Millions of households are feeling the squeeze as food prices continue to soar.
But there are a number of ways you can save money on your weekly shopping. Some supermarkets have schemes in place to help families who may be struggling financially. Scroll down to see what initiatives are in place at Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons.
According to Money Helper, people who make a list are three times less likely to overspend than those who don’t. In part this is because your shop is more direct. You don’t get tempted by promotions, and you tend to stick to the aisles you need, rather than randomly picking up stuff as you roam around.
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But it’s also because you’ve thought about what you actually need for the week, avoiding last minute emergency takeaways or trips to more expensive smaller stores to get the extras you forgot. Shopping around can also mean you find the lowest prices for the items you need, reports the Liverpool Echo. Though travelling further to different shops could cost you more in fuel, so this is something to keep an eye on, too.
You can also find discounted items, often with yellow stickers on, at a number of supermarkets. According to reports, these are the best times to grab a bargain at the following stores:
Asda - 7pm and onwards
Morrisons - 6pm and onwards
Tesco - 6pm and onwards
Sainsbury's - 6pm and onwards
Aldi - 8am (when the stores open)
Lidl - 8am (when the stores open)
M&S - 30 minutes before stores close
These do vary between stores, so it's worth checking out those closest to you.
What supermarkets are doing to help
Tesco
According to Which?, Tesco is bringing back its 'kids eat free' scheme allowing parents to claim a free kids meal worth up to £3.25 over weekdays during the upcoming half-term. The meal can be claimed with any purchase in the café, but you must be a Clubcard holder to take advantage of the offer. Here are more details about the scheme.
Asda
Asda is running a "kids eat for £1" offer that has no requirement to buy an adult meal at the same time. Asda has also launched a scheme where those aged 60 and over can enjoy soup, a roll and unlimited tea and coffee for £1 in any of its 205 cafes throughout November and December.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury’s is offering many customers £52 off their shopping amid the cost of living crisis. The extra cash can be put towards fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables, at a time when food prices are soaring.
To be eligible for the top-up, shoppers need to be registered for the NHS Healthy Start scheme. The supermarket will provide a £2 coupon every week over the next six months to customers using a Healthy Start card in Sainsbury’s. Here is more information about who is eligible and how the scheme works.
Morrisons
Morrison cafes have a permanent "kids eat free" offer whenever an adult purchases a main meal costing £4.99 or more. Kids can get a free main meal, as well as a drink and a piece of fruit.
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