In the hustle and bustle of your local supermarket, it's easy to overlook the fact that many Australians are feeling the pinch.

With the cost of living on the rise, families are finding innovative ways to stretch their dollars and make ends meet.

This is especially true during the holiday season when budgets are stretched thin, and every cent counts.

While the festive season may be a time of indulgence, the reality of everyday life soon returns, bringing with it the need for careful budgeting and savvy shopping.

But as grocery prices continue to climb, social media has become a hotbed of tips and tricks shared by frugal shoppers looking to save on their weekly grocery bills.

Frugal shoppers shared money-saving tips for other shoppers. Image source: aleksandarlittlewolf on Freepik.

Below are some of the most popular strategies being shared online as Australians grapple with the rising cost of living:

1. Pay Only for What You'll Consume

One of the most common tips shared by frugal shoppers is to only pay for what you're going to eat.

This might involve breaking off broccoli stalks or removing corn husks before purchase, under the assumption that these items are sold by weight.

While some supermarkets have banned this practice, independent fruit and vegetable stores are often more accommodating.

Getting to know your local grocer can also be beneficial.

Regular customers often report that their grocer is happy to prepare fruit and vegetables to their liking, helping them save money in the process.

2. Bulk Buying: A Double-Edged Sword

Bulk buying has become popular since the introduction of Costco in Australia in 2009.

However, savvy shoppers quickly realised that buying in bulk doesn't always equate to the lowest prices.

Frugal shoppers should take the time to compare prices before buying in bulk and stick to products they use regularly.

Major supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths now also offer select ranges of bulk purchase items, which can result in significant savings over time.

Tip

Remember, you don't need to bulk purchase every week. This is something you can do every month or two, then organise and store items at home.

3. Cultivate Your Own Food

If you have the space for it, growing your own food can be another way to save money.

Local hardware stores like Bunnings offer a range of plants ready to produce fruit, vegetables, and herbs.

Herbs, in particular, can result in significant savings.

Frugal shoppers often cut and freeze fresh herbs while they're in season to use during the winter months.

Even if you live in an apartment, you can still grow your own spring onions, tomatoes, and other easy-to-grow vegetables on your balcony.

If you're unsure how to care for plants, there are countless tutorials available on YouTube that can guide you through the process.

Alternatively, you may check our Garderner’s Corner forum for some tips from us and some of our members!

4. Cut Back on Expensive Ingredients

When grocery prices increase, one of the first things frugal shoppers often cut back on is meat.

Instead of serving a piece of beef to each family member, cheaper cuts can be used in a slow cooker to make a hearty casserole.

Another useful tip is to get your butcher to slice your purchases into smaller portions. Allocate the right portion for each meal you’ll be cooking and freeze the rest in smaller bags for other meals later on—this will help you avoid spoiled meat.

There are also countless delicious vegetarian meals that cost a fraction of those containing meat.

By reducing meals with expensive ingredients, you can make your grocery budget stretch further.

Key Takeaways

• Frugal supermarket shoppers shared various tips and tricks to save money on grocery shopping.
• Some of these include paying only for what you're going to eat, buying items in bulk, growing some of your own food, and reducing meals with expensive ingredients.
• A trend is observed where customers remove unnecessary parts of produce, such as broccoli stalks and corn husks, in an effort to pay for the edible parts only.

What are your thoughts on these tips, dear members? Do you have other money-saving tips you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below!

 

[pymmie]

In the hustle and bustle of your local supermarket, it's easy to overlook the fact that many Australians are feeling the pinch.

With the cost of living on the rise, families are finding innovative ways to stretch their dollars and make ends meet.

This is especially true during the holiday season when budgets are stretched thin, and every cent counts.

While the festive season may be a time of indulgence, the reality of everyday life soon returns, bringing with it the need for careful budgeting and savvy shopping.

But as grocery prices continue to climb, social media has become a hotbed of tips and tricks shared by frugal shoppers looking to save on their weekly grocery bills.

