• Take a shopping list to the supermarket and only buy what’s on the list.
  • Plan meals in advance and add the ingredients to your shopping list.
  • If you have very young children, ask a friend to mind them while you go shopping. You’ll have more time to compare prices and won’t fall victim to ‘pester power’.
  • Set a budget for your shopping trip, withdraw the cash from an ATM and only take this money with you when you go shopping.
  • Try growing your own food at home.
  • Eat a meal or snack before you go to the supermarket. When you’re not hungry, you tend to buy less food.
  • Buy in bulk when things are cheaper. Meat can be cut into smaller portions and frozen so you can use it as you need it.
  • If you usually shop each week, try shopping once a fortnight to get into the habit of using all the food in your pantry before buying more.
  • Swap the brand names you always buy for generic products when you can.
  • Check the ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates on food so you don’t waste money buying things you won’t use before you have to throw them out.
  • Supermarkets usually promote the items at eye-level, so check the shelves above and below for cheaper alternatives.
  • Meat can be expensive, so buy less of it and try making more meals without using it.