Living on a budget and still trying to afford a balanced and nutritious diet can be tricky, especially when prices continue to skyrocket.

Any person who's ever tried to juggle the demands of affordability and quality knows that it's no easy task.

Well, now we can learn from one savvy (and possibly lucky!) mum who pulls off a grocery shopping ‘win’ every now and then.

Shekirra from Queensland recently scored an unbelievable grocery shopping deal, with her total haul (before the discount) amounting to a whopping $285.29, yet only costing her $56.44.

How? She took advantage of the markdowns section at her local supermarket.

A struggling mum's 'rare win': she saved about $230 on groceries amid rising living costs. Credit: Facebook.

Shekirra was delighted with the incredible array of hearty meat products available at the store, ranging from lamb cutlets, hot dogs, and chicken burger patties to loin strip beef and more.

She did notice that some of these items had different prices based on their expiration dates, but that didn't concern her. She had a brilliant plan in mind: she would freeze all of her purchases as soon as she got home

At home, Shekirra had a spacious box freezer, which allowed her to keep all the meat products well-preserved. By doing so, she could defrost only the portions she needed, effectively reducing food waste and cutting down on her future expenses.

She was thrilled with this practical approach that not only saved money but also ensured she could enjoy a variety of delicious meat whenever she wanted.

The resourceful mum also suggested that if you plan on finding such deals too, being a frequent visitor of the supermarket's markdown section is key. Regularly going over the selection, she said, increases the chances of uncovering secret bargains.

'I can honestly say it's pure luck. I can walk into the same store ten times and get next to nothing, and then other times I get hauls like this,' she said.

Shekirra is by all means a budgeting superstar, but if you're looking to save a bit of money on your grocery bills too, here are some tips and advice that might be helpful:

Consider buying meat in bulk and opt for cheaper cuts when possible—slow cooking them can transform cheaper cuts into delicious and tender meals. Prepare bulk mince dishes with lentils and grated vegetables, and don't forget to freeze any leftovers. Allocate a meat-free dinner each week for further savings.

Freeze any unfinished pastes, such as curry pastes, tomato pastes, and passata, in an ice cube tray and transfer them to zip lock bags once frozen.

Be mindful of sale items in catalogues, plan your meals according to grocery shop specials, and do not underestimate the money-saving power of comparison apps (like Frugl and WiseList).

Key Takeaways

• A Queensland mum, Shekirra, managed to save around $230 on her grocery shop thanks to markdowns at her local supermarket.
• Shekirra shared her tip of frequently checking the markdown sections and then freezing her purchases to use in the future.
• The trick to her success, she said, included luck, frequent shopping and having plenty of freezer space.
• She encouraged others to adopt her methods, and many other shoppers congratulated her on her haul and appreciated her tips.

We are truly amazed by Shekirra's incredible talent for finding bargains, and we're eager to hear about your own shopping triumphs and money-saving strategies, members!

Please share your experiences and tips in the comments below. Additionally, if you have any other smart supermarket budgeting advice, don't hesitate to share it in the comments! We're all here to learn from each other and make the most of our shopping budgets.

 

[Thecheesequeen]

We’ve had so many articles like this from you. And we CAN’T all do the same. It’s a matter of being lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.

 

[ShannyN]

Alright for some. Not everyone has a large freezer either. How about SDC stop regurgitating social media posts like this and actually get out there and walk through the stores instead of online shopping and dropping into trendy cafes for lattes and smashed avo?

Good on someone for that saving etc. But that's past, its not an always on special, I could do the same shop on markdowns and not achieve the same results no one can
We need specific items and specific stores/prices

 

[Suzanne rose]

It's pot luck , she was there at the right time.

I wonder how many times she was lucky or was it just the one time and posted her find on FB.

I think alot of us now look in the weekly catalogues to see what's on spectrum 1/2 price.

