10 ways to save on your grocery shop

Estimated reading time
 5 min

Learn all about

• Buying in bulk and checking the unit price to help you save
• Meal planning and sticking to a shopping list can help you stop buying impulsively
• Why staying in season or growing your own produce is a great way to reduce grocery costs
• How shopping on a full stomach and shopping around can help you save

Groceries are an essential purchase we’ve all got to make.

Some of us are cooking up feasts for a whole family including rapidly growing kids, while others are just feeding themselves simple meals to get through the week. But no matter your motivations for cooking, there’s always a cost attached.

So how do you keep your grocery costs down and still get everything on your shopping list? From buying in bulk to growing your own veggies, we’ve got ten supermarket hacks to help you save money on groceries.

1. Meal plan with a little help from AI

Cooking with what you already have on hand is one of the easiest ways to save money, but meal planning can be exhausting. Luckily, whether you are trying to cook more from your pantry or want to limit waste by stretching your ingredients further, AI can help. You can add a list of ingredients and be given potential recipes, upload a photo of your fridge to get a plan for the week, or ask an AI tool to do it all for you. This will help you make the most of the ingredients you have on hand or already on your list so you can meal plan smarter.

2. Check the unit price

Always check the unit price before you add anything to your basket. You might find that buying individual 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.

3. Get savvy with specials

Each little discount really does add up, so it pays to sign up to weekly alerts or take a peek at the catalogue. Bonus points if you use the sales to inspire your meal planning. Avocados on sale? Make a smashing guacamole for taco Tuesday. Half price pasta sauce? Then you know what’s on the menu this week. Be sure to check savings bins, the end of the aisle and quick sale items too – you might even be able to freeze these to extend their life a little bit.

  Brain hack

Anchoring bias is when we rely on the first piece of information about something and latch onto it, which we might use to influence our decisions. For example, your favourite relish is on sale – $7 reduced to $6. Because of the discount, you assume it’s a good deal and buy it without checking to see if it’s cheaper elsewhere. Later, you get a catalogue from another supermarket that’s selling the relish for $5.50. Because you latched onto the first piece of information (the discount from $7 to $6), you didn’t try looking for a lower price elsewhere. When grocery shopping, it’s important to consider all your options and do your research to see if another store has it cheaper, instead of latching onto a potential deal that seems better than it actually is.

4. Stick to your list

Make a meal plan to keep your grocery shop on track and reduce your food waste. Consider what you already have in your kitchen, write your shopping list and get only what you need for your week. You could even include a few meat-free meals to keep costs low and give a little back to the environment.

5. Buy home brand

Home brand versions of a product are usually similar ingredient-wise, and often cheaper or easier to come by. You probably won’t even taste the difference! So, unless you’re choosing specific brands for ethical or loyalty reasons, consider going with the generic version where you can.

6. Stay in season

Just because you crave mangoes all year round doesn’t mean your bank balance does. Choosing fresh produce based on what’s in season can help you save on your weekly groceries – and it’s better for the environment. Shopping seasonally gives you a diverse dinner menu across the year, so you won’t serve up the same meal every week 52 times over. To get a taste of out of season flavours you can always reach for frozen options which are just as tasty and nutritious as their fresh counterparts.

7. Don’t shop on an empty stomach

Sure, sometimes it’s unavoidable on a busy day. But walking into the supermarket with your stomach rumbling means your body will do the thinking for you and you’ll come out with a giant bag of lollies instead of the bread you were meant to get. In fact, planning ahead, writing a list, and limiting your trips to the supermarket to once or twice a week (rather than daily) can save you money by limiting impulse purchases and cravings that only kick in when you’re staring at them.

8. Use your loyalty points or a cashback program

Whether it’s a voucher off your next shop or trading points for supermarket gift cards, knowing how to spend your loyalty points can help you save. Alternatively, consider doing your grocery shopping online through a cashback program to get a little bit of money back from your shop. Some loyalty programs might also offer specific discounts, whether on particular products or for shopping at certain stores so see what is available for you.

9. Shop around for the best deal

Do some online research into who’s got the best deals is a simple way to save money on your groceries. While it might take a little bit of extra time, in the end your wallet will be thanking you. Some supermarkets will even price match their competitors, which can be helpful if there are particular items you want to get at the cheapest rate, but still want to go to your most convenient supermarket or avoid multiple trips. Be sure to check out the terms and conditions because it may only be some stores, or they might only match certain items!

10. Buy in bulk

It’s an oldie but a goodie – plus it’s cheaper than buying small quantities every week. You can use bulk-bought tinned veggies to cook and freeze a large batch of soup, chilli or whatever you like. Bulk buying is also great for non-perishables, like toilet paper and pet food. If you’re buying in bulk online and getting more than you would normally buy, then consider getting your family and friends involved and make one big order. Split the cost (and products) with them so that you’re saving on your groceries and shipping. Remember to balance the savings with any delivery costs.

We can’t avoid spending at the supermarket altogether – in fact, this is one area that is always firmly in the ‘needs’ section of our budgets – but we can shop smarter to help us get the necessities (and more!) for a bit less.