The average weekly household expenditure for families is £52.50, according to government statistics – and even more according to forums for mums. So, with the cost of living rising, and therefore the cost of food, during the summer holidays food bills seem to skyrocket.
Here are some tips to help you save money during the holidays:
Get wise to supermarket tricks.
Deals that get you to buy more short-life products when you won’t use them leave you spending more money overall. So don’t always be pulled in by the offers!
Cook your own meals from scratch.
Ditch ready meals in favour of making your own dishes. Ready meals contain small quantities of meat that are low in quality, so while it may seem like they save money, it’s much healthier and more cost effective to create your own dishes. Dishes that can be created from scratch, such as wholegrain pasta with cheese and tomato sauce, create a healthy option for the kids – buy long-life ingredients in bulk to save more money. Making dinner can also be a great activity for the kids can get involved in, too!
Reuse food.
If you’ve got leftovers that can be incorporated into multiple meals, store them in the fridge and use them up. Don’t forget to segregate products and place them in sealed containers for freshness, and to avoid cross-contamination. Use old tinned food.
Plan ahead.
It’s all too easy to throw things into a trolley on impulse when you get to the supermarket, and this will probably make you spend more on your shopping overall. So, whether you create a list on your smartphone or write a good old fashioned shopping list, make sure you make a note of what you need, taking into consideration events like friends of the kids coming around for dinner. This way, you’ll have everything covered.
Contributed by Alexandra Terry.