CUT IT OUT
I’m a mum-of-three who slashed my food bill by £175 per month – all it takes is a five-minute check… here’s how
We also reveal Kerry's favourite place to shop
A MUM-OF-THREE has revealed how she slashed her food bill by £175 a month - using a simple trick that takes just five minutes.
Kerry Morton, 54, from Colchester has been using the method for years and says it helps her to combat impromptu purchases.
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She reckons these tips could seriously slash your shopping bills, especially during the cost of living crisis.
Sharing her budgeting advice to YouTube, Kerry said: "Plan, plan, plan" and brings her meal planner and shopping list to each weekly trip.
"As a golden rule, I always use my calculator while I'm shopping".
That way, she knows how much her items should roughly cost when she gets to the till.
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Before popping to the shops, Kerry makes sure she does a stock check.
“Doing a quick once over of stock to avoid buying twice is a real budget saver. It can also determine what I will be cooking depending on what's in stock", she says.
Kerry believes that using up old stock before buying new is key to saving money.
Another tip is timing. Understandably, every person has a different demand on their time, but Kerry recommends figuring out when your preferred shop reduces their stock.
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Your preferred shop could even be the reason you aren't cutting costs as much as you'd like. Kerry says she predominantly shops in Lidl due to its decent offers.
She also uses apps and supermarket offers to her advantage such as Lidl's app where you can get a free bakery item per month, plus 10% off your next shop each month when you hit a particular target.
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Avoiding brands is another of Kerry's top tips, along with potentially nabbing a cheaper ingredient alternative in the reduced aisle.
Once the shop is done, the next hurdle is to cook efficiently and avoid wasting ingredients.
How to save on your supermarket shop
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they've been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you'll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you'll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching "finest" or "luxury" products and instead going for "own" or value" type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they're misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you're on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
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