Shopping on a budget: Frugal shopper explains how they saved £500 per month

Money saving is often top of the agenda for shoppers, with many using the lockdown period to reassess their finances and clear debts. Supermarket shopping, which takes place regularly, can often take up a significant amount of expenditure for families. In fact, research undertaken by the Money Advice Service has shown the average family weekly food shop stands at £60.60.

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Britons spend the most on food and non-alcoholic drinks, with bread, biscuits and pasta the most popular items. 

Cutting down on these regular expenses can often take a weight off the shoulders of families, providing them with more disposable income.

While tackling the weekly shop is tricky, one shopper stated they had managed to conquer the endeavour and save hundreds.

Taking to the website Reddit, the savvy saver revealed how they were able to cut costs through a variety of money saving measures.

They wrote: “There are numerous strategies I use to save money on groceries.

“It’s surprisingly easy to grow your own vegetables. How about bringing your vegetables cost down to near zero forever? Some of it is as easy as taking a veggie you used for dinner and putting it in water.

“Never buy processed foods or prepackaged foods. Buy fresh, make your own or grow your own food.

“If you don’t know how to cook, learn how. Not only is it much healthier, you’ll save so much money by not paying someone else to prepare the food for you.”

Further to this, the shopper advised those looking to save to use both the supermarket and local markets to compare prices.

They stated by using this method, they were able to save up to 80 percent on groceries, with the price difference compared to supermarkets “shocking”. 

When shopping in supermarkets, the saver advised people to use loyalty cards, which allow savings for frequent use.

They added: “Never shop when you are hungry, and always have a list of things to buy. Shop for specific meals you’ll be preparing.

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“Stock up when things are heavily discounted. If there’s a sale on an item, buy enough of it to last you until the next sale.

“For example, it is a buy one get one free promotion. With this method, you would reduce the food cost on that item to just 50 percent of the regular price.”

And the saver also managed to make a saving by looking at price tags many shoppers often miss.

They said: “Buy based on the per unit price. Sometimes there are multiple sizes of brands of an item. 

“You should check the per ounce price usually listed right on the shelf to see which is the better deal.”

The shopper stated by using these tips, as well as eliminating eating out and fast food, they were able to make gigantic savings.

They concluded: “I went from spending close to 600 a month to about 20 a week on much higher quality food using the above ideas.”

The Money Advice Service has stated switching brands and changing supermarkets are often the best way to save money.

Finally, planning meals and making a shopping list allows Britons to eliminate waste and shop more efficiently. 

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