Brought to you by SuperValu.
The weekly shop is no easy feat – that’s why we contacted two top financial experts to help us out!
John Lowe (The Money Doctor) who’s a best selling financial author and writer, plus Ken Hughes – a leading consumer and shopper behaviourist – came to our rescue.
Feeling like we could be a bit more clever with our hard earned cash – we got straight into the nitty gritty expert tips!
1. Budget
“One of the most common questions I get asked is, ‘How can I plan for the future?’” says John.
“Ten percent of us don’t actually have a budget and therefore saving goes out the window.
“People have good intensions, but you need to write down what you’re earning each month, and if there’s a surplus, start putting it away for a holiday or a home deposit. It’s imperative”
Be a savvy shopper by making a budget and sticking to it. With SuperValu own brand you can make up to 15 percent savings – so on a €150 weekly shop over 52 weeks, this can equate to approximately €1,170 savings a year – and there’s no compromising on quality!
2. Make a list
“A shopping list is a must,” says John. Check your pantry, your fridge, check dates. Santa writes a list and checks it twice – we have to be doing the same thing. If there’s anything additional – it’s going to cost you.”
Ken maintains you can save 30 percent on shopping if it’s planned with a list.
“Without a plan, I have you where I want you. Do a stock take at home.
“If you want to save money, the SuperValu promotion leaflet is your first port of call. And if you only buy what’s on your shopping list, you won’t be aimlessly wandering around and you’ll minimise your shopping very, very quickly.”
3. Quit the Little Things
Taking the time to stop and think about whether or not we really need the little things we buy saves us BIG bucks throughout the year.
It all adds up – just think of the glorious spa weekend we could nab at the end of the year instead! Think about bringing your lunch to work, using what’s already in the fridge. This can save around €5 a day, across 48 weeks a year, which results in approximately €1,200 in savings that will pay for a European break away for two, in addition to earning SuperValu Real Rewards points – all when you book with a Real Rewards Partner.
4. Don’t Go Hangry
“Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry. It makes you a little bit angry and anything that makes you less relaxed will make you rush and buy faster,” says Ken.
5. Cash vs. Card
When it comes to getting cashback at the checkout, John says the answer is ALWAYS ‘no’.
“How many people go to an ATM to get a couple of hundred euro, and a few days later, haven’t a breeze as to where the money is gone?”
Using the ol’ debit or credit cards for the sake of it might not be such a good idea. Ken had a rather interesting method to ensure we take this on board too!
“If you decide you can spend €150 on groceries each week, leave your plastic at home. Put €150 into your wallet and nothing else – and go. The first time you try that you’ll get to the till and the groceries will be €160.
“It will be really awkward because you’ll have to put about three things back. Do that to yourself once, and you’ll never do it again!”
6. The BIG Weekly Shop is Still Worth It
Again, this is where the importance of planning and making a shopping list comes in. Ken maintains that we should most definitely try and do our grocery shopping just once each week, as we’re giving ourselves less opportunity to unnecessarily spend. “Take your plan (list) and stick to it. Don’t expose yourself to temptation.”
He also says it’s a good idea to shop around for value when it comes to things like car insurance or broadband for example – but not generally groceries. However! – Keep an eye out for SuperValu’s Green and Yellow Stickers that pin-point their weekly promos and price drops!
John mentioned that shopping in bulk is a great idea for non-perishables like toilet paper and washing powder. “They don’t go out of date. If they’re on special offer you should absolutely buy them.”
7. Online or On Foot?
John told us that online shopping means we can negate our costs. So sometimes the delivery charge with buying online will be what it costs us to get to the shop in our own car anyway – so shopping online makes sense.
Ken pointed out that SuperValu has made online shopping easier, automatically saving the items we regularly buy, all in one place so they can be easily added to our shopping basket. plus it’s easier to maintain our budget too!
8. What’s the best day to go shopping?
Both advisors very much agreed that the best day to shop is the day we’re in a good mood!
“Never go shopping if you’re over tired or narky, you’ll shove anything into the basket. Always take a stand back,” says John.
So if there’s another parent or family member who can do the shopping, make sure they go, and not you!
Ken says;
“If you’re dropping the kids off at football practise and then heading to the shop, it’s not a great idea, because even in the back of your mind you’re very aware that you have to be back on time to pick them up. If you can find a time with more breathing space, take that instead.”
9. Be a Clever Shopper
It’s true we all adore a good bargain, but it’s super important we choose the one that’s right for us!
“Multibuys are only value for money if you need the product this week. If you eat chia seeds every morning for breakfast (and these are expensive) and the chia seeds are ‘2 for 1’, then it’s good value, because you actually need the product,” says Ken.
“Buying indulgent items on a multibuy level isn’t clever. Look out for the yellow stickers in SuperValu and see if it’s an offer you want.”
10. Get Savvy with SuperValu Rewards
Plenty of us aren’t all too great at remembering to bring our vouchers to the shop – think of all the money we could be saving! Well, splendid news everyone – SuperValu’s Real Rewards has gone digital and now we have our vouchers on our SuperValu Rewards app!
“A physical voucher is handy because it reminds you that the offer is available,” says Ken, “but with the app you don’t have to remember to bring the voucher with you anymore.”
With SuperValu having partnered with over 130 brands, it’s possible for us to save on our electricity bills and fashion sprees! If we use our Bank Of Ireland Credit Card to pay for our groceries, we can earn Real Rewards points, and by simply linking our Real Rewards account to our Electric Ireland and eir accounts we can earn even more points when paying online.
11. Make it Interesting for the Kids
If you’re worried about how the little ones will fare on the next shopping spree, we didn’t forget to ask our experts about that vital question either!
“I’ve seen kids having tantrums, including my own. Sadly, there’s little you can do. In SuperValu in Lucan there are tiny little trolleys that kids can push around with mum and dad,” says John.
John also said pocket money is a good idea for showing kids how to be responsible with their own money too.
There are three stages – €10 per week when they’re young, €20 per week in secondary school and when they hit third level – you’ll find yourself giving around €60 a week if they’re away from home.
“What I would say is, if you’re giving your child €10 a week, encourage them to save €3 of it, so when it comes to holidays, or birthdays, they can buy a gift independently from mum or dad.”
What self-sufficient babas we’ll have in no time!
Brought to you by SuperValu.
SuperValu has announced its new lower prices campaign which sees price drops across hundreds of super quality own brand products. SuperValu understand that we all want to keep the cost of our weekly shop down. Now with better than half price sales and price drops across fresh fruit, veg and meat, it has never been easier or cheaper to do your full shop in SuperValu. Look out for the green and yellow stickers in store and save, save, save. For more information download the Real Rewards app, and visit their Facebook page.