I wished we had coupons like America has

 

[Gsr]

Most people don’t have time to be constantly going to the supermarkets in search of these bargains. I look for the discounted meat but have never found more than a few different cuts discounted at one time, which I do buy and also freeze. Never have I found the amount of meat she claims she got in one shop, so I wonder if it even was one shopping trip or several. Also how much is it costing her to make these constant trips in search of these bargains.

 

[ColG]

Yes, we all like and need yo save money. But if shopping for a small family of 2 or 3, why not shop in local small business insyead of the supermarkets which are cutting services and staff.
Keep small businesses alive, otherwise all profits tend to travel overseas and only our governments make money.

 

[Ricki]

Up until about a year ago I would find lots of discounted meat but slowly those specials disappeared. Times have gotten tough for everyone and such markdowns are snapped up quickly. I'm happy for this woman and I enjoy reading these good luck stories.

 

[Leenie]

How many times have u gone into the supermarket to get something on special and find they are out it . I have many times and Woolies no longer have rain checks ,Coles still do .

 

[Cheezil]

We’ve had so many articles like this from you. And we CAN’T all do the same. It’s a matter of being lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.

Agree, good luck to this person, but we get a bit sick of these same old stories that we cant do much about it to get this same value when we shop! Who can afford multiple trips to the shops "just in case" anyway (wasting fuel money isnt savings!) These amazing markdowns don't seem to happen much at all where i live in rural Vic!

 

[Cheezil]

Most people don’t have time to be constantly going to the supermarkets in search of these bargains. I look for the discounted meat but have never found more than a few different cuts discounted at one time, which I do buy and also freeze. Never have I found the amount of meat she claims she got in one shop, so I wonder if it even was one shopping trip or several. Also how much is it costing her to make these constant trips in search of these bargains.

Spot on!

 

[freedy50]

Where is such a bad supermarket that they've got so much meat left over by it's sell by date and can only sell it by reducing the price and losing some profit on it for that store?

I'm sure their head office won't be very pleased with the manager there.

 

[Jennie]

Agree, good luck to this person, but we get a bit sick of these same old stories that we cant do much about it to get this same value when we shop! Who can afford multiple trips to the shops "just in case" anyway (wasting fuel money isnt savings!) These amazing markdowns don't seem to happen much at all where i live in rural Vic!

Rural NSW doesn't have them either. It is pot luck even in cities to find specials.

 

[KiwiTrish]

Living on a budget and still trying to afford a balanced and nutritious diet can be tricky, especially when prices continue to skyrocket.

Any person who's ever tried to juggle the demands of affordability and quality knows that it's no easy task.

Well, now we can learn from one savvy (and possibly lucky!) mum who pulls off a grocery shopping ‘win’ every now and then.

Shekirra from Queensland recently scored an unbelievable grocery shopping deal, with her total haul (before the discount) amounting to a whopping $285.29, yet only costing her $56.44.

How? She took advantage of the markdowns section at her local supermarket.

View attachment 25801

A struggling mum's 'rare win': she saved about $230 on groceries amid rising living costs. Credit: Facebook.

Shekirra was delighted with the incredible array of hearty meat products available at the store, ranging from lamb cutlets, hot dogs, and chicken burger patties to loin strip beef and more.

She did notice that some of these items had different prices based on their expiration dates, but that didn't concern her. She had a brilliant plan in mind: she would freeze all of her purchases as soon as she got home

At home, Shekirra had a spacious box freezer, which allowed her to keep all the meat products well-preserved. By doing so, she could defrost only the portions she needed, effectively reducing food waste and cutting down on her future expenses.

She was thrilled with this practical approach that not only saved money but also ensured she could enjoy a variety of delicious meat whenever she wanted.

The resourceful mum also suggested that if you plan on finding such deals too, being a frequent visitor of the supermarket's markdown section is key. Regularly going over the selection, she said, increases the chances of uncovering secret bargains.

'I can honestly say it's pure luck. I can walk into the same store ten times and get next to nothing, and then other times I get hauls like this,' she said.

