Who doesn’t look to save money at this time of the year, especially after an unprecedented year of events? We’ve called on the help of money saving expert, Nicholas Agwuncha from Money Medics, to reveal his simple tricks on how to save money on groceries.

His suggested savvy supermarket swaps can help save money while getting the weekly shop in, which we all need right now – even more so ahead of the festive season.

How to save money on groceries

1. Choose frozen food over fresh

‘You can pick up some of the best, and most convenient bargains in the frozen food section of the supermarket. Yet people often avoid buying frozen as they assume it’s not nutritious. Frozen food, however, is picked for freezing straight away, whereas fresh food can be in transit days before it gets to its destination’ he explains.

‘Make savings by swapping fresh fruit and veg for frozen. And pick up frozen things like garlic and ginger, which are often a lot cheaper than the fresh variety.’

2. Ditch the packaging

                        

‘When you buy a packaged item, you are paying for the convenience. So it’s worth spending an extra couple of seconds buying loose. As well as saving money, you’ll also be doing your bit for the planet as you’ll be cutting down on unnecessary waste,’ Nicholas adds.

3. Shop later to grab a bargain

‘Be savvy about the time you shop’ Nicholas advises. ‘Think about swapping your morning shopping spree for an evening trip to your local store.’ Why you may ask? ‘As supermarkets often reduce the cost of fresh produce at the end of the day, when it’s about to go out of date.’

‘Check what time your local store fills up its ‘whoopsie’ aisle as well’ he says. ‘ So you can pick up bargains you can either eat that evening or freeze for another day.’

4. Scan the baby aisle

            

‘Supermarkets often hide some of their best bargains in the quieter aisles, so take time to venture beyond the more mainstream sections’ is Nicholas’ advice.

‘A host of bargains including cotton buds, cotton wool, wet wipes and nappy bags can all be found in the baby aisle – for significantly lower prices than similar or near-identical alternatives elsewhere in the same store. And you don’t have to be a new parent to save!’.

5. Adapt to all-purpose products

‘Save on buying lots of separate products by opting for all-purpose options’ he suggests. ‘From cleaning products such as multi-surface sprays, to beauty items such as multi-purpose facial balms and cleansers.’

                

‘For laundry, instead of buying multiple detergents for different colours, you can save money, time, water and energy with Colour Catcher. This allows you to mix lights, darks and clothes all in one wash with one sheet – meaning one cost, not multiple buy

Whether thinking ahead for Christmas or simply being mindful of your household spend, these simple tips are invaluable right now.