How to save money on groceries

1. Make a budget

When it comes to working out your funds, the first thing we’d always recommend you do is make a budget. That means it’s time to do some maths (or let a spreadsheet do it for you) and work out how much money you have coming in and going out each month.

Doing this helps you see exactly how much money you have to spend on rent/mortgage, utility bills, fuel, entertainment, credit card payments, savings and – of course – food bills.

Once you have your weekly budget established, it’s then absolutely vital that you stick to it. Don’t be tempted to overspend, even if there’s something that you reeeeeeally want. It’s also worth tracking your spending so you know exactly how much you’ve spent and if you have any left over so you can splurge on those extra little luxuries.

2. Plan your meals for the week

Stop throwing away money by preventing food waste. One of the biggest ways to overspend is by heading to the supermarket without a plan of action. You’ll end up buying a bunch of stuff with no real goal in mind to bring them together, which means you’ll have to spend more to do so. Or, even worse, you’ll buy an impromptu takeaway which definitely won’t do your budget any good.

To keep costs down, make sure you plan your meals to minimise food waste. If you’re buying ingredients for a salad, use everything and don’t throw away the other half of the lettuce after just one meal. A meal plan helps keep you accountable and prevents those costly impulse buys, so why not give it a go?

3. NEVER shop when you're hungry

Data shows that hungry shoppers spend around 60% more than those who are nice and full. When you’re about ready to chew off your arm, you’re more likely to make impulse purchases and be tempted by offers and promotions and unhealthy snacks. The solution to this is simple: do your food shop after breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’ll encourage you to stick to your shopping list and avoid sneaking things into your basket that you don’t need.

4. Shop online

Shopping online is simple, convenient and saves time. Not only that, but it can save you a lot of money, too.Shopping online lets you see your running total in real time, making it easy to stick to your shopping list and budget. It also prevents you from making those pesky impulse purchases, since you’re not walking up and down the aisles being tempted by everything.

Yes, there are delivery costs involved, but depending on where you live, this can often be cheaper than it would be to drive to the supermarket or catch the bus. Many of the big-name supermarkets also offer a subscription service that saves you on delivery costs, which can be a massive help too.

You can also use voucher codes when shopping online, which you often can’t do when you visit the supermarket in person. Here at Savoo, we have a huge selection of up-to-date voucher codes that you can use with loads of top retailers, including Ocado, Iceland, Asda, Waitrose, Gousto and plenty more.

5. Know where to shop

For the sake of convenience, heading to the supermarket and grabbing everything you need is often the easiest way to do it. But it’s not always the most cost-effective. If you have the time, check out different retailers, including superstores, your local supermarket, independent stores and discount outlets to find the best prices.

If it means you have to drive from one side of town to another then it might not be worth it, but if they’re within a short distance – or better yet, walkable – then it’s definitely something to consider.

It can sometimes even be cheaper to head to your local farm shop, especially if you choose seasonal fruit and veg that don’t have those expensive import costs added to the price.

6. Buy in bulk

Generally, the more of an item you buy, the more likely it is that you’ll pay less for each one. That’s why a four-pack of beans is £3.75 while a single tin is £1.40. Yes, you might pay more that first time around, but by buying them at the same time you save £1.85 in the long run. And this is just one small example – if you shop at places like Costco, you can make massive savings by buying things in bulk. It also means you’ll have to replenish things far left often and you might not need to do the weekly shop every now and then.

Similarly, if something you buy often is on offer, like buy one get one free, then why not stock up? Especially if it’s not an offer you see very often and they’re not perishable. Just make sure you store things properly and keep an eye on dates.

7. Choose stores' own brand products

To continue using beans as an example, while a 415g tin of Heinz Beans is £1.40 at Tesco (as of November 2024), a 420g tin of Tesco’s own brand beans costs just 43p. That’s almost a whole pound cheaper, and you get five extra grams of beany goodness in the supermarket's own brand tin to boot. And while you might prefer the taste of the well-known brand, the supermarket beans are still pretty nice, and are definitely worth it to save so much money.

Buying supermarket brands doesn’t mean the quality slips. Some can be even nicer than household names. Next time you go shopping, swap out a few of your usual purchases for supermarket own-brand equivalents and see how you can save money.

8. Avoid processed foods where possible

We couldn’t make this list without including this somewhere. But, it’s an obvious one that is always worth highlighting. Yes, processed and pre-made food items are super convenient (and often pretty darn delicious) but they’re also usually more expensive than making them yourself. Not to mention, not as good for you.

If you have the time, it’s always worth cooking your meals yourself at home. It also gives you the opportunity to batch cook, so you can freeze a few portions and lower your food shopping bill in a few weeks time. It’s a win-win!

9. Grow your own food

Depending on the size of your garden, or if you have access to an allotment, you can grow some of your own food to help cut costs. While growing fruit and vegetables isn’t accessible to a lot of people, almost everyone can grow a little.

All it takes are a few pots hanging from a window ledge, and you suddenly have your own herb garden which takes very little looking after. Just pick a few of your favourites – something like thyme, mint and rosemary – and grab a handful whenever you want to add a little flavour to your food. It won’t save you lots, but it does add up. It’s also nice and rewarding!

10. Save money on your food shopping with voucher codes from Savoo

Now that we’ve run through our favourite tips for how to save money on your weekly food shop, are you going to give any of them a go for yourself?

The most simple and convenient way to spend less is by using up-to-date voucher codes, which you can use at many of your favourite retailers. Browse Food and Drink Vouchers today to discover how you can get more for less.