Feeling the strain of grocery expenses? You're not alone; many Aussies are in the same boat. It's no secret that grocery shopping can be a real budget-buster!

Supermarkets use all sorts of tricks to get us to spend more money, so it's no wonder we have to get a little creative with our food costs if we want to stick to our budget.

No doubt this presents a problem to all of us, so what's the solution?

Some people have started practising the up-and-coming trend called 'unsupermarketing' – an approach to grocery shopping that allows them to buy the bulk of their food outside of traditional supermarkets.

'Unsupermarketing' refers to the trend of consumers purchasing food and household items from places other than supermarkets. Credit: Unsplash/Atoms.

We think this sounds like a great way to save on food costs while supporting local businesses. To get you started, here are some tips to follow:

Step 1: Find a local butcher.

Why not start off by looking for a good local butcher or fish market near you? Compared to supermarkets, you can usually find the best weekly specials and plan your meals around the offers. After all, meat and seafood can be some of the biggest expenses!

Alternatively, another way to reduce the cost of groceries is to think of one or two meat-free meals each week (no, we don’t mean breakfast!). Cooking with leftovers is also a great way to save, and there are some delicious recipes out there – soups, stir-fries, and so on. (Head over to the Cooking / Recipes forum on the SDC website for more recommendations!)

Step 2: Find a farmer's market.

Are there any farmer's markets near you? If so, support them when possible, and you may just be pleasantly surprised with the awesome deals on fresh fruits and veggies, plus tasty treats like fresh honey and bread.

You can easily find one near you by searching on your local council website or Facebook. They usually run every other week, so you might want to plan a trip to a couple of different ones.

And hey, don't forget those vendors often lower prices at the end of the day to sell as much as they can - more savings for you!

Visit your local butchers and fish markets if you want to save money on fresh and raw foods. Credit: Pexels/Kindel Media.

Step 3: Bulk-buy pantry staples online.

Stock up on all your pantry must-haves at a steal by shopping online at places like Amazon, Catch and Deals Direct. They often sell items in bulk so that you can save even more.

You'll find everything from noodles and biscuits to rice and pasta - perfect for whipping up meals for yourself and your family. Pro tip: try to order once a month (at most) for the best savings!

Step 4: Visit your supermarket only if needed.

Alright, so you've stocked up on the good stuff from the butcher, farmer's markets, and online. If you need to, go ahead and hit up the supermarket – we all know some things are just easier to find there.

Just make sure to stick to your shopping list and resist all the super tempting deals and specials. Yes, it's hard, but we know you can do it!

Key Takeaways

• Some savvy shoppers are doing what's called 'unsupermarketing,' which means they buy most of their groceries from places other than traditional supermarkets.
• They recommend shopping at local butchers, fish markets and farmer's markets to find great weekly deals as well as to support local businesses.
• Bulk-buying pantry staples online, such as noodles, rice, pasta, and biscuits, are also advised to make use of online deals and discounts.
• It's important to stick to a shopping list when visiting the supermarket and only buy what you need.

Next time we go shopping, we can save a lot of money by sticking to our list and avoiding unnecessary store promotions. Credit: Unsplash/Maria Lin Kim.

Members, we hope these tips have given you the confidence to give 'unsupermarketing' a try – you may be surprised at how much you can save on your grocery bills!

What tips do you have for other members looking to become savvy shoppers and save on groceries? Let us know in the comments. And don't forget to share this article with your friends and family – let's keep our community safe from ever-increasing grocery costs!

Happy shopping!

 

[Lynjw]

Feeling the strain of grocery expenses? You're not alone; many Aussies are in the same boat. It's no secret that grocery shopping can be a real budget-buster!

Supermarkets use all sorts of tricks to get us to spend more money, so it's no wonder we have to get a little creative with our food costs if we want to stick to our budget.

No doubt this presents a problem to all of us, so what's the solution?

Some people have started practising the up-and-coming trend called 'unsupermarketing' – an approach to grocery shopping that allows them to buy the bulk of their food outside of traditional supermarkets.

View attachment 11711

'Unsupermarketing' refers to the trend of consumers purchasing food and household items from places other than supermarkets. Credit: Unsplash/Atoms.

