10 Ways to save on groceries

As food prices rise globally, South Africa is unfortunately no exception to this. Despite the cost of the weekly food shop increasing, alongside electricity bills and interest rates, salaries are failing to keep up.

Here we unpack the issues and share the best tips and tricks to keep your food bill low and your bank account out of the red.

10 Ways to save on your food shopping

An average family of four spends around R8,000 to R10,000 per month on groceries. This can easily be lowered to around R4,000.

1. Create a grocery budget and plan

See where you can make savings or where you can opt for cheaper brand. This can be achieved by drawing up a list. Robey says: ‘Set out what you typically eat or use during a month and list how much they cost. Not every month will require toiletries and similar products, however these must still be accounted for.’

2. Have a separate grocery card

Once your grocery budget has run out, make do with what you have. This will promote budgeting and discipline.

3. Stick to the essentials

Ensure that your grocery plan comprises mostly of essentials – you do not ‘need’ luxury items. Remove unnecessary items before queuing at the till.

4. Plan your meals

Planning meals on a weekly basis often avoids unnecessary spending during the month.

5. Shop once a month

You likely only need to shop once a month for essentials, with certain fresh produce needing to be bought weekly. Try to incorporate foods into your diet that have a longer shelf-life.

6. Shop mid-month

Stores often have reduced prices or specials to encourage spending in the middle of the month. Mid-month shopping is also less busy, better decisions may be made under less pressure.

7. Look for specials and use rewards programmes

Many stores make use of rewards programmes. Examples of this include Pick n Pay’s Smart Shopper, Checkers’ Xtra Rewards and Woolworths’ WRewards. These can offer discounts and points that can boost your savings.

8. Buy in bulk

Food items often have a reduced price when bought in bulk, however, buy within reason – do not purchase what you do not need.

9. A healthier shop creates a healthier bank

Buying from greengrocers and butchers can often reduce your grocery bill significantly. Try and cut down on eating meat. A predominately vegetarian based diet usually works out less expensive too.

10. Never shop hungry

The temptation of buying what we don’t need is much greater when we are hungry. If our emotional state is affected, we are inclined to make poor financial decisions and to ‘buy ourselves better’, which could be easily avoided.

Robey feels that the most important concept to keep in mind with any spending, is to ensure that our decisions promote a sustainable life. This will help to keep an extra few Rands in your back pocket too, of course.