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Winning with the weekly shop

ended 07. July 2025

Whatever you do, wherever you are, what tips do you have when it comes to saving money on your food shopping? Should you do one big weekly shop or go back and pick up little bits every day or two? Weekly shops work well in theory but in practice things happen and food that was due to be eaten may not be - and then it goes off and you’re chipping expensive wild rocket off the back of your Zanussi with a fork. Also, are supermarket loyalty schemes legit? They do seem to offer some great savings but is there a catch? What tips and hacks do you have for saving money when it comes to putting food and drink on the table?

7 responses from the Newspage community

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Kate Allen
Owner at Finest Stays
We’ve all scraped ancient rocket off the fridge like archaeologists at Pompeii. Grab your loyalty card for real discounts. They want your data, but if you don’t mind them knowing you buy discounted hummus at 10pm, then milk it. And don’t forget yellow stickers. Be the Indiana Jones of the reduced aisle; late evening is prime time.
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Dr Marianne Trent
Clinical Psychologist at Good Thinking Psychology
I pay a little extra for the local milk delivery firm to bring me bread and milk a few times a week. I find it saves me loads as I then don't have to 'pop into' local supermarkets, which often results in impulse purchases of things I see dotted around the store!
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Keith Budden
Managing Director at Ensurety
For me it's about knowing where to get the best value* for different products. Note that I say best value and not necessarily lowest price, as sometimes it's worth paying a little more if the product from merchant X has a longer shelf life than the product from merchant Y. There's no point saving 10p on a lettuce if, by the next day, it's only fit for the compost heap, whereas the pricier one is still going strong four days later. Be prepared for some surprises too, certainly locally to me best value bananas and baking potatoes are without doubt those from M&S, which may not be the first outlet to come to mind. With regard to loyalty schemes, I find Lidl's to be the best, the offers it makes me are for goods I like to buy — and sometimes the odd new thing that makes me go 'ooooh!'
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Rob Peters
Principal at Simple Fast Mortgage
Smart shopping is 90% planning and 10% discipline. One big weekly shop can save money if you plan meals properly. Otherwise, you’ll waste food and cash. Check your fridge before you shop to avoid buying doubles. Combine one big shop with a small midweek top-up to keep fresh items stocked without overspending. Pick from the back of the shelf to get long-dated items that last. Use loyalty schemes strategically. They’re worth it if you stick to your list. Never shop hungry. You’ll end up with six bags of crisps and no milk.
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Pete Mugleston
Mortgage Advisor & Managing Director at onlinemortgageadvisor.co.uk
Getting your weekly shop in one go is more practical, but it's not a major issue if you have to go back once or twice in the week to get more stuff. As long as you don't buy extra little bits when you go again, it won't hurt your wallet. Supermarket loyalty cards can be a good way to save money, with many of them offering cheaper prices on certain products if you have one. Stocking up on these items when they're cheap is a good way to save money over the long term. Just be wary when they offer hundreds of points if you buy certain items. While it might seem like a good idea, if you don't really need it, you're just spending money to accumulate points, which is what the supermarkets want you to do.
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Samuel Mather-Holgate
Managing Director & IFA at Mather and Murray Financial
Unless you live near a big supermaket, regular trips are a false economy. Try and shop at one of the megastores as the prices are loads cheaper than the small counterparts of the same brands. Meal prep and planning is key if you are determined to reduce your spend. Knowing whats left at the end of the week and planning this into your meals will reduce what you need. Unless supermarket products on offer are part of your normal routine, ignore the bright yellow offer stickers and keep to your strategy.
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Kundan Bhaduri
Entrepreneur, Investor and Landlord at The Kushman Group
In a nation where a pint of milk now costs a fortune, saving on the weekly shop has become a form of economic self-defence. The sacred “big shop” still makes sense. Bulk buys mean lower prices per unit, fewer temptations, and far fewer visits battling middle-class rage in Waitrose car parks. But over-optimism is costly. One missed dinner and you’re scraping lettuce out of the fridge like a failed botanist. The trick here is to plan like a developer pulling together a six-month build schedule: meals, quantities and backup plans. Shop once, top up twice; fresh produce waits for no one and wasting food is now a luxury only the Bank of England can afford. Loyalty cards do work, but don’t be played by them. Those discounts often apply to conjured-up RRPs. Use them, but shop around like a Yorkshireman buying lightbulbs. The smart shopper wins not with impulse buys or trendy apps, but with a list, firm resolve and shoes made for yellow-sticker combat.