Student budgeting - fun. What with rent, bills, stationery, books and the odd costume for the latest society's party, money's tight. It's sometimes difficult to stick to your budget, but here are some tips on how to cut costs when shopping for food.
Look for Deals and Special Offers
All year round there are special offers on food - half price, 2 for 1, price roll overs and more. When you're out shopping, keep an eye out for these offers so as to get the best deal.
Vouchers
Websites such a vouchercodes.co.uk are a great way to cut costs. During your university's fresher's week you should get hundreds of discount and freebie vouchers and gift cards - don't throw them away! Offers on meals out, Tesco or Asda discounts and special offers on certain brands aren't far away; keep hold of vouchers in case they come in useful later on. This isn't just restricted to food, you can save your pennies with clothes, music and even course books too.
Avoid Scams and Myths
There are many common food myths that can make your life more expensive, such as 'tinned food isn't healthy' and 'meat cannot be refrozen' (quoted from 'a Dozen Food Myths that Could Cost You, Felicity Hannah). Also keep an eye out on offers such as '2 for £3' or '3 for £4', as sometimes (unusually, but it happens) the offer actually turns out to be more expensive than the original price. For example, there may be an offer on 2 for £3 on fruit juice, but the individual cartons are only £1 each.
This isn't usually the case but it can happen. Simply using your phone's calculator can work out which deal really is the best for you, and whether it's a deal at all.
Cheaper and Different Brands
Many people stick to the same brand simply because, well... they always have. Your parents may always have bought Walkers crisps, or you may always get Cadbury's hot chocolate. But sometimes switching to a different brand can save you a ton of money. In supermarkets the same types of products are always together on a shelf, so look at the entire aisle and find the cheapest available. If you find out later that you don't like the new brand you've tried, simply don't buy it next time. Or you might even find that the cheaper version is now your new favourite! Who knows? You could end up saving a lot of money by switching brands.
Buy Less
Think about what you can cut back on. Do you really need a whole 500g of mince to yourself, or could you make a meal with only 250g? Cutting on the amount you buy can really save money. Get a smaller bag of vegetables, less eggs, a smaller carton of milk. Of course, don't cut back if you really do need the larger amount, but if you find you're throwing away mouldy bread at the end of each week or letting half a bag of carrots go to waste, you might find you can get away with buying less. And of course, if you're saving money on the necessities, you can afford more treats!
Buy Things that Last Longer
Fresh fruit and vegetables are healthy of course, but tinned fruit and veg is just as healthy - and lasts a lot longer. Buying fresh peach slices, pineapple slices and so on and storing them at the back of the cupboard means that you'll have a delicious, healthy snack to dip into - and there's no rush to eat them. As long as the tin stays sealed the fruit will stay fresh, unlike loose fresh fruit which will be out of date in a couple of days. Tinned fruit and vegetables are nearly always cheaper too; you can get a large tin of peach slices for less than £1, and cans of vegetables such as peas and potatoes for around £1-£2. Other foods that last a long time include potatoes, anything tinned, dry herbs and spices, honey and maple syrup, rice, pasta, spaghetti and dried vegetables.
These tips can help you save a lot of money which means more partying, clothes shopping and travelling. Explore new brands and don't be afraid to try new things, and don't complete your shopping without checking out the best deals first. It might just save you a fortune.
Poppy Reid - My name's Poppy and I live in England, although I was born in Scotland. I mostly write fiction but I'm looking to increase my flexibility ...
