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For those with debt problems, the news is particularly difficult to stomach. Most of us will be expecting to sacrifice some of our hard-earned disposable income to cope with the growing cost of living - and for those with little to spare, dealing with debt is a growing concern.
The good news: there are things you can do to ease the pressure. Here are some practical tips for lowering your grocery costs without going on hunger strikes or taking up ‘freeganism’…
Buy less, waste less
It sounds like the kind of thing your parents would tell you as a teenager, but when it comes to food, never has a wiser word been spoken.
In a recent report, WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) estimated that up to a third of food intended for human consumption ends up in the bin, at an annual cost of around £420 per adult.
Before you shop, plan exactly what you need, write a list, and stick to it. Easier said than done when you’re faced with so many tempting offers, but that leads us onto the next point…
Shop online
Walking into a supermarket can be a high-pressure experience. Supermarkets know every trick in the book – clever displays, ‘special offers’ that save you a matter of pennies, and even wafting around pleasant smells to make you hungry – all designed to get you to empty your pockets.
Shopping online makes buying food and household goods an altogether more straightforward experience. There’s less temptation involved, and it’s much easier to stick to your essential shopping list when you can’t hear a chirpy store announcer telling you to ‘BOGOF’!
Take advantage of offers – but be careful
Special offers are great when they are genuine, but remember that stores still want a profit. Do the maths: many ‘Buy 2 for £x’ offers in fact save you next to nothing and are designed to get you to buy more than you need.
More often than not, the best offers are ‘Buy One Get One Free’, or similar: you get double what you paid for, meaning some can be saved for later, and you can spend less next time.
Be thrifty, buy value
Change your attitudes about what you buy. Many people assume that the highest-priced products with the prettiest packaging are best. This is what the manufacturers want you to think, and it isn’t always true.
Try a few cheaper brands – the difference in quality is often minimal, and your pockets will thank you.
Grow your own
How do you think your grandparents managed in their day, when money was often even tighter? Growing your own fruit and veg is a rewarding and cost-effective way of stocking up your cupboards.
You’ll also be saving on the environmentally unfriendly ‘air miles’ that supermarkets rack up having the same stuff delivered to them – so you can give yourself a big green pat on the back.
Buy the ingredients, not the package
Manufacturers of pre-packed meals have a lot of running costs and also want to make a profit. Preparing your own meals is not only cheaper, it will help you develop valuable cooking skills that you will keep for life.
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Cutting down on food costs is a surprisingly simple and effective way of saving money. Of course, if you are struggling with debt, lowering your grocery costs might not be enough in itself.
If you are constantly having to make compromises in order to manage your debts, it’s best to talk to an expert debt adviser. They may be able to suggest something more suited to your situation, such as a debt management plan or a debt consolidation loan.
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