We think this sounds like a great way to save on food costs while supporting local businesses. To get you started, here are some tips to follow:

Step 1: Find a local butcher.

Why not start off by looking for a good local butcher or fish market near you? Compared to supermarkets, you can usually find the best weekly specials and plan your meals around the offers. After all, meat and seafood can be some of the biggest expenses!

Alternatively, another way to reduce the cost of groceries is to think of one or two meat-free meals each week (no, we don’t mean breakfast!). Cooking with leftovers is also a great way to save, and there are some delicious recipes out there – soups, stir-fries, and so on. (Head over to the Cooking / Recipes forum on the SDC website for more recommendations!)

Step 2: Find a farmer's market.

Are there any farmer's markets near you? If so, support them when possible, and you may just be pleasantly surprised with the awesome deals on fresh fruits and veggies, plus tasty treats like fresh honey and bread.

You can easily find one near you by searching on your local council website or Facebook. They usually run every other week, so you might want to plan a trip to a couple of different ones.

And hey, don't forget those vendors often lower prices at the end of the day to sell as much as they can - more savings for you!

View attachment 11712

Visit your local butchers and fish markets if you want to save money on fresh and raw foods. Credit: Pexels/Kindel Media.

Step 3: Bulk-buy pantry staples online.

Stock up on all your pantry must-haves at a steal by shopping online at places like Amazon, Catch and Deals Direct. They often sell items in bulk so that you can save even more.

You'll find everything from noodles and biscuits to rice and pasta - perfect for whipping up meals for yourself and your family. Pro tip: try to order once a month (at most) for the best savings!

Step 4: Visit your supermarket only if needed.

Alright, so you've stocked up on the good stuff from the butcher, farmer's markets, and online. If you need to, go ahead and hit up the supermarket – we all know some things are just easier to find there.

Just make sure to stick to your shopping list and resist all the super tempting deals and specials. Yes, it's hard, but we know you can do it!

Key Takeaways

• Some savvy shoppers are doing what's called 'unsupermarketing,' which means they buy most of their groceries from places other than traditional supermarkets.
• They recommend shopping at local butchers, fish markets and farmer's markets to find great weekly deals as well as to support local businesses.
• Bulk-buying pantry staples online, such as noodles, rice, pasta, and biscuits, are also advised to make use of online deals and discounts.
• It's important to stick to a shopping list when visiting the supermarket and only buy what you need.

View attachment 11713

Next time we go shopping, we can save a lot of money by sticking to our list and avoiding unnecessary store promotions. Credit: Unsplash/Maria Lin Kim.

Members, we hope these tips have given you the confidence to give 'unsupermarketing' a try – you may be surprised at how much you can save on your grocery bills!

What tips do you have for other members looking to become savvy shoppers and save on groceries? Let us know in the comments. And don't forget to share this article with your friends and family – let's keep our community safe from ever-increasing grocery costs!

Happy shopping!

I find some Asian grocery stores cheaper but local butchers snd markets are more expensive in my area.

 

[Terry2422]

Feeling the strain of grocery expenses? You're not alone; many Aussies are in the same boat. It's no secret that grocery shopping can be a real budget-buster!

Supermarkets use all sorts of tricks to get us to spend more money, so it's no wonder we have to get a little creative with our food costs if we want to stick to our budget.

No doubt this presents a problem to all of us, so what's the solution?

Some people have started practising the up-and-coming trend called 'unsupermarketing' – an approach to grocery shopping that allows them to buy the bulk of their food outside of traditional supermarkets.

View attachment 11711

'Unsupermarketing' refers to the trend of consumers purchasing food and household items from places other than supermarkets. Credit: Unsplash/Atoms.

We think this sounds like a great way to save on food costs while supporting local businesses. To get you started, here are some tips to follow:

Step 1: Find a local butcher.

Why not start off by looking for a good local butcher or fish market near you? Compared to supermarkets, you can usually find the best weekly specials and plan your meals around the offers. After all, meat and seafood can be some of the biggest expenses!

Alternatively, another way to reduce the cost of groceries is to think of one or two meat-free meals each week (no, we don’t mean breakfast!). Cooking with leftovers is also a great way to save, and there are some delicious recipes out there – soups, stir-fries, and so on. (Head over to the Cooking / Recipes forum on the SDC website for more recommendations!)