View attachment 37505

Frugal shoppers shared money-saving tips for other shoppers. Image source: aleksandarlittlewolf on Freepik.

Below are some of the most popular strategies being shared online as Australians grapple with the rising cost of living:

1. Pay Only for What You'll Consume

One of the most common tips shared by frugal shoppers is to only pay for what you're going to eat.

This might involve breaking off broccoli stalks or removing corn husks before purchase, under the assumption that these items are sold by weight.

While some supermarkets have banned this practice, independent fruit and vegetable stores are often more accommodating.

Getting to know your local grocer can also be beneficial.

Regular customers often report that their grocer is happy to prepare fruit and vegetables to their liking, helping them save money in the process.

2. Bulk Buying: A Double-Edged Sword

Bulk buying has become popular since the introduction of Costco in Australia in 2009.

However, savvy shoppers quickly realised that buying in bulk doesn't always equate to the lowest prices.

Frugal shoppers should take the time to compare prices before buying in bulk and stick to products they use regularly.

Major supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths now also offer select ranges of bulk purchase items, which can result in significant savings over time.

Tip

Remember, you don't need to bulk purchase every week. This is something you can do every month or two, then organise and store items at home.

3. Cultivate Your Own Food

If you have the space for it, growing your own food can be another way to save money.

Local hardware stores like Bunnings offer a range of plants ready to produce fruit, vegetables, and herbs.

Herbs, in particular, can result in significant savings.

Frugal shoppers often cut and freeze fresh herbs while they're in season to use during the winter months.

Even if you live in an apartment, you can still grow your own spring onions, tomatoes, and other easy-to-grow vegetables on your balcony.

If you're unsure how to care for plants, there are countless tutorials available on YouTube that can guide you through the process.

Alternatively, you may check our Garderner’s Corner forum for some tips from us and some of our members!

4. Cut Back on Expensive Ingredients

When grocery prices increase, one of the first things frugal shoppers often cut back on is meat.

Instead of serving a piece of beef to each family member, cheaper cuts can be used in a slow cooker to make a hearty casserole.

Another useful tip is to get your butcher to slice your purchases into smaller portions. Allocate the right portion for each meal you’ll be cooking and freeze the rest in smaller bags for other meals later on—this will help you avoid spoiled meat.

There are also countless delicious vegetarian meals that cost a fraction of those containing meat.

By reducing meals with expensive ingredients, you can make your grocery budget stretch further.

Key Takeaways

• Frugal supermarket shoppers shared various tips and tricks to save money on grocery shopping.
• Some of these include paying only for what you're going to eat, buying items in bulk, growing some of your own food, and reducing meals with expensive ingredients.
• A trend is observed where customers remove unnecessary parts of produce, such as broccoli stalks and corn husks, in an effort to pay for the edible parts only.

What are your thoughts on these tips, dear members? Do you have other money-saving tips you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below!

I already follow these tips. we have a very small garden, but still grow our parsley, basil. rosemary, mint etc, plus vegetables in season, I then make my own tomato sauce and relish from the tomatoes each year. I also grow plants in pots so always have spinach and spring onions available year round.

 

[Aussie all the Way]

Try telling me something NEW, if people haven't been doing this (for years) well they have more money than myself. Also only buy products that are on special, if they aren't and you really need them then you have to pay but I just wait and look through the specials. Why aren't people eating broccoli stems, it's a great filler for stews ect. Hot house is a great investment we have our own capsicums all year and small tomatoes and a few other things.

 

[Cheb]

I cut off the broccoli stems and then slice or dice them, put the pieces into a freezer bag and they are always frozen and ready to put into a soup or stir-fry. I also keep a lot of the celery leaves and small stems to also add into soups and stir-fry. It's the same as using parsley and tastes good.

 

[marni]

I use my local shop as my butcher and greengrocer. Why should I store extra when they get fresh every day. This way I am not part of the "food throw out" that I read about.