Russell Grant Magazine - Apr22 (APRIL422)

MONEY SAVING TIPS As the cost of living continues to rise, try our money saving tips to get more organised, reduce your spending and discover alternatives options.

Getting Organised - Take a stock take of everything in your cupboards, fridge and freezer to make an accurate list. Make a meal plan for the next 7 days as this can help you list extra’s you need to make a full meal, avoid buying something you already have plenty of. It can also help to identify any food that is getting close to it’s use by date to avoid any wastage.

- Avoid going shopping when you’re hungry as your attention can sometimes wander to sweet treats. Remember, supermarkets want you to spend more money so they promote and place products in key locations to tempt you to buy on impulse. Only buy what’s on your shopping list or you’ll regret it at the till.

- Most supermarkets now have a loyalty/offer scheme. Keep an eye out for any time limited vouchers or offers but don’t be fooled by the spend £x to get £x off. While you may save money, they are forcing you to spend more than usual.

- Buddy up with your friends & family and go shopping together. This can help share the travel costs and bulk buy offers can be split between you so everyone benefits from the saving.

- Shopping with a buddy can also help you identify brands you may not have tried before.

Set yourself a challenge to only buy own brand/own labels products for one week. We can get stuck in a routine of only buying a specific brand product when other alternatives are available which can sometimes save you a considerable amount of money. Try the own brands/labels and see if you can notice the difference. Other than the label and price, a large majority of products are made in the same factory so you may be surprised that you don’t notice any difference in taste but are managing to save money every week.

Don’t let anything go to waste - Every time you take a stock take you may find food that needs using up quickly.

Think about batch cooking several meals and freeze them . If it’s vegetables that are looking a bit limp, why not make your own soup, stock or pasta sauce.

When soft fruit such as berries start to turn soft, whizz them into smoothies and have them as a power breakfast or a yogurt topping.

- Fresh food can be frozen right up to the use-by date. Cheese, milk, eggs, bread, pasta and fresh herbs can be frozen in usable portion sizes to prevent waste. Freezing meat on the day of purchase and taking it out as and when you need it is a good habit to get into. Just make sure you wrap it in freezer bags or freezer-proof plastic boxes to prevent freezer burn.