Stretch your cash in the supermarket with these seven essential tips

Households are being offered clever tips to save cash on the weekly food shop to help save money as costs of essential items such as pasta have doubled in price.

The consumer experts at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have explored clever ways to stretch cash on the food shop to keep the costs down.

This comes after it was revealed there has been a 33% increase in the price of everyday essentials, leaving many households worried about how they’re going to pay for their food costs.

To cut back on food prices, the team have investigated clever ways to stretch the cash on the supermarket shop so Brits can shop at ease.

Taking a trip to the store at a certain time can help to secure deals for as little as 15p and having a savings pot allocated to the food shop can help prevent overspending, a common problem for many shoppers.

Rebecca Bebbington from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “It’s worrying hearing about how much the price of food is going up, it’s almost as if it’s rising every week.

“This is why we want to help provide savvy tips to help people become bargain experts in the supermarket so they aren’t left out of pocket by simply doing the food shop.

“Many people sign up to loyalty apps but forget to spend the points they’ve gathered over the year. The same goes for emails, if you’ve set up an account with a supermarket, check your junk as the stores may offer discounts on your next shop.”

Here are seven savvy tips from the frugal team at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk to save cash on the food shop:

Discounted treats from the bakery on a Sunday
Around 3pm on Sundays, listen out for the tannoy announcement from the bakery section, as they reduce the price of remaining stock such as cakes and loaves of bread for as little as 15p.

Prep and plan beforehand
Before heading to the store, plan what meals you want to make for the week and go in with a list either digitally or hand-written. It’ll help prevent filling the trolley with items that’ll just get thrown away or are bought simply due to the branding.

Bulk buy lunches
Prices of meal deals have been continuing to rise over the last year, but making homemade lunches in bulk can help reduce this heavy cost. Make the most of your freezer too and divide the food into containers and simply defrost them for the day ahead.

Sign up for loyalty schemes
Sign up to loyalty schemes at each supermarket you visit to get a digital loyalty card. You can then start earning points which can be converted to extra cash for the shop. If you shop at a store enough, you can earn points which work out to £8 every month and will be worth around £70 by the time it comes to the Christmas food shop.

Check your junk mail
Emails from supermarkets can easily end up in your junk mail. It may be a pain but some of these emails provide helpful tips on discounted food and special deals. This could be an extra 15% off your next shop, as well as seasonal deals on meats and cupboard food.

Make a food shop money pot
Have a look at creating a money pot allocated for the food shop. Figure out how many meals you need for the week and pick a reasonable budget so you can still enjoy a tasty treat.

Switch up the weekly shop
Many food stores offer £10 off your first shop at their supermarket, so if you’re tight for cash in the week, have a look at switching it up to get more for your money.