Shekirra is by all means a budgeting superstar, but if you're looking to save a bit of money on your grocery bills too, here are some tips and advice that might be helpful:

Consider buying meat in bulk and opt for cheaper cuts when possible—slow cooking them can transform cheaper cuts into delicious and tender meals. Prepare bulk mince dishes with lentils and grated vegetables, and don't forget to freeze any leftovers. Allocate a meat-free dinner each week for further savings.

Freeze any unfinished pastes, such as curry pastes, tomato pastes, and passata, in an ice cube tray and transfer them to zip lock bags once frozen.

Be mindful of sale items in catalogues, plan your meals according to grocery shop specials, and do not underestimate the money-saving power of comparison apps (like Frugl and WiseList).

Key Takeaways

• A Queensland mum, Shekirra, managed to save around $230 on her grocery shop thanks to markdowns at her local supermarket.
• Shekirra shared her tip of frequently checking the markdown sections and then freezing her purchases to use in the future.
• The trick to her success, she said, included luck, frequent shopping and having plenty of freezer space.
• She encouraged others to adopt her methods, and many other shoppers congratulated her on her haul and appreciated her tips.

We are truly amazed by Shekirra's incredible talent for finding bargains, and we're eager to hear about your own shopping triumphs and money-saving strategies, members!

Please share your experiences and tips in the comments below. Additionally, if you have any other smart supermarket budgeting advice, don't hesitate to share it in the comments! We're all here to learn from each other and make the most of our shopping budgets.

Must have better staff buyers in our store never see markdowns and no special area for any

 

[margaretritchie48]

Yes, we all like and need yo save money. But if shopping for a small family of 2 or 3, why not shop in local small business insyead of the supermarkets which are cutting services and staff.
Keep small businesses alive, otherwise all profits tend to travel overseas and only our governments make money.

could not agree more, also buy food from your state.

 

[Milica]

I'm pretty sure we are all aware of freezing items that a person is lucky enough to purchase by being there at the right time - lucky for her - good savings:_)

 

[JeweloftheSea]

Living on a budget and still trying to afford a balanced and nutritious diet can be tricky, especially when prices continue to skyrocket.

Any person who's ever tried to juggle the demands of affordability and quality knows that it's no easy task.

Well, now we can learn from one savvy (and possibly lucky!) mum who pulls off a grocery shopping ‘win’ every now and then.

Shekirra from Queensland recently scored an unbelievable grocery shopping deal, with her total haul (before the discount) amounting to a whopping $285.29, yet only costing her $56.44.

How? She took advantage of the markdowns section at her local supermarket.

View attachment 25801

A struggling mum's 'rare win': she saved about $230 on groceries amid rising living costs. Credit: Facebook.

Shekirra was delighted with the incredible array of hearty meat products available at the store, ranging from lamb cutlets, hot dogs, and chicken burger patties to loin strip beef and more.

She did notice that some of these items had different prices based on their expiration dates, but that didn't concern her. She had a brilliant plan in mind: she would freeze all of her purchases as soon as she got home

At home, Shekirra had a spacious box freezer, which allowed her to keep all the meat products well-preserved. By doing so, she could defrost only the portions she needed, effectively reducing food waste and cutting down on her future expenses.

She was thrilled with this practical approach that not only saved money but also ensured she could enjoy a variety of delicious meat whenever she wanted.

The resourceful mum also suggested that if you plan on finding such deals too, being a frequent visitor of the supermarket's markdown section is key. Regularly going over the selection, she said, increases the chances of uncovering secret bargains.

'I can honestly say it's pure luck. I can walk into the same store ten times and get next to nothing, and then other times I get hauls like this,' she said.

Shekirra is by all means a budgeting superstar, but if you're looking to save a bit of money on your grocery bills too, here are some tips and advice that might be helpful:

Consider buying meat in bulk and opt for cheaper cuts when possible—slow cooking them can transform cheaper cuts into delicious and tender meals. Prepare bulk mince dishes with lentils and grated vegetables, and don't forget to freeze any leftovers. Allocate a meat-free dinner each week for further savings.

Freeze any unfinished pastes, such as curry pastes, tomato pastes, and passata, in an ice cube tray and transfer them to zip lock bags once frozen.

