The weekly trip to the supermarket can make or break the family budget. It’s so easy to loose track of spending while walking around filling a trolley. Once the shop’s tallied at the checkout there’s no turning back.

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OECD figures show Australian food prices rose over 40 per cent in the ten years between 2000 and 2010. That’s faster than any other major developed economy. Our two big supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths, have a tight grip on the market and push up prices. They charge top dollar and push customers to spend more than they need. Start fighting back.

1. Take a list

The average Australian household spends 12 per cent of its income on groceries. I bet you can cut that down by sticking to a list. Sit down on the weekend and plan all meals for the following week. Check the pantry and fridge before going shopping and work out exactly what you have to buy. Make a comprehensive shopping list of all the food needed for the week and stick to it.

If “special” promotions or check out goodies are too tempting, and you have trouble sticking to the list, try shopping online. It’s easy to compare prices and keep track of spending. The initial shop may take a bit of time as you wade through pages of products, but the site should save your choices to make the next shop much quicker.

2. Shop smart

Supermarkets position products a certain way to get customers to spend more. Eye-level shelves are prime position and usually contain the most expensive brands. Look above or below these shelves for a similar item at a lower price. Generic brands don’t look as flash but can save a lot of money.

Make sure so-called bargain bins will really save you money and the supermarket isn’t just trying to get rid of excess stock at regular prices.

3. Stop paying for convenience

Save money and cut back on convenience foods like frozen meals and pre-cut salads or vegetables. The same goes for snacks like muesli bars, muffins and other lunch box fillers. Spend a bit more time in the kitchen preparing meals and baking treats.

4. Beware of promotions

Don’t spend more or shop exclusively at one place to take advantage of supermarket promotions. They offer little real value and can end up costing money if you shop exclusively at one place and ignore specials elsewhere.

Coles and Woolworths offer petrol discounts of 4 cents at litre when you buy more than $30 worth of groceries. If you fill your car up with 50 litres of petrol that’s a saving of just $2.

The same goes for loyalty programs like Coles FlyBuys and Woolworths Everyday Rewards. Consumer advocate Choice found you would need to spend almost $11,000 at Woolworths and over $15,700 at Coles to earn enough points for a $50 shopping voucher.

5. Make time for the supermarket

Organise to leave the kids at home. So much food is packaged and marketed to attract children. You don’t want to be conned into buying extras like chocolate bars and chips or expensive muesli bars and cereals.

Set aside a time each week to do your shopping and plan around it. Keep a stocked kitchen to avoid last minute trips to the convenience or corner store, which charge top dollar for household groceries.

Comments  

 

+1 #2 2010-10-29 16:51

Might be able to enhance your tips, have a look at http://ow.ly/31794 new creation purley to save the consumer money

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0 #1 2010-09-02 13:39

What a great site you have Kochie, always up to date with the lastest on shopping, finance, and news. Keep it up mate.. I never miss a day without visiting your blog site or watching sunrise.

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