The weekly supermarket shop can be one of the most expensive outgoings we have, but by keeping an eye out for supermarket cons and by following a few simple tricks of your own, you'll be able to keep your costs down.
Handy, isn't it? The supermarkets know you're going to be a bit tired and fed up by the time you get to the checkout. They're hoping it'll be easier to tempt you into buying that extra bit of chocolate you don't need while you're not feeling your best. Don't get caught out! Always go shopping on a full stomach so you're not hungry enough to be tempted.
So the more expensive loaf of bread looks really good – it's covered in pictures of cornfields and even has a plastic tie to keep it closed. But wait a minute; does the actual bread taste any better? Supermarkets' own brand products may not look as nice in their packaging, but they're often the same thing - only cheaper. Try buying the cheaper, less pretty versions of your favourite foods and see if you notice the difference. Don't let the value-brands packaging put you off.
We all love a special offer. Big writing and colourful signs make us feel like we're winning and the supermarket is giving us something for free. This is NEVER true. Suppliers pay the supermarkets to have their products placed in a prime position and on special offer because they know it'll get you to buy their product, even if you wouldn't usually. Normally the savings aren't even that great anyway. A good way of getting around this is to only buy special offer products if it's something you were going to buy anyway. Take a shopping list when you go shopping and stick to it.
You'll find that a lot of supermarkets follow a similar layout. All the fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy products are around the outer limits of the store. All the pre-packed, processed, and frozen foods are in the middle. This is because the supermarkets want you to have to go past all the foods you don't need to get to the foods you do need so you pick up more things. Try to take your trolley only down the aisles you really need to visit, using the signs to make sure you know what's in each one. Stick to your list on your way.
When you're whizzing around the supermarket it's easy to want to opt for pre-packed items like fruit or vegetables. However, buying these items loose is usually cheaper than buying a bag of them. That's because the supermarket has to cover the cost of the packaging and the time it takes to pack things up and prepare them for you. You'll also find that meat is more expensive if you buy it already chopped up for you. Try buying fruit and vegetables loose or doing some of the food preparation, like chopping up meat, yourself and you could save a lot of money in the long run.
Did you know that supermarkets stack their shelves tactically? They put the most expensive items right in your eye-line to make you spend more. This also works if you have a child sitting in your trolley. The most expensive and colourful items are positioned so they can reach out and grab them and they end up in your trolley by mistake. Try looking at the top and bottom shelves to find better deals and if you have children with you, keep an eye on what they're putting in the trolley too!
It's much easier to stick to your list when you're not distracted by all of the above tricks. You can also see how your shopping's adding up as you go along, making it easier to stay within your budget. Best of all, getting it delivered to your door saves you petrol and the hassle of finding a parking space. And there's no wobbly-wheeled trollies! You can also use price comparison websites like www.mysupermarket.co.uk to know where you'll get the best deals on your shopping. You just go through your shopping list (or receipt), enter it into the site and they'll find the cheapest supermarket for your shop.
We went to a couple of supermarkets to see how much we could save by buying loose rather than packaged items, choosing cheaper brands, and buying off the shelves rather than the deli counter:
| Shopping list |
Most expensive option (Worst value option) |
Cheapest option (Best value option) |
Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oranges | £2 for 5 (40p each) packaged | £1.50 for 5 (30p each) | 50p |
| Leeks | 500g for £1.99 (£3.98/kg) trimmed | 500g for £75p (15p/100g) loose | £1.24p |
| Courgettes | £1.75 for 3 (approx 375g, £4.67/kg) | £0.58 for 3 (approx 375g, £1.55/kg) loose | £1.16p |
| Broccoli | £2 for 400g (£5/kg) packaged | 79p for 400g (£1.97/kg) loose | £1.21p |
| Total | Pre-packaged and regular branding = £7.74 | Unpackaged/loose and value branding = £3.62 | £4.12 |
| Shopping list |
Most expensive option (Worst value option) |
Cheapest option (Best value option) |
Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Gala apples | £1.60 for 6 (£2.13/kg) pre-packed | £1.05 for 6 (£1.65/kg) loose | 55p |
| Tomatoes | £1 for 6 (17p each, £2.28/kg) packaged | 87p for 6 (15p each, £1.99/kg) loose | 13p |
| Red Onions | £1.20p for 3 (40p each) | 54p for 3 (18p each) | 66p |
| Wholemeal loaf (800g loaf) | £1.39 branded | 47p off the shelf | 92p |
| Mature cheddar cheese | £4.49 for 500g branded | 82p for 500g store's value brand | £3.67p |
| Ginger root | £2.50 for 250g packaged | 57p for 250g loose | £1.93 |
| Total | Pre-packaged and regular branded = £12.18 | Unpackaged/loose and value branding = £4.32 | £7.86 |
Prices from Tesco 15/03/12 and Asda, 15/03/12.
By using our shopping tips we managed to save around 60% on our shopping
bill. That means if you were spending about £75 on a weekly shop for your
family, you could be saving as much as £45 a week! That's a serious saving
over a few months or a year.
Why not use some of our tricks to find bargains at your local supermarket
and make a note of them in your spending diary. Then you can let us know
about the biggest saving you made on our Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/learndirect
and compare your savings to other learners too!
With these tips and tricks you'll be getting the best out of your shopping trips! Sometimes you might need to save up a portion of money by a certain date. Our Reverse Money Diet on the next page gives you a plan to help you save >>
Thanks for your help,
The learndirect team