“I saved $10,000 in one year”
Mum reveals how she saves a small fortune on groceries
By Practical Parenting team
August 08 2018
Blogger at House of White and mum of two Olivia White has shared how she saved $10,000 in one year by making small adjustments to her grocery shop.
Olivia told the Daily Telegraph that she was shocked to learn that many people spend between $350 and $500 on their weekly shop.
The blogger's budget for her weekly shop is $160-$180 a week and she says she often comes in under budget if she doesn’t need ‘big household items’.
“I think we've found a good balance between enjoying the food we want and being frugal,” she says.
Shopping online means she sticks to a list rather than buying items “just because”, she explains, adding that getting items delivered or picking them up – which is free – also saves on time.
Olivia says she has fresh herbs and veggies growing in her garden year-round which also keeps costs down.
“The kids grow cherry tomatoes, potatoes, capsicum and peas when they are in season and I think letting them grow their own makes it all more appealing to eat.”
Checking her fridge and pantry and making a list BEFORE her next shop means nothing goes to waste.
Buying seasonal produce also means everything is at its cheapest and best. “A lot of the recipes in the supermarkets free mags will also be seasonal so you know that with the meals you plan, everything's going to be available too,” she says.
Meal planning also helps save money and reduces waste, Olivia says, adding that she sources her recipes from free supermarket mags, and food delivery services like Hello Fresh and Marley Spoon, which have recipe cards on their websites.
Lastly, she buys homebrand products as much as possible and buys the cheapest products per unit price, which she says is easy to do online using the filter tool from lowest to highest.
