25 supermarket savings tips that actually work

Before You Shop

• 1. Meal plan: Decide what you'll eat for the week, then shop for exactly those ingredients. No meal plan = random buying = food waste.
• 2. Check what you already have: Look in your fridge, freezer, and cupboards before making a list. You probably have more than you think.
• 3. Write a list and stick to it: People who shop with a list spend 20-30% less than those who don't.
• 4. Never shop hungry: It sounds cliché because it's true. You'll buy more, especially snacks and convenience foods.
• 5. Set a budget: Know your weekly grocery budget and track it as you go (use a calculator app or running total).

In the Store

• 6. Look up and down: Expensive brands are at eye level. Cheaper alternatives and own-brand products are on the top and bottom shelves.
• 7. Compare price per unit: A larger pack isn't always cheaper. Check the price per kg/litre on the shelf label.
• 8. Buy own-brand: Supermarket own brands are often made in the same factories as premium brands. Aldi and Lidl have built empires on this principle.
• 9. Go to Aldi or Lidl: Even if you're loyal to Tesco or Sainsbury's, doing your staples at Aldi/Lidl and topping up elsewhere can save 30-40%.
• 10. Yellow sticker shopping: Reduced items are marked down throughout the day, with the best reductions in the evening. Learn your store's markdown schedule.
• 11. Buy frozen: Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh, last months longer, and cost a fraction of the price. Same goes for frozen fish and fruit.
• 12. Avoid pre-prepared: Pre-cut vegetables, ready meals, and pre-made salads have huge markups. Ten minutes of chopping saves pounds.
• 13. Check reduced sections daily: Many stores have a dedicated reduced section. Bread, bakery items, and fresh produce get marked down first.

Loyalty and Cashback

• 14. Use Tesco Clubcard: Clubcard Prices offer significant discounts on hundreds of items. Without it, you're paying full price while everyone else saves.
• 15. Nectar prices at Sainsbury's: Similar to Clubcard — digital prices that beat the shelf price.
• 16. Stack with cashback apps: Apps like Shopmium, GreenJinn, and CheckoutSmart offer cashback on specific products. Stack these with loyalty card savings.
• 17. Use TopCashback or Quidco: Some online grocery deliveries (Ocado, Iceland online) are listed on cashback sites.
• 18. Collect and use points strategically: Tesco Clubcard points are worth 3x when exchanged for Clubcard Plus rewards (dining, days out). Don't waste them on groceries if you can get more value elsewhere.

Reducing Food Waste

• 19. Batch cook and freeze: Cook large portions and freeze individual servings. Cheaper than ready meals and healthier too.
• 20. Use your freezer properly: Bread, milk, bananas, cooked rice, and leftovers all freeze well. If you won't use it before it goes off, freeze it.
• 21. Learn 'best before' vs 'use by': 'Best before' means quality, not safety. Food past its best-before date is usually fine. 'Use by' is about safety — respect those dates.
• 22. Plan leftover meals: Sunday roast becomes Monday's sandwiches and Tuesday's soup. Build leftovers into your meal plan.
• 23. Use Too Good To Go: This app sells surplus food from shops and restaurants at a third of the price. Magic bags from bakeries and cafés are a bargain.

Long-Term Strategies

• 24. Track your spending: Write down what you spend on groceries for a month. Most people are shocked at the real number. Awareness alone reduces spending.
• 25. Do a monthly 'eat down' week: Once a month, challenge yourself to eat only what's already in the house. No shopping for a week (or as long as you can manage). This clears the cupboards, reduces waste, and saves a full week's grocery budget.

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