Are you struggling? Times are financially tough and everything is going up in price. The cost of living is impacting everybody, perhaps more than we actually think. We still need to put food on the table. We still need to eat and drink, have full stomachs and be healthy. It’s much more difficult to stretch the family food budget today than perhaps we’ve ever experienced. Let’s have a look at how to stock your fridge on a budget.
Find The Cheapest Shops
Firstly, when looking at how to stock your fridge on a budget, you need to find the cheapest shops. Where are you currently doing your shopping? Many of us go to the closest supermarket which might not provide the cheapest options. However we don’t have much choice because we don’t have a vehicle Others will drive to a cheaper place which is further away, but you need to take into account the fuel that it takes to get you there and back. You can find online comparison sites that will show you the best price for certain products. Shifting to a budget supermarket can also help you save some extra pennies, although the saving you can make between those budget supermarkets and the more traditional ones has shrunk.
The Cost Of Your Time
We need to think about the cost of the food, along with the cost of the time it takes you to do the shopping. How long does it take you to do your weekly shop What could you do with that time instead? We’ve discovered a cheap online delivery pass which gives us free delivery on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays only. We’ll do our online shop which takes maybe 20 minutes to complete and get it delivered early on a midweek morning. This frees up the rest of our week to do what we need to, including taking care of the kids and working.
Stick To Your List
When thinking about how to stock your fridge on a budget you need to stick to a list. Online shopping can be a plus point here because you don’t get distracted by in-store offers and smells that lead you to pop extra things in your trolley. Whatever way you shop, having a list will allow you to get what you need without overspending. You can also scan as you shop so you can check prices and not have a shock when you get to the tills.
Shop Yellow Sticker Items
Be sure to check out the yellow sticker section of the supermarket. Buying items at discount will save you money whilst still putting food on the table. If you check the amount of space you have in your freezer, you can buy items on sale and freeze them for a later date. You might not always get exactly what you are looking for in the yellow sticker section, however, this is actually a great way to try different foods! Get to know when your supermarket of choice starts reducing short-dated items so you can shop at the right time to grab those yellow-stickered products!
Use Reward Cards & Apps
Lots of shops give discounts and the best prices to those customers who have a specific supermarket card. In order to get decent prices at Tesco, for example, you need to scan your Clubcard at checkout. Lots of supermarkets have reward schemes and apps that will give you discounts. By having these in your wallet or on your phone, you can be sure that you are maximising your savings and paying the absolute best price.
Earn Cashback
Make sure you are earning cashback too. If you shop online, click through to the retailer via a cashback site. You can also get cashback cards which will give you a certain amount back, based on what you spend. It could be 1% cashback on all your spending for 12 months or an introductory offer of 5% for 3 months. Make sure you are paying with the best card so you can claw back some extra pounds.
Finding out how to stock your fridge on a budget can be absolutely vital right now. Use these top tips and find out other ways to save money and still fill up that fridge.
