Instantly save on groceries

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Fresh food and vegetables are being sold at unimaginable prices because of the pandemic, inflation, fires, and floods, so we need to look to save on groceries at the checkout. We have supply chain issues on top of natural disasters like eggs and lettuce. Since lettuce prices are at an all-time high, even a popular fast-food chain has put cabbage on its burgers.

1. Buy only what you need

At the beginning of the next week, plan your meals. This will save you time and money on your groceries. But always shop off a list. I always grocery shop online. This saves me time and temptation. I stick to my budget and avoid heading to the supermarket. If you must go to the supermarket, eat beforehand or you could end up spending so much more if you go shopping on an empty stomach. 

2. Cook more than you need

Cooking in quantity and using the leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day is cost-effective. The leftovers can also be frozen as an alternative. When you don’t have enough time to prepare one night or are time-constrained, these are a perfect substitute for takeout. A doggy bag should always be requested if there are any leftovers when dining out. The leftovers might serve as your lunch the next day. The meal is then squandered and thrown away.

3. Shop at your local market

I adore shopping at the Parklea markets close to my house because the product is so much more affordable and fresher there than at the grocery store. More than only fruits and veggies are sold there. They market meat, bread, nuts, and candies. An hour before closing on a Sunday is the greatest time to find a deal. Fresh fruit and vegetables are far less expensive to consume than manufactured foods,

4. Shop around to save on groceries

Check online catalogues every Monday for their half-price deals.to save on groceries. Always compare the four supermarkets. Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA. Check out some of the apps that search for specials for you like Shopfully. The Frugl app is also a free app that compares prices..

5. Markdowns are your Friend

Find out when your local supermarket marks down their product. In the late afternoon is when our local supermarket markets fresh meat and cold products. Also, when comparing pricing of goods, make sure to use units prices to compare. When shopping online, you can sort by unit price.  

6. Find a local fruit and vegetable co-op

Consider joining a local fresh fruit and vegetable co-op, where buyers share savings by buying in bulk. You may need to drive to the nearest pickup site for your weekly box of fruit and vegetables, but this works out cheaper and it’s a convenient way to connect. Other co-ops only buy from farmers within a certain distance, reducing food miles and supporting local industry.

https://www.boxdivvy.com

7. Find a crop and swap in your area

wap for local, fresh produce in your regions, such as fruits and veggies.

https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=crop%20swap%20sydney

8. Have your own vegetable garden

My favourite pleasure is home lettuce gardening. My youngster enjoys his baby spinach, and you can grow it all year long. Developing these does need a lot of effort and resources. I use my old ice cream containers to grow my seeds. On YouTube, I have seen videos of someone growing veggies in milk bottles, though.

• Organize food properly.
• To enable you to use it first, place the older products in the front of your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry. Check the “use-by” and “best-before” dates to be sure they are still safe to eat after the suggested date. Cook or freeze them if their expiration date is approaching.

9. Avoid Wastage

We waste our food on average 15 per cent of the time.

Water, electricity, transportation, and petrol are all consumed in the process of producing food. By throwing away food, we waste all the resources that were used to make it.

Keep your fridge’s ventilation tabs opened to prevent food from spoiling. Store your food in breathable bags inside your fridge. You can preserve food by planting them in a pot filled with soil, especially onions or carrots with the root in the soil.

10. Fresh or Frozen

Frozen vegetables are always handy to have on hand in the freezer. They last longer and are always in pristine condition. Some people even claim that frozen vegetables contain more vitamins than fresh vegetables. At the moment, in Australia, frozen vegetables are cheaper than buying fresh vegetables. 

11. Shop around

It might be easier to purchase everything in the supermarket, but often the butcher, bakery and fruit shop sell their products at cheaper prices. Make sure to shop around at all the different stores. I enjoy shopping at Asian supermarkets and Indian stores. I find they are cheaper on spices and lentils than the supermarkets. Additionally, they have a wide variety to choose from. Each time we visit, I love trying the various products.

12. Buy Generic

Buy generic when you can, most of the time the same producers that make your favorite brands. I always get my pantry staples as the home brand. Such as canned tomatoes, beans, chickpeas, pasta and milk. 

For my creative ways to save money, look at meal prepping to avoid waste and time.

“https://frugalsavvymum.com/meal-prepping-to-save-money” 

If you need any free shopping list templates to download, please check out the following website:

“https://www.101planners.com/printable-grocery-list“

13. Keep a record of the prices of products

Take note of how much the foods you buy frequently typically cost. This can help you assess which merchants have the best offers and whether you are saving money by buying during a sale.

By comparing and verifying unit prices on store shelf labels or online, you can save money when you go grocery shopping.

In supermarkets and some online grocery retailers, the unit price and unit of measurement of a grocery item must be displayed alongside its selling price on the shelf label.

I like to keep a book with all the products that I regularly purchased as suggested in the tightwad gazette by Amy Dacyczyn.