Our food bill is the biggest outgoing after our mortgage, so I am always looking for ways to reduce it. This is done in a combination of ways, all of which do not require a lot of effort.
Throughout our journey so far, I have found that we have saved and earned more money when it’s easier. Life is busy for us all and making things easy to do, means it works! Over time we have reduced our food bill in little steps. Cutting out everything or immediately dropping to a cheaper brand, doesn’t always work. We all have items that we look forward to in our weekly shop and it is about finding that balance.
Here are my top tips on how to reduce your food bill:
- Bulk out food – Don’t be afraid to bulk out your meals. For example, if you are making spaghetti bolognaise, add extra vegetables and tomatoes. Bulking meals out with cheaper ingredients will cut the costs per portion and cutting your weekly food bill.
- Meal plan – Heading out shopping without a list is dangerous. Start by planning your meals for the week, then check what you already have. From this, you can plan your list for when you head to the supermarket. If you are trying to reduce the weekly bill, even more, create a meal plan with what you have in your home. This way you will just need to purchase fresh ingredients.
- Take advantage of the deals – Sometimes there will be deals that are there to tempt you. Then there are lots of deals on offer that could save you some money in the long run too. Tinned items and things that can be frozen are usually good buys, as long as you buy what you need.
- Use up your leftovers – Don’t throw away any leftovers, use them up for lunch the next day or freeze ready for another day. Make sure that you store these properly in an airtight container to ensure they stay fresh.
- Yellow sticker offers – If you are lucky to pick up some yellow sticker offers, these will save you a bit of cash in the long run. I always find that the best deals tend to be on meat, but this is great to store in the freezer for future weeks. If you want some help on how to get the best yellow sticker deals, check out this great post.
Over a weekly shop, these savings soon start to add up. For many of us, just cutting £10 of our food bill a week will make a difference to our finance. So why not try a few steps next time and see how much you can save.
