We're trying to cut down on the amount we spend at the supermarket and to that end we have calculated a weekly maximum amount that we have budgeted for food.
We've tried to cut down before but have always been seduced by the 'bargains' that we simply couldn't ignore! The 2 for 1 or BOGOFs that fill the fridge and freezer until they pass their sell by dates and are jettisoned into the bin!
It's so easy to arrive at the supermarket clutching a list of, say, 20 items you need and then an hour later, leave with a trolley FULL of items you thought would be nice and a bargain!
So, this time we are not allowing ourselves the safety net of the plastic, the 'flexible friend'! We draw out the week's allowance in cash and we shop using cash. It doesn't half make a difference to your mental attitude as you push your (smaller) trolley round. It's easier to say no to the things not on the list and it gives much more incentive to economise and actually save! Real notes, hard cash being passed over at the check out makes you realise how much you are spending and how hard you have had to work to put those notes in your purse in the first place. The first week over and we made a surprising saving and still managed to eat very well!
Handle your cash, don't always deal in plastic - it DOES make a difference!
Yes, it's amazing how much you save when you can see the real cost of what you are buying. I save a lot by doing our shop online, because I can see the cost mounting up as I add things to the trolley, and it's easy to take things back out at the end if the total cost looks a bit high! We save a lot more than the delivery charge, because we're not tempted by cleverly placed 'Special Offers' too!
ReplyDeleteOne of the problems is that with taking the car to the Supermarket you don't have to physically carry the shopping you have bought like we used to do before we had the car.That did limit what you bought - not that I want to go back in time to then but it did help in what you spent.
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