6 Tips to Save on your Weekly Food Shop

Last time, we shared five tips on how to plan your shopping list and generate a meal plan. This week, the focus is on how to prepare your budget for your shop. Read on for useful tips on how to spend your money wisely.

1. Before you head out to the shops, ensure you have your coupons or loyalty cards. If you have loyalty apps, be sure to have coupons preloaded or use them to inform your shopping list.
   For example, Dunnes Stores have a €10 off a €50 spend. Keep your eye out for other discount vouchers or loyalty card programmes like Tesco Clubcard or the Lidl app, most stores have a loyalty programme.
2. Shop only once a week, if possible.
   You are likely to spend more if you go shopping more than once a week. Unplanned shopping trips for one or even two things might result in you purchasing extras. Not to mention, you’ll make a saving on your transport costs.
3. Bring your own shopping bags, as this will save you the expense of buying plastic bags.
   If you need to replace your reusable shopping bags, look for sturdy ones – they might cost more initially but will last longer.
4. Be careful of special offers.
   There is no point in buying something that sits rotting in your fridge or at the back of the cupboard until it expires, and definitely don’t buy a new product in bulk if you’ve never tried it before. Don’t buy things just because they are on offer; ask yourself if you really need them and will use them.
5. Be aware of prices and do a supermarket shop comparison.
   Often there will be a significant difference. Visit www.supermarket.ie to do your comparisons.
6. Get ideas for how to reduce food waste on Stopfoodwaste.ie.
   Have you for meals already prepared and in the freezer? Get into the habit of using these by having freezer Fridays. You can also pop a list of your freezer’s contents on the door of the freezer to help with your meal plans.

Have you got a tip or shopping hack that you’d like to share? Perhaps you have a question that we haven’t covered here? We’d love to hear from you, so be sure to follow us on social media, share your ideas or send us your questions.

Increases in the cost of goods and services are having an impact on many people living in Ireland. This blog’s tips, tricks, and life hacks are suggestions to help you find better value and stretch your euro. 

MABS advisers are here and ready to help you through the MABS 6-Step Money Advice Process. This process will help you maximise your income and tackle and prioritise debt and spending. Advisers can help you access social welfare entitlements and hardship funds to get you through.

You can contact your local office here, call the MABS Helpline on 0818 07 2000, Monday to Friday, from 9am to 8pm, or on WhatsApp 086 035 3141.