Be mindful of sale items in catalogues, plan your meals according to grocery shop specials, and do not underestimate the money-saving power of comparison apps (like Frugl and WiseList).

Key Takeaways

• A Queensland mum, Shekirra, managed to save around $230 on her grocery shop thanks to markdowns at her local supermarket.
• Shekirra shared her tip of frequently checking the markdown sections and then freezing her purchases to use in the future.
• The trick to her success, she said, included luck, frequent shopping and having plenty of freezer space.
• She encouraged others to adopt her methods, and many other shoppers congratulated her on her haul and appreciated her tips.

We are truly amazed by Shekirra's incredible talent for finding bargains, and we're eager to hear about your own shopping triumphs and money-saving strategies, members!

Please share your experiences and tips in the comments below. Additionally, if you have any other smart supermarket budgeting advice, don't hesitate to share it in the comments! We're all here to learn from each other and make the most of our shopping budgets.

I bought 3 markdown meals from Coles Supermarket last week on 26th July 23 - they all had a use by date of the next day - the 27th July 23. When I got home I decided to check if they smelled okay before I froze them. Yuk - they were all "off", so I promptly put them in my freezer and took them back the next day and got my money back. The problem is with open-air meat refrigeration it means the meat is not being kept cooled to the lowest possible degree.
I then decided to go to a butcher where you can still select yourself what you want from the shelves but it is so cold you have to wear one of their jackets to stop your body freezing. And yes, they also had some marked-down meat but it definitely wasn't "off". My reality advice to the Supermarkets is: Please shorten the use-by meat dates by at least 3 days and as you are making millions of $ profit, install walk-in meat rooms with shelves with warm jackets for shoppers to wear.

 

[Jill57]

Alright for some. Not everyone has a large freezer either. How about SDC stop regurgitating social media posts like this and actually get out there and walk through the stores instead of online shopping and dropping into trendy cafes for lattes and smashed avo?

Good on someone for that saving etc. But that's past, its not an always on special, I could do the same shop on markdowns and not achieve the same results no one can
We need specific items and specific stores/prices

A bit unfair to the SDC staff I think

 

[gordon1940]

Alright for some. Not everyone has a large freezer either. How about SDC stop regurgitating social media posts like this and actually get out there and walk through the stores instead of online shopping and dropping into trendy cafes for lattes and smashed avo?

Good on someone for that saving etc. But that's past, its not an always on special, I could do the same shop on markdowns and not achieve the same results no one can
We need specific items and specific stores/prices

Well I for one, welcome these “ Wins” for SDC Member. They are little “ Good News” stories. Sure, they are few and far between but keep them coming. Brightens MY day.

 

[Esma Rose]

Everyone should learn how to budget from their Mum when little. We all then have plenty of time to get the "gist" of it all, when after all we still answer to trying to save for the rainy day. Yes it DOES take time to buy as well as save. We are all guilty of buying the extra choccy bar, & in a Supermarket we know in our mind which bill has to be paid that particular week. If possible it is the ideal shopping time when you can shop without children. That is such a luxury for every Mum as we all know. My heart aches for Mum's with several kiddies under 4. You want to try & just think when you have children toddling & even pushing a vehicle with one or two in it. Even your hands are not free some of the time. Every one of us has our personal horror re shopping particularly @ present. Remember "To look after the pennies & the pounds will take care of themselves.?" Now it seems so out of date." I have such a wonderful nephew who is 76 & orders my groceries once a fortnight because, like so many elderlies who are computer literate, cannot grasp how to order.
My nephew's son does it so quickly & his Dad delivers. Yes, I am SO lucky having them. Looks like budgeting forever to save "our cents." Must eat to live.
ohhh to drive a car again, especially to conquer many shops @ ONE time. Half price taxi's are ok but so time consuming when you need more than one shop.
I am SO lucky to enjoy old age when many never get the opportunity, but inconvenience & suddenly people you haven't seen for years turn up unexpectedly ...You have never been in their home but one gets a little cheesed off when you get, "I was in your area & I thought I'd pop in to see how you are over a cuppa." No reciprocal rights as they know I am beyond the driving age so I am home for them!!!!! I am NOT unkind so welcome them. Do you get those kind???? They are all over the world & KNOW you are like me. Sort of makes you feel better inside, but it WOULD be nice to see a few shortbread to go with the cuppa. I would NEVER be so demanding to turn up to someone's door inviting myself for a cuppa & chat had I not seen them for years. (I say to you, "Do you think I should have been as nice as I was??? ) I felt deep inside, "What can I do? The stove gave up two days ago & I always cook my own bikkies & cakes." There were 4 of them & I only had Clix biscuits I buy for my daily visit to feed my currawongs I've tamed. Yes, embarrassment started to rear its ugly head, but the face was an imitation of Katey Hepburn bless her heart.













