Top Tips for Skint Shopping

Some General Tips for Buying Cheap Whilst Living Large

Many of these shopping habits have become so ingrained in my completely broke  budget-minded self, that I forget it's really something to shout about. However, when I recently went along with my boyfriend on his weekly food shop, I was aghast about the lack of thought going in to what food he was chucking in the trolley. Pre-packed bags of veg here, brand names there, cuts of meat that cost double their equally tasty counterparts everywhere. Needless to say, I battered him into remission and he left the shop with change in his pocket, and an enlightened view of how thrifty (read: mental) his girlfriend truly is.

So, without the need to date me, you can have my very useful tips on saving the pennies and sometimes pounds, on your food shop:

1. Always buy loose veg. Well, almost always. Those big value bags of onions for £1 may look like a steal, but if you have a look at the price/kg underneath the label you will almost always find that the loose veg is significantly cheaper.

2. Buy from a market / grocer if you can. I know it's easier to buy from a supermarket as it's all there and everything, but honestly, veg markets are shockingly cheap, and can be found in lots of central locations. There is one near me where I live in Balham, it's just a small veg stall but it always have everything I need and it's half the price of going to Sainsburies up the road.

3. Buy only what you need. When buying prepacketed foods which are priced by weight (a lot of meat and cheese is done like this) just try to buy the smaller cheaper ones. Do you only need a small grating of parmasan for a dish? Can you live with a smaller chicken breast? This can significantly reduce the price at the till.

4. Look for the cheaper cuts of meat. Chicken thighs are much cheaper than breasts (and you can get the boneless if you prefer), minute steak is much cheaper than tenderloin. But there is no need for me to list all the cheap vs expensive cuts, as you can see it right there on the packet! Just take a gander at the price/kg and if the price is low then you're on for a winner. Although, I would caution here not to just go for the cheapest cut in all situations. Think whether the recipe will work with what you are buying (i.e. don't buy chicken wings for a schnitzel and don't buy minute steak for your Sunday roast, because, you know, that would be weird)

5. Chicken - buy it with skin and bones if you can. They charge for the fact they have taken it off for you, and skin is so easy to take off if you need to, and so easy to eat because it's delicious. Also, buying a whole chicken is much cheaper than just the parts. If you have the skills, then buy whole and butcher it up yourself (or stick it in the oven to roast and cut it up after).

6. Shop as and when you need food. I know this isn't easy for everyone, and one weekly shop means its over and done with. But if you can sneak out on your lunchbreak or go on your way home from work, I believe buying food daily (or when you next need it) is a cheaper way of shopping. It means that you wont ever over buy, as you are just buying for that evening's meal - if you make too much, then you can have it tomorrow and not buy food that day. If you have some ingredients you didn't expect to have left over, then you can think of a recipe the next day around that. Your food doesn't go off, because you use it all up!

7.  Grow a herb garden. Growing your own herbs is much easier than you might think. Until this year I hadn't even managed to keep a Tamagotchi alive for more than a few days (awkward 90s reference), so I didn't think herb gardens would be for me. But even in my tiny London flat I've managed to keep alive a basil and mint plant, and my flat mate and I have actually grown our own chili! (we're very proud and have named it George). We have a small balcony we've done this on, but we keep them on the window sill in the winter, so no excuses! For the basil and mint I literally just bought one of those pre-potted herb plants you get at supermarkets. I then transferred it to a bigger pot and filled in the sides with some soil to allow the roots to grow and just watered it every day. Et voila! You no longer have to spend 80p everytime you need a packet of herbs for a recipe. And herbs really do lift and massively improves so many dishes.

8. Ice cube trays. Ice cube trays are useful for freezing anything you want in a small measurement. When you've got an open bottle of wine you haven't finished which will go off, pour the remains into an ice cube tray and freeze. Then when you need a splash of wine for a dish (risotto, beef stew, coq au vin) you can just pop in a handy tablespoon sized cube - no need to buy a new bottle. The same theory also works well with stock (if you've made your own), or home made curry pastes. No waste, and you don't have to buy new the next time - you are WELCOME!