We live in a time of fast-rising costs of living. That’s a fact. So regardless of how much you make, it is prudent that you shop smartly. To help you with that, here are some handy helpers:

1. Make a list and a budget

Plan your meals and go to town once a week. Get everything on the list and stick to or as close to the budget as possible.

2. Sift through junk mail

Go through your junk mail. There may be some special deals that you may take advantage of there.

3. Empty the fridge first

Make the most out of what you have in your fridge first before shopping. This is to avoid wastage.

4. Shun junk food and eat healthy

Remember to never purchase junk food and eat vegetables, preferably from your own garden.

5. Be wary of special deals

Go shopping after a certain time or when it’s near closing when there are more specials on.

6. Start from scratch

Prepare your own meals to make you more aware of the things that you actually need when you shop. Freeze meats immediately after shopping and cut them into meal sizes to avoid wastage.

7. Don’t buy processed

Buy fresh or frozen vegetables. As much as possible, avoid processed food.

8. Chop it up

Chop up vegetables into meal portions and store in separate bags to make meal preparations easier, and again, to avoid wastage of food.

9. Be aware of mark down schedules

Ask your supermarket when their mark down bays are. There are great finds waiting to be found there at less cost.

10. What’s that per 100g?

Compare the prices per 100g or 100ml. You’d be surprised to find out that something offerings that are supposedly “special” are more expensive than others.

Not using your wits when shopping can be damaging to your pockets. More than that, it can lead to a bad credit rating which is something you want to avoid as the effects of bad credit rating can cause real damage to your reputation and spending power.