LIKE many Aussies you’re probably tired of spending so much money on your weekly visit to the supermarket.
Do you want to save money without sacrificing the quality of your meals?
If so, then meal planning might be the right solution for your family.
As a Financial Coach, I see firsthand the challenges that families go through when trying to make ends meet.
This is especially true with the increasing cost of living affecting so many areas of our lives, plus rising interest rates.
That’s why it’s a good time for some tips on how to save money at the supermarket while enjoying delicious meals.
The first step to saving money on groceries is to plan your meals in advance.
This is called meal planning, and it involves creating a list of meals that you’ll cook for the week or month.
When you have a plan, you’ll know exactly what ingredients you need to buy, and you’re less likely to spend on unnecessary items.
Here are some tips on how to get started:
Start by creating a meal plan for one week’s dinner.
Write down what you plan to cook and use a notebook, or an app, to help you stay organised.
There are some great tools and templates available via a quick Google search, and you can find amazing recipes being shared in online communities.
When you build your experience with planning for one week, you can extend this to a fortnight and then a month.
Check what ingredients you already have in your pantry or fridge. This way, you’ll avoid buying duplicates and save money.
Look for recipes that use similar ingredients. This will help you save money by buying ingredients in bulk, and you’ll also avoid wasting food.
Next, make a shopping list based on your meal plan.
Don’t shop when you’re hungry and stick closely to your list to avoid impulse buying.
Buy fruit and vegies that are in-season.
They cheaper, fresher, and tastier.
Consider buying the supermarket own brand products.
They’re usually a lot cheaper than branded products and are of similar quality (in fact sometimes they even come from the same factory).
Meal planning will save you time and money, and it just might help us to save the planet as we reduce food waste. Plus, it’s a great way to try new recipes and mix up your meals.
Like all things, when you have a plan, you increase your chances of achieving a great result.
Meal planning can provide the structure that will see you regularly saving $50, $100 or even more.
Beyond reducing your grocery bill, you enjoy the other benefits, such as trying new recipes and even spending more quality time together when you get the family to join in with the cooking.
Make meal planning part of your approach to beating the rising cost of living.
With just a little bit of planning and organisation, you can enjoy something great and gather all the savings.
Give it a go and see how much you can save!
