One family managed to reduce their grocery bill by more than $140 by following their favorite budget hacks.
Louellen, from Melbourne’s Dandenong, was happy to show off the discount purchases she made on her recent trip to Coles – including 2.2kg of chicken for $1.44.
She decided to go to the grocery store on a whim after having a bad day, and her incredible booty made up for how “bad” she felt earlier.
Louellen’s store featured mild sopressa salami (47 cents less than $7.50), smoked chili chicken (98 cents less than $19.71) and roast pork (43 cents less than $8.70).
“I hit the jackpot today,” she said. ‘On the top row are containers of diced chicken breast, 2.2 kg for $1.44! And stacks of trays of delicacies such as roast pork, ham and salami.’
Louellen revealed her secret was shopping the bargains and keeping an eye out for newly placed yellow stickers in each aisle.
Louellen, from Melbourne’s Dandenong, was happy to show off the discount purchases she made on her recent trip to Coles – including 2.2kg of chicken for $1.44
The Melbourne woman revealed it was essential to note the expiration date on discounted products, especially meat and dairy products.
“I’ve been buying at a discount for years and can honestly say that I’ve only thrown something away once and I threw it away before cooking,” she said. “I can look at the data pretty well and make sure it’s a day or two ahead.”
Graham Cooke, head of consumer research at Finder, shared hacks to help customers shop for more value on their groceries.
“You don’t have to drive all over town to save $2 on onions, but a little goes a long way,” Cooke said. ‘Make a habit of checking out the weekly half-price deals at major supermarkets so you can make regular purchases when they go on sale.’
Mr Cooke said shoppers should be aware of savings schemes offered by supermarkets which can reduce the price of their groceries.
“Coles and Woolies also offer loyalty points and don’t charge extra for card payments, so it’s worth taking into account if prices are much the same,” he said.
Other shoppers shared their top tips for scoring bargains on groceries.
‘I find that when I go to Coles in a wealthier suburb with a nicer store, the discounts are rubbish. Find a poor suburb!’ said one.
“Shop for discounted items in the evening, but shop for fresh produce in the morning,” another advised.
One mother also recommended doing fewer, but larger, stores.
“I stopped shopping every week,” said one. “If you only shop every eight to nine days, that’s one less store every month.”
‘Not only does this save you valuable money that you wouldn’t normally even think about, but it also saves you from having to shop your fridge, freezer and pantry before heading to the supermarket.’