2 the moment













'gist" of it all.

 

[christineamck]

Living on a budget and still trying to afford a balanced and nutritious diet can be tricky, especially when prices continue to skyrocket.

Any person who's ever tried to juggle the demands of affordability and quality knows that it's no easy task.

Well, now we can learn from one savvy (and possibly lucky!) mum who pulls off a grocery shopping ‘win’ every now and then.

Shekirra from Queensland recently scored an unbelievable grocery shopping deal, with her total haul (before the discount) amounting to a whopping $285.29, yet only costing her $56.44.

How? She took advantage of the markdowns section at her local supermarket.

View attachment 25801

A struggling mum's 'rare win': she saved about $230 on groceries amid rising living costs. Credit: Facebook.

Shekirra was delighted with the incredible array of hearty meat products available at the store, ranging from lamb cutlets, hot dogs, and chicken burger patties to loin strip beef and more.

She did notice that some of these items had different prices based on their expiration dates, but that didn't concern her. She had a brilliant plan in mind: she would freeze all of her purchases as soon as she got home

At home, Shekirra had a spacious box freezer, which allowed her to keep all the meat products well-preserved. By doing so, she could defrost only the portions she needed, effectively reducing food waste and cutting down on her future expenses.

She was thrilled with this practical approach that not only saved money but also ensured she could enjoy a variety of delicious meat whenever she wanted.

The resourceful mum also suggested that if you plan on finding such deals too, being a frequent visitor of the supermarket's markdown section is key. Regularly going over the selection, she said, increases the chances of uncovering secret bargains.

'I can honestly say it's pure luck. I can walk into the same store ten times and get next to nothing, and then other times I get hauls like this,' she said.

Shekirra is by all means a budgeting superstar, but if you're looking to save a bit of money on your grocery bills too, here are some tips and advice that might be helpful:

Consider buying meat in bulk and opt for cheaper cuts when possible—slow cooking them can transform cheaper cuts into delicious and tender meals. Prepare bulk mince dishes with lentils and grated vegetables, and don't forget to freeze any leftovers. Allocate a meat-free dinner each week for further savings.

Freeze any unfinished pastes, such as curry pastes, tomato pastes, and passata, in an ice cube tray and transfer them to zip lock bags once frozen.

Be mindful of sale items in catalogues, plan your meals according to grocery shop specials, and do not underestimate the money-saving power of comparison apps (like Frugl and WiseList).

Key Takeaways

• A Queensland mum, Shekirra, managed to save around $230 on her grocery shop thanks to markdowns at her local supermarket.
• Shekirra shared her tip of frequently checking the markdown sections and then freezing her purchases to use in the future.
• The trick to her success, she said, included luck, frequent shopping and having plenty of freezer space.
• She encouraged others to adopt her methods, and many other shoppers congratulated her on her haul and appreciated her tips.

We are truly amazed by Shekirra's incredible talent for finding bargains, and we're eager to hear about your own shopping triumphs and money-saving strategies, members!

Please share your experiences and tips in the comments below. Additionally, if you have any other smart supermarket budgeting advice, don't hesitate to share it in the comments! We're all here to learn from each other and make the most of our shopping budgets.