Want to know how to avoid over priced groceries at the supermarket?

Supermarkets are sneaky and will do anything for you to spend an extra pound.

Supermarkets always want to squeeze as much money as possible from you but I will show you some of their tricks so you know what to look out for and how to avoid the unnecessary spending. 

I’ve worked in one of the large supermarkets so I have seen this happen first hand. It is much harder to avoid spending when you shop with children as they want everything in sight, so if you can get childcare while you shop that will save you a few pound straight away!

• First up, you have branded products vs non branded products. Everyone knows that branded products cost more than a supermarkets own brand version, sometimes you could save a massive 50% by swapping to a supermarket own brand. It is well worth swapping a few items a week from branded to non branded and having a taste test, I bet you will be pleasantly surprised at the little difference in taste.

• It is often better value if you buy a large pack of a product instead of smaller individual packets. Take popcorn for example, my kid’s love butterkist popcorn and they have one small pack each at the weekend when they are watching a movie. A multipack of 6 30g bags will cost you £1 however if you buy a 200g bag it will also cost you £1 – giving you an extra 20g for your money. Just divide it out accordingly into food bags.

• Pre sliced meat has a short shelf life so it is often marked up in price as much as 60%! Maybe buy a joint of meat and cook it yourself, it is much tastier too.

• Buying a pre made cake in a supermarket is pricey, you just have to head to the bakery aisle to see proof of this. Why not bake your own? You can find many recipes on google that are free and it is much cheaper to buy the ingredients than it is to buy ready made bakery items.

• I have been guilty of this in the past purely for the quickness but I have finally got myself out the habit and saved a fortune! If you buy pre cut fruit and veg, it can cost you up to 35% more. Buy fresh fruit and veg and cut it yourself – simple yet an effect way of saving the pennies.

• Did you know household items can have their price inflated by up to 60% in a supermarket because they know you’ll buy from there for convenience? Get school & office supplies, cleaning products and light bulbs somewhere else and you will save a fortune over the years.

• Impulse buying. I’m sure we have always been guilty of this at some point. Magazines with eye catching headlines while you are stood in the check out queue, sweets which are always at kid’s height, drinks etc. These prices will be inflated between 100% – 200%! 

• Putting essentials towards the back or middle of the store. I know with my local supermarket, if I want a loaf of bread, I have to walk all the way to the back corner of the store. Or if I want a pint of milk I have to head to the middle of the store. The only advice I can give you for this tactic is to have self control. Stick to your list and don’t make any unwanted purchases.

 

Can you think of anymore? Let me know and I will add to the list 🙂