Quick and Easy Ways to Cut Your Weekly Food Bill

Tips to trim the pounds off your trolley

Families in the UK are cutting back on how much they spend on food and household shopping, saving an average of £35 a week compared to before the recession. Now, more than ever, offers, discounts and vouchers are big news for shoppers. So here are some quick tips to cut your weekly food bill:

Try own brands:

Lots of supermarkets’ own brands are worth a look these days, and if you’re on a tight budget consider their ‘no frills’ lines, such as Essential Waitrose, Sainsbury’s Basics, Asda Smartprice and Tesco Value. Try them once, and switch back if you don’t like them. Budget supermarkets such as Aldi, Netto and Lidl offer massive savings – just because a brand isn’t a household name doesn’t mean it’s no good.

Be savvy about coupons:

Save all the coupons you can, and look out for discount offers on online shopping. Many food delivery services offer a discount on your first order, and there’s nothing to stop you shopping your way through each one of them.

BOGOF with caution:

Buy One Get One Free offers might seem attractive, but are they just a way to get you to buy in bulk? Think whether you need twice as much and will use it before you buy – and check the prices elsewhere to make sure you’re getting a real bargain.

Buy big:

Generally, it’s cheaper to buy things in bigger packets as long as you’ll use them. Mini-packs, snack-packs or anything small that’s marketed to children tends to be more expensive.

Check use-by dates:

If you’re buying in bulk or snapping up a special offer, make sure you’re buying something you’ll actually use. Look closely at use-by dates and think realistically about whether you’ll have time to eat it. A bargain is not a bargain if it ends up in the bin.

Stick to your list:

Don’t be tempted by sweets and magazines by the till, don’t browse things you don’t need and don’t even look at special offers on the end of aisles – you might think you’re saving cash, but ask yourself if you really need them!

Look after your shopping:

If you’re buying frozen or chilled food, make sure you can transport it home before it goes off. And lock your shopping away safely in your car. John Lewis Home Insurance pays up to £350 for ‘shopping in transit’, which covers loss or damage to food and domestic shopping while you take it home.

About John Lewis Insurance

John Lewis Home Insurance offers good value and the high standard of customer service you’d expect. Some of the benefits on offer:

• Unlimited Buildings and Contents Cover*

• Accidental Damage Cover for buildings and contents - from a DIY mishap to red wine on the carpet

• Alternative Accommodation – somewhere to stay if your home becomes uninhabitable, following loss or damage covered by the policy

• Worldwide Personal Possessions Cover up to £25,000.

• Optional 24 hour Home Emergency service - up to £1,500 including labour and parts.

* There is no total sum insured but money, single article and total valuable limits apply

For more information about John Lewis Home Insurance please visit the website here - www.johnlewis-insurance.com/homepage/home-insurance.html.

John Lewis Insurance is a trading name of John Lewis plc. John Lewis plc is an appointed representative of AXA Insurance UK plc which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions and eligibility criteria apply. A full copy of the policy wording and the insurance complaints procedure are available on request.