5 supermarket shopping hacks
Posted on Jul 07, 2023Supermarkets are brilliant at making us spend our cash but our 5 supermarket shopping hacks could help you shave thousands off your food bill.
Take a read for 5 hacks to help you save a few ££’s next time you hit the shops.
1. Downshifting
Downshifting is a technique used by shoppers to slash £1,000s off their grocery bills.
Next time you’re doing the weekly shop, try dropping one brand level. If you can’t taste the difference, stick with the cheaper option! Downshifting will ensure you aren’t spending money for no reason. If you can’t tell the difference between the lower priced items, why pay more?
2. Use price comparison apps
Trolley, a free handy comparison tool lets you see the cost of items at the major supermarkets. You can also set alerts to get a notification when your favourite items reduce in price.
Trolley looks at most of the well-known supermarkets such as ASDA, Tesco, Morrisons, Iceland, Sainsbury’s and Co-op.
It’s easy to use! Simply search for the product you need and see if the price varies from store to store.
3. Take advantage of supermarket loyalty schemes
If you regularly shop at one particular supermarket and they have a free loyalty scheme, it is a no-brainer to sign up!
Tesco’s Clubcard and Sainsbury’s Nectar will give you points when you shop with them. You can then convert those points into money off future shops or rewards with selected partners.
- Tesco Clubcard – Tesco’s Clubcard promo offers up to 50% off selected items. Although items in the promotion change week to week, we have seen £.150 McCain Fries (normally £3)!
- Sainsbury’s Nectar – If you’re a Sainsbury’s shopper, you could save up to 30% off items which you frequently buy. By using the Sainsbury’s SmartShop app to scan your shop, it’ll automatically trigger deals up to 30% off!
4. Don’t fall for supermarket tactics
Supermarkets are experts at making us open our wallets, but it is important that we don’t fall victim to their tactics to make us spend more than we need to.
Products at eye-level are usually the most expensive. Products which cost the most are usually placed where they’re easiest to see and reach for, so make sure to check out the higher and lower shelves to make sure you get the right deal.
Sweet treats near the tills are impulse buys. Don’t be tempted by the supermarkets’ last attempt to get you to spend.
5. Stick to your budget
Before the weekly shop, get into the right mindset. Make sure you are staying within budget, even if it means steering clear of buy one get one free offers.
Money Saving Expert have put together 31 ways to save £1,000s on your food, and using their budget planner can help you prioritise your spending before you next visit the supermarket.
As prices continue to stretch our budgets, click here for even more ways people are making their money go further by saving money on their food shop.