

You can plan every meal or just your dinners. I tend to do the latter, but have a general idea of what we can have for breakfasts and lunches as well. For example, I make sure we always have oats for porridge, bread, cheese, eggs, etc.

Plan some snacks too. A multipack of crisps or chocolate is very much cheaper than buying individual packets when you have a snack attack.

Being prepared like this means you will get fewer of those ‘no food in the house, can’t be bothered’ moments when you end up ordering a takeaway at great expense.

3# Shop with a list

As you plan your meals, write yourself a shopping list. This will stop you aimlessly wandering around the supermarket buying random stuff you don’t need, whilst forgetting the loo roll and milk that you have completely run out of.

Making a shopping list won’t just save big money on your groceries. It will save you time too.

4# Find discounts

Yellow sticker discount hunting can be a happy accident – sometimes you just so happen to be there just as the store assistant is putting prices down. However, some people make it an art form. For example, Ilona at Life After Money buys almost all of her food when it is at its most reduced, saving herself a packet.

The trick is to visit in the evenings or last thing on a Sunday afternoon. Monday mornings can also be good times to hunt for yellow sticker bargains.

It is worth getting to know when particular shops tend to start discounting and what time they do second and third discounts. Talk to the staff and see if they will divulge their secrets. 

Buying stuff that is about to go out of date means you need to either eat it very quickly or freeze it. I prefer the latter as you can then build your reduced food into the following week’s meal plan.

5# Get free food

Even better than reduced groceries – how about getting some of your food for free?

The Olio app is brilliant for this. I hardly ever buy bread nowadays, as there is nearly always some being given away for nothing.

Retailers and individuals can divert food that would otherwise be destined for the bin to someone who will use it, so not only does it save you money, it helps the planet too. Food Waste Heroes collect from retailers, then list all the items on the app. You bagsy what you fancy and then go and collect it. 

I have regularly come away with bags full of bakery products, vegetables and salads, processed meats, pasties and sandwiches.

I hope you like my ideas on how to save big money on your groceries. For more ideas on how to live a more frugal lifestyle, come join my Facebook group and check out my blog, Shoestring Cottage.

Shoestring Jane is a full-time self-employed mum of three daughters. Her frugal partner in crime is handyman extraordinaire, Mr Shoestring. They are constantly on the look out for ways to save and make extra money. Read more on her blog, Shoestring Cottage.

Photo by Carlo Martin Alcordo from Pexels

The post 10 ways to save big money on your groceries (part one) appeared first on Mouthy Money.