Consumer Corner: How to get the best deals and save money on grocery shopping
Consumer Corner. Let's Talk... Grocery Shopping.
Getting out for 'the messages' has been a staple in our lives the last two years. When all else failed we could still head out the door for a trip around Dunnes, Tesco or Lidl. As a result, there was a boom in grocery shopping sales as we splashed the cash on products to fill our fridges and cupboards. We spend a lot of our hard-earned cash in supermarkets. In the first year of pandemic, we spent €13 billion in supermarkets according to figures from Katar. The signs are showing too with inflation on the rise, prices are going up so clever grocery shopping can help save money when we may need it.
It’s a simple one but the first rule of grocery shopping is to never go shopping on an empty stomach. There are even scientific studies into this from the likes of Cornell University which showed that people spent more and bought higher-calorie products on an empty stomach. It’s not rocket science but it’s a good start. It also pays to dig deep on the shelves. The bread with the best ‘use by’ date won’t be out front within easy reach.
Supermarket loyalty apps and cards are so valuable when it comes to saving money at the till. Dunnes Stores has a great app that offers €10 off for every €50 spent. They also do €5 off vouchers. The great thing is these vouchers can be shared among family and friends and they don’t have to be used by the cardholder. It is always worth asking at the till too if they have any spare vouchers as some shoppers leave them behind if they’re not using them. SuperValu also has a great app with money off vouchers and Tesco posts vouchers if you use the loyalty card at the till. Lidl recently introduced its shopping app and each week has a certain number of money-off codes in the app on certain products.
They also give a scratch card to shoppers who use the app and this can be anything from a free product to money off your next shop. Even Marks and Spencer have a new shopping app where they are giving away free products. I just saw an email pop in for free butter cookies this week if you scan the app at the till. The more you use these apps and cards too, the more money off vouchers you get.
Planning is also key to a successful grocery shop. A good plan is keeping a list of 20 dinners and mix them around each week. Before your grocery shop it would be a good idea to know exactly what meals you are planning for each day for that week ahead. Shops now are battling with each other for super deals such as 49 cent fruit and veg. If you have the time you can mix up your stores and shop the 49 cent items in each store. A bag of carrots may cost €1.50 in one shop but could be on offer in another for 49 cent. You can check out the offers on the stores websites before you go shopping.
It would be worth giving ‘own brand’ products a try too. You may just be surprised with the taste of many items. Some supermarket brand products are even made by branded products so there will be no difference in taste but there will be in price.
Before you head off for your shop a quick scan in your cupboards and fridge could help a lot as you will know exactly what’s in there. Some people even recommend taking a picture and having it on your phone so you don’t forget when you are at the supermarket.
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