Step 2: Find a farmer's market.

Are there any farmer's markets near you? If so, support them when possible, and you may just be pleasantly surprised with the awesome deals on fresh fruits and veggies, plus tasty treats like fresh honey and bread.

You can easily find one near you by searching on your local council website or Facebook. They usually run every other week, so you might want to plan a trip to a couple of different ones.

And hey, don't forget those vendors often lower prices at the end of the day to sell as much as they can - more savings for you!

View attachment 11712

Visit your local butchers and fish markets if you want to save money on fresh and raw foods. Credit: Pexels/Kindel Media.

Step 3: Bulk-buy pantry staples online.

Stock up on all your pantry must-haves at a steal by shopping online at places like Amazon, Catch and Deals Direct. They often sell items in bulk so that you can save even more.

You'll find everything from noodles and biscuits to rice and pasta - perfect for whipping up meals for yourself and your family. Pro tip: try to order once a month (at most) for the best savings!

Step 4: Visit your supermarket only if needed.

Alright, so you've stocked up on the good stuff from the butcher, farmer's markets, and online. If you need to, go ahead and hit up the supermarket – we all know some things are just easier to find there.

Just make sure to stick to your shopping list and resist all the super tempting deals and specials. Yes, it's hard, but we know you can do it!

Key Takeaways

• Some savvy shoppers are doing what's called 'unsupermarketing,' which means they buy most of their groceries from places other than traditional supermarkets.
• They recommend shopping at local butchers, fish markets and farmer's markets to find great weekly deals as well as to support local businesses.
• Bulk-buying pantry staples online, such as noodles, rice, pasta, and biscuits, are also advised to make use of online deals and discounts.
• It's important to stick to a shopping list when visiting the supermarket and only buy what you need.

View attachment 11713

Next time we go shopping, we can save a lot of money by sticking to our list and avoiding unnecessary store promotions. Credit: Unsplash/Maria Lin Kim.

Members, we hope these tips have given you the confidence to give 'unsupermarketing' a try – you may be surprised at how much you can save on your grocery bills!

What tips do you have for other members looking to become savvy shoppers and save on groceries? Let us know in the comments. And don't forget to share this article with your friends and family – let's keep our community safe from ever-increasing grocery costs!

Happy shopping!

When I go to the supermarket (we've only got one) my shopping list is written by aisles so, if I dont have anything marked, I dont even go into that aisle. Saves buying extras that aren't on the list.

 

[Penny4]

I used to visit the local farmers markets religiously every Sunday morning @ 6am until Covid hit a few years ago & the markets stopped. Supermarkets were still open of course for everyone during lockdowns.
During this time, shopping for fruit & vegies at the supermarket, I found I didn't buy nearly as much as I did at the markets. This is because when I went to the markets, there was so much temptation & I bought too much food as it all looked inviting. By the end of the week, I threw quite a bit out as we didn't eat it all.
Waste of money.
So, these days no farmers markets for me. I just go to fruit shops & supermarkets and buy only what we need, instead of throwing food in the bin. No wastage anymore.

 

[Thecheesequeen]

I find local butchers and farmers’ markets to be more expensive, quite honestly. At least with the supermarket I know exactly what my meat is going to cost before I pay for it. I do use a wholesale butcher from time to time. I also find NQR quite useful for some pantry basics.

 

[Penny4]

I find local butchers and farmers’ markets to be more expensive, quite honestly. At least with the supermarket I know exactly what my meat is going to cost before I pay for it. I do use a wholesale butcher from time to time. I also find NQR quite useful for some pantry basics.

I agree. I've tried butchers in the past, but I wasn't real fussed. The difference with supermarket's meat is they have to adhere to standards/rules, whereas independent butchers don't.

 

[Gsr]

I now buy less meat, instead of having 2 sausages,rissoles, we have 1 and have more vegies, salad with it. I also use less meat in stir fry and add more rice, pasta or noodles. We sometimes have eggs in place of meat for our evening meal. We grow as much of our vegies, salad items as we can and give excess to family and friends. I freeze a lot of vegies, even beetroot freezes well. We rarely eat out or buy takeaway anymore as it is an extra expense we can do without. We drink water out of the tap so don’t spend a fortune buying water. There are lots of ways to save money if you put in the effort work out how you can do it to suit your needs.

