Cut your grocery bill with these six hacks

It may be cheaper than buying small quantities every week and great for cooking large batches that you can freeze – especially if they’re things you buy frequently anyway.

Check the unit price (for example the price per 100 grams – usually shown on the shelf label in supermarkets) to make sure you’re getting the best deal. If you do the math, you might find buying singular packs of certain products is cheaper. For example, you can sometimes buy two packs of dishwashing tablets for the same price of a bigger one if they’re on sale, giving you more in the long run. And you don’t want to be bulk-buying anything that doesn’t have a long shelf-life. It’s not really a saving if it all goes in the bin.

Making a meal plan for the week or fortnight could save you from expensive impulse purchases and also reduce the amount of food you end up throwing out.

Keeping in mind what you already have in your pantry, fridge and freezer, write your shopping list and get only what you need for your week. Including a few meat-free meals could also help keep costs low and give a little back to the environment too.

Just because you crave mangoes all year round doesn’t mean your bank balance does too. Produce is usually cheaper and more plentiful when it’s in season, so choosing your fruit and vegetables based on whether they’re in season or not could help save on your weekly groceries – and it’s better for the environment. Plus, shopping seasonally gives you a diverse dinner menu across the year, and won’t see you serving up the same meal every week.

If you shop at supermarkets, keep an eye on their website or in-store catalogues for special offers. Each little discount really does add up. And if you’re shopping in your local grocer, take advantage of local or manager’s specials. 

You can also use specials to help with your meal planning. For example, if pumpkins are on special why not make pumpkin soup. Or, if pasta sauces are half price, then you know what’s for dinner tonight.

Big brand names and beautiful packaging can be tempting, but they often come at a price. The home brand or local version of a product is usually pretty similar ingredient-wise, and often cheaper too. Your tastebuds may not even be able to tell the difference. So, unless you’re choosing specific brands for ethical or loyalty reasons, consider going with the generic version.

Sure, sometimes it’s unavoidable on a busy day. But if you walk into the supermarket with your stomach rumbling, your waning blood sugar levels will probably start making irrational decisions on your behalf. Entering the supermarket for bread and leaving with chocolate biscuits is just your body saying “I could go for a snack right now…”