Saving money can be difficult when you seem to need to buy groceries every week, or every other day! No matter how often you do your grocery shop, it’s true to say that for many of us, grocery shopping takes up a large amount of our monthly budget. But with a few simple tips and adjustments, you can significantly reduce the amount of money spent on grocery shopping and make it more affordable.

Take a look at a few simple tips we’ve put together for saving money on grocery shopping…

Make a shopping list and stick to it!

Creating a shopping list is a great way to stay within your monthly budget. Create two shopping lists – a monthly shopping list which includes all items that don’t need to be purchased as frequently and a weekly list which includes items that you’ll need to pick up on a more frequent basis like fresh fruit and veg. If you take the time to work out what you spend your money on, it’ll make it much easier for you to work out where you can make cuts. Make a list of everything you’ve bought this month and see what you can cut out for next month.

Buy in bulk

Purchasing items in bulk can end up saving you a lot of money in the long run. Bulk buying is often cheaper than single purchases and can also save you the stress of having to head off to the supermarket as often. Dry goods such as rice, pasta and flour can be bought in bulk and stored away in a cool dry place until you need to use them. Everyday toiletries like toothpaste and soap and most cleaning products which usually tend to have a longer shelf life and can also be purchased in bulk. Keep an eye out for any specials and discounts on items that you frequently use and make sure you take advantage of the savings.

Take advantage of deals, coupons & cashback

Deals and coupons are a great way to save money. There are often a bunch of amazing deals and coupons available. Take advantage of these to help save money, especially on none essential items that you’re less likely to purchase on a regular basis. Check out the food and drink deals & cashback offers we have available on Qmee if you haven’t already!

Make use of value brands

It’s safe to say that we all have our favourite brands. And while some products and flavours we love are associated with particular brands – when it comes to the majority of our basic food items like tinned tomatoes, the brand doesn’t really matter. Purchasing value brands can save quite a bit of money on everyday grocery items. And you might find that there is actually very little difference in flavour between the products.

Keep track of seasonal items

Seasonal fruit and vegetables are often much cheaper. Keep track of what’s in season and add those to your shopping cart. You could end up saving a few dollars on your overall shop by opting for seasonal items instead. If you prefer out of season fruit and vegetables buy frozen items instead. Frozen fruit and vegetables are much cheaper and can be kept for a much longer time.