The 12 definitive tips for saving on the weekly shopping list

Shopping is one of the most daily tasks but one that we do not always do well. Well, to be honest, we hardly ever get it right. And there are many factors (rush, lack of time, temptations …) that make, in the end, we end up buying what we do not need or more than necessary, with what that means for our pocket . But this problem ends today. After the Kakebo method, this is all you need so that you do not get a guess when you check your balance in the bank. Little word.

It took me a while to compile my list of foolproof tricks for a cheaper shopping list. If you want your economy and that of your family to improve, dedicate a few minutes to these 12 simple tips to spend less on weekly purchases and save a LOT of euros a year. Outcome? I have little money at the end of the month for me a little whim, I feel happier and more responsible.

TIP 1: Make YOUR shopping list

Basic, right? Well, we DO NOT. In my house and in everyone's we have a regular consumption of X products a week and a month and having a shopping list already made and according to our reality will make us spend much less . This goes beyond considering what we have in the pantry or freezer. It is about making a fixed and realistic list of things that we can refine over time, of course.

A good trick is to have it printed and laminated in the car or, if you buy online, almost all supermarkets allow you to configure your list and do it on a regular basis. We leave you a template to make the purchase so you do not have excuses.

TIP 2: When to save

Let's think. There are times of the day, of the week and of the month that are not the best time to go shopping. And for compelling reasons.

The best time of the day : If your schedule allows it, ALWAYS buy in the morning. The supermarket shelves are full and, as we do not lack what we want, we improvise less. Also, the normal thing is that we have finished breakfast and we are not prey to gluttony and hunger. Needless to say, it is bad for our economy (and the scale) of going to the supermarket hungry. Going after work and when we have got rid of all obligations can lead us to failure since being more relaxed we are not so practical. If you can only go at the end of the day, do not regret that it also has its advantage: many perishable products are on sale because the next day they can no longer be sold.
The best time of the week : Put on a day and stick to it so that you don't have to take several trips to the supermarket a week. Mentalize yourself, you will have a day and with that you have to organize yourself all week. In the end you will create a habit and the silly purchases of the 'just in case' and the 'I deserve it today' will be greatly reduced.
The best time of the month : Going to the day you received your payroll and we believe we are millionaires is not right, take my advice. The ideal is always as if we were in the last week of the month and not so relieved. We give you ideas to take advantage of your salary and your pay.

TIP 3: Apply the euro rule and make numbers

To keep the accounts of the purchase to the letter it is not necessary to be an ax in mathematics, and there are also several tricks so that the accounts turn out even better. For example, fruit and vegetables cost euro , something that in Spain is super feasible. This way we will spend in round figures and we will adjust our weekly budget a lot.

More tricks to control spending? In the supermarket, use the mobile calculator to add up and avoid surprises at the checkout, and much better if when you write down the prices you round up (if this bottle of juice is worth 1.79 euros, add it as 2 euros, and so on). You will go home satisfied and happy, you will see. It is also important to carry the amount in cash, although in these times it is also advisable to pay by card, a good idea may be to get a purchase card with a limited balance with which to pay and thus not pass us.

TIP 4: Let's make leftover day official

Before thinking about a new purchase, make a note in that shopping list that we already have configured what we have to add and what we have to eliminate. And do it after spending a day eating all those leftovers that have been accumulating, including foods that are about to expire or go bad. For example, let Friday be the day of tapas with a delicious fruit salad for dessert. Or, who says no to some croquettes with the stew meat that was left over yesterday? Not me, not you, not anyone!

TRICK 5: Put order and head in your kitchen

How many of us have two jars of oregano, three of cinnamon, and 10 cans of tuna? Think of something: Do you know what you have in the pantry? To go shopping with your head, it is key to write down what we want based on what we have at home and the best way not to risk something we already have is to have everything in sight and in order.

The freezers by drawers, the pantries by cans … Surely you can start your own tricks to have the refrigerator and the fetén pantry and that at a glance you have everything under control.

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TIP 6: Buy seasonal products

Among the countless advantages of seasonal products is that of saving. As there is a lot of production, they are at a much better price and this will mean quite a significant savings at the end of the month in the shopping basket. A product grown outside its natural time can cost us an arm and a leg, and it is not a plan. In addition to, of course, being more sustainable and much tastier because they are just right. We leave you the shopping list seasonally if you get a little lost.

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TIP 7: Better in bulk

This way, buy flour, nuts, vegetables or legumes … And, of course, fresh meat and fish in quantities instead of by trays with more quantity than we will need . And let yourself be carried away by the offers, don't be afraid to be flexible. So even if you have the menu ready, if the chicken breast is on sale, change it for the pork. With that euro you save you have for a loaf of bread. It is the great trick of our mothers and grandmothers used to sitting a legion at the table and that we all finish up.

NOTE: Don't get carried away with bulk discounts and buy more than you are going to consume in a week. Although the tomatoes are at a great price, think that they quickly go bad, unless you take advantage of them to make a delicious Cordovan salmorejo, of course.

TIP 8: Are you missing an ingredient?

You want to make a recipe and, horror, you are missing an ingredient. My advice when this happens is not to go to a department store or a supermarket. Everything is very well thought out so that our heads begin to create needs and our pockets will suffer. No matter how fan of planning we are, it may happen that we miss something so on these occasions opt for the smaller stores that you have close to home .

TIP 9: Plan your meals before going to …

And never the other way around. Do not plan what you are going to eat in the supermarket but go to the supermarket with a well organized head with the menu for the week already planned. In this way we will avoid too much or fall into unnecessary temptations. Shopping online or on request to pick up at the supermarket is also a good way to be more conscious.

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TIP 10: Extend the life of fruits and vegetables

And you will tell me, but how if they immediately get in bad shape? Tranquility. We already take into account that the ideal is to go only once a week, which 'forces' us to consume what we have at home because it is what we have until the next purchase. But what if the fruit starts to spoil? Throw it away? NO! Before this, freeze the fruit to make smoothies and recipes and with the vegetables make super complete purees for dinner or stir-fries that you can freeze for stews. This can greatly improve your economy. If you have doubts about the foods that can be frozen and those that cannot, this CLARA guide is all you need.

TIP 11: Zero precooked

Remember that precooked dishes can make the shopping basket 30% more expensive and are usually not healthy. For example, if you like pizzas at home, you should know that homemade ones have less fat, salt and preservatives. The trick so that you do not get lazy to make them is to have ready-made dough in the refrigerator, the kind they sell in supermarkets, or frozen bases. You just have to add the ingredients that you like the most, or reuse some leftover meals, and bake them while you watch, for example, your favorite series, telework or put on a mask. Do you want more ideas of cheap, healthy and healthy dinners that will make you forget about precooked ones?

TIP 12: Spend a few minutes looking for discounts

Make yourself a coffee or tea and go online. What offers are there, what are the seasonal products, compare prices in apps … It may seem a tedious task but nothing is further from the truth. In the end it will be sewing and singing and when at the end of the month you can get that Zara blouse that you have been looking at for a long time, you will appreciate it.

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