9 tips and secrets to save money at Lidl, including its bargain hour and wine of the week
FROM bargain booze to the best times to find bargains, here are nine tips and secrets to save you even more cash at Lidl.
The German retailer has become one of the top discounters in the UK thanks to its low prices, stealing customers away from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons.
To help make your money stretch even further, we’ve put together a guide on how to get the most from your next Lidl shop.
For example, did you know Lidl’s in-store magazine is full of coupons that can save you cash?
We spoke to Tom Church, co-founder of , to find out his top shopping tips.
If you're ready to start bargain hunting, use the to find your nearest Lidl.
Shop early to get the best deals in Lidl's bargain hour
Lidl reduces items at the start of the day and the best deals can be found between 7am to 8am, when most stores open.
Tom told us how he often finds cooked meats, salmon fillets and breads reduced by 30 per cent or more.
It's not guaranteed you'll find massive reductions each time you visit, but getting to your local when it opens will maximise your chance.
You can find your local branch's opening times .
Unlike most supermarkets, Lidl uses orange stickers for its reduced labels - keep that in mind when you're looking for bargains.
Here's how to cut the cost of your grocery shop
MONEY.CO.UK has shared some top tips with us to help you keep your supermarket spend down to a minimum.
- Write yourself a list - Only buy items that you need. If it isn't on your list, don't put it in the trolley
- Create a budget - Work out a weekly budget for your food shopping
- Never shop hungry - You are far more likely to buy more food if your tummy is rumbling
- Don't buy pre-chopped veggies or fruit - The extra they'll charge for chopping can be eye watering
- Use social media - Follow your favourite retailers to find out about the latest deals
- Be disloyal - You may want to go to different stores to find the best bargains
- Check the small print - It’s always worth checking the price per kg/lb/litre when comparing offers so you’re making a like for like decision as a bigger box won’t necessarily mean you get more
- Use your loyalty cards - Don’t be afraid to sign up to them all. They all work slightly differently - work out what bonus suits you better and remember to trade in your points for additional rewards
Say cheers to bargain booze
Not only does Lidl have its own range of reasonably-priced alcohol, it also does its own knock-offs of branded favourites.
For Christmas, the retailer does its own version of Baileys called Dundalgan Irish Country Cream which costs £3.75 for 700ml.
That makes it £8.25 cheaper than the 1 litre bottle of Baileys currently being sold in .
In terms of wine, Lidl's selection is scored by Richard Bampfield, a Master of Wine and independent lead taster.
He gives each wine a score out of 100 and is often full of praise for Lidl booze.
For example, he rated this a staggering 90/100 - and it costs only £5.99.
Plus, this Corbieres red wine from France made our list of top wines for under £5 earlier this year, with a price of £4.99.
Try the wine of the week
If you're undecided on what wine to try, Lidl does a "Wine of the Week" selection where you can find bottles with almost 50 per cent off.
Wine of the week runs from Thursday to Wednesday and you can keep track of .
This week, the discounter has £2 off a Spanish Rioja - now down to £2.99 from £4.99.
Browse the Middle of Lidl
Everyone knows about the "Middle of Lidl" - it's here you'll find a load of random stuff that you didn't realise you need, at good prices.
But if you're hoping to avoid spending more than you planned to, you can see .
This is a great way to plan your trip and only get the bargains you need.
The Middle of Lidl is refreshed every Thursday and Sunday.
This week there's a festive selection, including a Christmas reindeer outside ornament for £6.99.
Keep track of the pick of the week
You can also keep tabs of what's appearing in the "Pick of the Week" section on the Lidl website.
The discounts happen every Thursday and are usually on fruit, vegetables and meat.
By planning ahead, you can use this information to work out your meals for the week and avoid impulse buys.
This Thursday, Lidl has 28p off pineapples, £1 off spinach and 26p off potatoes to name a few.
Remember to compare prices before you hit the shops using grocery comparison website .
Use social media and the Lidl app
To stay in the know, follow Lidl on all its social media outlets.
Lidl is on , and .
It's often these pages where the supermarket posts deals first, so it's worth keeping a close eye on them.
Another way to keep up with offers is by downloading Lidl's app.
The free app is available on both the and .
If you're going on holiday, you'll also be able to access information for Lidl stores across Europe.
Sign up to Lidl's newsletter
Shoppers who are signed up to the Lidl newsletter will get exclusive offers sent to their inbox twice a week.
You'll also find out when Lidl's Pick of the Week offers launch, as well as their Middle of Lidl deals.
You can sign up .
Collect coupons from the in-store magazine
Lidl’s in-store Moments magazine often contains money-saving coupons and vouchers, so don't chuck it away when you get home from a shop.
For example, shoppers have previously got £5 off their next £25 shop.
The magazines are usually found by the entrance of the store.
Take advantage of new store discounts
Is there a new Lidl store opening near you? Then you're entitled to up to six weeks' worth of freebies from the retailer.
The supermarket hands out Lidl Freebie Cards to all local residents ahead of a new store opening.
But if you're working in the area, you can also ask for one in store so you can benefit from the deals.
The freebies change each week and you can find out .
MORE ON MONEY
We've taken a look at 20 TK Maxx tips to find a bargain, including best time to shop and its secret rewards scheme.
And there's these nine tips to save money at Tesco, featuring how to get cashback on groceries.
Plus here's 10 tips to save money in Aldi including best shopping times and when to browse the middle aisle.