 

[Singomate]

Feeling the strain of grocery expenses? You're not alone; many Aussies are in the same boat. It's no secret that grocery shopping can be a real budget-buster!

Supermarkets use all sorts of tricks to get us to spend more money, so it's no wonder we have to get a little creative with our food costs if we want to stick to our budget.

No doubt this presents a problem to all of us, so what's the solution?

Some people have started practising the up-and-coming trend called 'unsupermarketing' – an approach to grocery shopping that allows them to buy the bulk of their food outside of traditional supermarkets.

View attachment 11711

'Unsupermarketing' refers to the trend of consumers purchasing food and household items from places other than supermarkets. Credit: Unsplash/Atoms.

We think this sounds like a great way to save on food costs while supporting local businesses. To get you started, here are some tips to follow:

Step 1: Find a local butcher.

Why not start off by looking for a good local butcher or fish market near you? Compared to supermarkets, you can usually find the best weekly specials and plan your meals around the offers. After all, meat and seafood can be some of the biggest expenses!

Alternatively, another way to reduce the cost of groceries is to think of one or two meat-free meals each week (no, we don’t mean breakfast!). Cooking with leftovers is also a great way to save, and there are some delicious recipes out there – soups, stir-fries, and so on. (Head over to the Cooking / Recipes forum on the SDC website for more recommendations!)

Step 2: Find a farmer's market.

Are there any farmer's markets near you? If so, support them when possible, and you may just be pleasantly surprised with the awesome deals on fresh fruits and veggies, plus tasty treats like fresh honey and bread.

You can easily find one near you by searching on your local council website or Facebook. They usually run every other week, so you might want to plan a trip to a couple of different ones.

And hey, don't forget those vendors often lower prices at the end of the day to sell as much as they can - more savings for you!

View attachment 11712

Visit your local butchers and fish markets if you want to save money on fresh and raw foods. Credit: Pexels/Kindel Media.

Step 3: Bulk-buy pantry staples online.

Stock up on all your pantry must-haves at a steal by shopping online at places like Amazon, Catch and Deals Direct. They often sell items in bulk so that you can save even more.

You'll find everything from noodles and biscuits to rice and pasta - perfect for whipping up meals for yourself and your family. Pro tip: try to order once a month (at most) for the best savings!

Step 4: Visit your supermarket only if needed.

Alright, so you've stocked up on the good stuff from the butcher, farmer's markets, and online. If you need to, go ahead and hit up the supermarket – we all know some things are just easier to find there.

Just make sure to stick to your shopping list and resist all the super tempting deals and specials. Yes, it's hard, but we know you can do it!

Key Takeaways

• Some savvy shoppers are doing what's called 'unsupermarketing,' which means they buy most of their groceries from places other than traditional supermarkets.
• They recommend shopping at local butchers, fish markets and farmer's markets to find great weekly deals as well as to support local businesses.
• Bulk-buying pantry staples online, such as noodles, rice, pasta, and biscuits, are also advised to make use of online deals and discounts.
• It's important to stick to a shopping list when visiting the supermarket and only buy what you need.

View attachment 11713

Next time we go shopping, we can save a lot of money by sticking to our list and avoiding unnecessary store promotions. Credit: Unsplash/Maria Lin Kim.

Members, we hope these tips have given you the confidence to give 'unsupermarketing' a try – you may be surprised at how much you can save on your grocery bills!

What tips do you have for other members looking to become savvy shoppers and save on groceries? Let us know in the comments. And don't forget to share this article with your friends and family – let's keep our community safe from ever-increasing grocery costs!

Happy shopping!

I think a bit of detective work, most supermarkets have mark down periodically, ask most people in the supermarket game will let you know, also cheaper products a more often than not down the bottom or up top where you don't look.
Now butchers do not put cheaper cuts on display, just ask not every shop has same prices . Another trick used is pumping water and chemicals into the meat, if the meat looks really bright red and plump it usually been enhanced. With a bit of time you will notice these things.
Fish is easy dull eyes avoid the tail of fish turned up avoid, ask for a closer look you are paying a premium for these items, hope this helps the main point of all this is to help you get the best for your loved ones.