Grocery Spending Habits
Do you shop to a list?
Do you know exactly how much you spend on groceries each week?
Recently I was reading an article about the differences in shopping between Coles and Aldi and it determined that shopping at Aldi and purchasing the same grocery items would save approximately $13 per week.
Where do you shop?
Let’s look at your grocery spending habits and where you find savings on your regular food and laundry expenses.
Let’s start with food and groceries
Shopping around by checking out the specials is something my mum always used to do, although back when I was growing up we didn’t have the number of supermarkets near us. My mum certainly only bought some things if they were on special. Did you know that by buying cheap cuts of meat you can cook them in a slow cooker ? Even better, make the meat go further by serving them with rice or pasta or add canned beans and lentils to stews or casseroles. It’s also interesting to compare the unit pricing when buying goods – not just fruit and vegetables which can be cheaper pre-packaged than loose and vice versa but the price tags on tinned and packaged goods often show the per unit price. Sometimes even the black and gold or no name brands aren’t the cheapest.
Checking the Aldi newsletter online will give you the heads up on the Wednesday and Saturday specials. If you’re like me and wait for them to arrive in the letterbox, the queues are out the door before the store is even open. The sneak peek Coles catalogue that comes out after 5pm on Mondays will let you know if you can get some huge savings on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Let’s look at laundry and cleaning
Did you know that tests have shown that plain old hot water does the same, if not better job of cleaning the floors than most of the products on the market. Forget about fabric softener too – it actually makes your towels less absorbent and can reduce the fire retardancy of clothes. Half the recommended dose of washing powder is also all you need to get a great wash.
Buying in bulk when things are on special or shopping at a Not Quite Right (NQR) can save you plenty. Imagine buying biscuits that are normally $3.90 for only $1.50 – it’s quite the savings provided you’re not buying it just because it’s on special. At my local IGA, Moccona coffee – the largest one – is on special every 3 months and it’s half price. It’s the only time I buy coffee as I don’t drink it, but my office manager does and it keeps her dosed up with her serve of caffeine.
Make a List
I have to say though, despite all of this, my number one tip is to shop to a list. Make sure you know what you want to cook for meals during the week and STICK TO IT. Wherever you shop, as long as you only buy what you need and not what the kids put in your trolleys, avoid temptations, you will keep your costs down.
Keep a track of your grocery spending over a 3 month period and you’ll be surprised what your habits are!
Would love to hear how you go with your tracking. Please comment below with your results …
Yours in Finance
Sarah X