Perhaps it is about time we started to look at supermarket shopping in a different way. Wouldn't it be great if we could save money and get healthier at the same time. Let's be honest, grocery shopping is not actually cheap, and if you don't have access to low cost supermarkets, the weekly shop can cost you a small fortune each week. But, there are many ways in which you can both save money on your grocery shopping and get healthier at the same time.
One of my top tips is to shop with a list and stick to it like glue. It is often the special offers in the supermarket which are not good for you. However, what were to happen if you took that list down to your local greeengrocer and butcher instead. That is what I did the other week, and to be honest, I keep on wondering if suprmarkets are just an addiction. We have fallen in love with browsing the nice aisles and picking up things that we do not need. After all, supermarkets love to tempt us with their "special offers".
Sadly, many of those special offers are not really cheap and healthy. Many of them are packed with sugar and salt, and when you take a close look at many skincare ranges from supermarkets, you will find that they are packed with parabens which can be really bad for you. This week, I decided to change my shopping habits and went to my local greengrocer and butcher instead. You may not believe this, but I managed to save money in both them and I got some really good quality produce as well. Maybe we should support our local small stores more often. Needless to say, godo quality and fresher produce both mean better health. On top of that, I avoided those tempting sugary offers.
Planning your meals is another top tip. I always used to be in the habit of just browsing around to see what special offers were available. This time I planned my meals and that helped a lot. I was able to tell my local butcher exactly what I needed, and my greengrocer was more than helpful as well. Also, the quanitites in the shop were smaller and the fruit and vegetables therefore better quality. At the end of my shop, I worked out that I had saved about £8, and if I can do that every week, I will have an extra £416 after 52 weeks.
I have also stopped paying with my card. Cash is king with me at the moment, and I seem to be much more conscious of the price of everything. At the back of your mind, you are always thinking about how much money is left in your wallet and if you are going to be able to pay for it.
Once you have stocked up on your store cupboards staples, I think that this is an excellent way to shop. You may still want to use the supermarkets for things like washingpowder, but I am not sure that supermarkets always have the best prices. I know that we are all busy, but sometimes, it is may pay off to check out what your local stores have to offer. You avoid all of those temtping "unhealthy special offers", get a chance to buy fresher produce and sometimes even produce that has been produced locally. Also look out for loyalty schemes, I discovered my local butcher had his own customer loyalty scheme. All in all, it was a real eye opener.