As a student, it can be difficult to manage your limited budget, especially with food being increasingly more expensive. But with the proper grocery shopping habits, you can save a lot more than you realize.

Here are 7 top tips I’ve put together to help you save money on your next grocery trip:

Make a shopping list

Some might think, “Only my mom makes lists.” Why bother if you can make up your mind when you get there?

Without a clear idea of what you need, it’s easy to be tempted by all the choices and accidentally overspend if you’re not sure what you need.

You don’t need to spend hours either – simply open “Notes” app on your phone and when you think of something you need, add it to the list!

Plan your meals ahead of time

Planning what you’ll eat throughout the week helps you avoid buying unnecessary items since you’ll already have a clear idea of what you need.

Plus, you should put the ingredients for any recipes you plan to cook into your shopping list!

Eat up before you go!

Always go grocery shopping on a full stomach. If you hadn’t eaten much beforehand, you’re more likely to be tempted by the smell of freshly baked goods and all the snacks and treats on hand.

You’ll end up buying more food than you need to if you go when you’re hungry.

Choose supermarket label over big name brands

Supermarket label brands are cheaper than big name brands, and you’ll be surprised when sometimes you can’t even taste the difference!

It’s worth trying the supermarket label products (especially for items you buy regularly) at least once. Afterwards if you decide that the big name brands still taste better and are worth the extra money, then by all means continue buying them.

But think about it this way, every time you go for a supermarket label item instead, you can use those savings to splurge a little more on other treats (like that tub of ice cream that you were eyeing).

Double check those prices

Make a mental note of the prices of items you pick out – especially if there’s a discount. Make sure it’s the same as the prices you pay at checkout.

Sometimes, especially with discounts, the barcode price isn’t updated on the system and you end up paying the full price instead of the discounted price! When you notice this – alert a staff member to correct the amount for you. You’ll be surprised at how often this has happened.

Always check your receipt

Quickly skim your receipt to make sure everything looks correct. Most of the times it is right, but every now and then mistakes happen.

Once, I got accidentally charged for the price for 40 limes at ASDA when I only intended to buy two! Luckily, I caught this on my receipt and got a refund.

You never know if this might happen to you, so it’s always worth a quick skim after you get your receipt!

Watch out for ‘reduced prices’

Supermarkets will usually sell items that have a sooner expiration date with a ‘reduced price’ marked by a yellow sticker. Make sure to watch out for these!

If you plan to eat that item within the next few days anyway, you can save more by buying the ‘reduced price’ option.

Personally, I found that developing a lot of these habits helped me save much more, and I’m hoping most of these tips will help you too.

Remember, a little treat or two doesn’t hurt as long as you shop smartly. Happy shopping for your next grocery trip!

Written by Sofie, current BSc Management (Marketing) student at AMBS

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