By Hannah Parker, BA (Hons) Business and Enterprise Management.
Being a student can be so expensive. Buying food is one of the most expensive elements of student life and the temptation to live off Pot Noodles and ready meals is so big! So here are a few of the ways I shop cheaper and still get all the food groups I need.
1. Head to the supermarket in the evening
Lots of foods will be reduced in order for the supermarket to shift them so I head to the shop about half an hour before it closes as it’s ideal for grabbing discounted food.
2. Get together
Me and my flatmates club together and spilt the cost of food shopping and take it in turns to cook for the flat. This way we’re saving money and having fun cooking together too!
3. Batch cook
I spend my Sunday cooking up a large portion of my favourite dishes (spag bol or curry are always easy to do) then I separate them into containers and freeze them. This way I’m not wasting any food.
4. Use vouchers
I’ve made sure to sign up for the supermarkets points cards and save any vouchers that they give me with my receipt. You never know when you might need them.
5. Plan ahead
Planning meals is absolutely key to saving money. I make sure I know exactly what I need and how much of it I need so I can easily save money without wasting any food.
6. Buy single
When buying fruit and veg, I try to buy individual items instead of a bag. It’s unlikely I’ll eat a whole bag before they go out of date so buying individual means I won’t throw them away and it saves plastic too.
7. Go large
I try to go to a large supermarket rather than a convenience store as a lot of the time they will charge more for the same products.
8. Shop around
Don’t always immediately go for the special offers just because they sound good. A lot of the time there will be unbranded products for much cheaper which are exactly the same.
9. Use your SHUcard
When I’m at university, I take advantage of SHU’s £1 Wednesdays. Top up your SHUcard today and start saving money on lunch! You can also earn loyalty points each time you use it to spend at a later date.
