Spend Less, Live More is Honey Money’s Sunday column delivering weekly tips, hacks and deals so you can get maximum bang for your buck when it comes to everyday life.
This week, 9honey spoke with Aussie mum and digital creator Eisha-Marie Eisel about her top tips for saving money on your weekly grocery shop.
It’s no secret that grocery shopping weighs heavily on the old wallet, especially for those with many mouths to feed.
The cost of living crisis has seen the cost of even the most basic supermarket staples skyrocket making grocery budgets tight and leaving many looking for ways to save.
Aussie mum of three Eisha-Marie Eisel knows just how tough it can be and has one top tip for those looking to cut costs at the grocery store.
Aussie mum Eisha-Marie Eisel has one top tip for those looking to cut costs at the grocery store. (Instagram/ @eisha_eisel)Fail to plan, plan to fail
You’ve likely heard the phrase, “fail to plan, plan to fail”. Well that’s Eisel’s approach when it comes to keeping grocery costs low.
The digital creator, who shares her life, cooking and budget tips on her social media platforms, tells 9honey the trick to eating well on a budget is “all about planning”.
Before you even leave the house, she recommends “spending a bit of time planning out what you’re going to need for the coming week”, then having a look at what that will cost you and making any adjustments if needed.
Eisel says preparation is key. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
“That way you know what you’re going to spend before you even set foot in the store,” she says.
“If you have a busy schedule, maybe plan a few easier dinners so you’re not getting takeout.”
Taking time to plan out your meals for the week and the exact groceries you need can help you keep on track at the grocery store and avoid any unnecessary expenses.
Keep up to date with sales and in-season produce
To make her grocery shopping budget stretch as far as it can, Eisel will be sure to research any current specials and keep in mind the produce that is in season before planning out her family’s weekly meals.
“I always spend time sitting down, planning our dinners, making sure to browse through catalogues, seeing what’s in season and seeing what’s on sale to help me plan out each of these dinners,” she says.
To make planning a little easier, she also has a list of all her favourite dinner ideas easily accessible in her notes app which she can refer to as she plots out her weekly meals.
Taking time to plan her fortnightly grocery list pays dividends in the long run for Eisel. (Getty)
Eisel does her grocery shopping every fortnight and will take about 30 minutes to plan beforehand. It’s a little bit of extra effort that pays dividends in the long run.
“Spending 30 minutes on a Sunday night, planning out a grocery list will help me in the long run,” she says.
“Especially on those busy nights when I’m running around doing soccer training or I only have a little bit of time during the week to pop into the store, I know exactly what I need, I can be in and out, done and save money on getting takeout throughout the week.”
Keeping grocery costs low
It’s this kind of planning that helps Eisel keep her grocery costs low. She says her fortnightly grocery bill – which feeds her family of five – usually costs her around $350.
That’s $175 a week or $35 per person, per week.
Only recently, she managed to pull together six dinners for her family of five from an $80 Aldi grocery shop.
Those meals included a slow cooker creamy Tuscan chicken with rice, crispy chicken rice paper rolls, slow cooker beef and lentil meatballs, silverside with creamy baked broccoli, beef and black bean tacos and her family’s favourite red lentil dahl.
This list of meals incorporates some more expensive items like beef and chicken with some cheaper staples like lentils and black beans which Eisel says is key for keeping the cost of a healthy grocery shop low.
A clever grocery swap
Her advice is to combine fresh meat and veg with ingredients that will add bulk to dishes and last longer in the pantry.
“I love legumes, lentils, beans, they’re really great to save money, to make a dish go further and seasonal vegetables to help bulk out dishes,” she says.
Eisel also recommends one key smart grocery shop to save on cash.
Making some clever grocery swaps can help cut coss. (Getty)
She says swapping out costly cuts of meat for cheaper cuts or even “switching it out altogether” for meat-free proteins, like beans and lentils, can be great for reducing your supermarket spend.
She says this swap is particularly great for making curries.
“I’m big on using like chickpeas and curries rather than meat,” she says.
“It’s definitely not missed in those cases.”
Bargain buys of the week
When it comes to saving more money this week*, we’ve rounded up some of the best deals supermarket deals to help stretch your budget further.
Until Tuesday in Coles, the Sorbent 3-Ply Silky White Toilet Paper is only $7 for a 16 pack – that’s half price of the usual $14 cost
Coles also has the Nescafe Blend 43 (140-150g) tub reduced from $14.50 to $7.25
Woolies has Ben’s Original flavoured microwave rice for just $2 – perfect for a quick and easy dish
At Aldi, it’s only $4.99 for 5 avocados – meaning they’re just 90c each
For a no-fuss dinner, Coles has Sharwood’s Simmer Sauce (think delicious curries) for $2.50 a jar, reduced from $5
Need to nab some shampoo? Woolies has Head & Shoulders shampoo for $13 for 850lm – that’s half price
*Prices are correct at the time of publishing
The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial advice. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.
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