A young couple have revealed how they managed to slash a significant amount off their weekly grocery bill. With food prices seemingly on the rise, shoppers are seeking innovative methods to cut costs.
Two 19-year-olds showcased their week's shopping haul, which included proper meals such as fajitas, pizza and pasta, with an expected cost of roughly £100. Yet, being shrewd shoppers, they decided to "find a way to find it cheaper," and their efforts were rewarded when the bill arrived at the checkout.
Following their post displaying photographs of the items they'd secured in their haul, they advised fellow Tesco Clubcard holders to check something important. They explained: "If you have a Tesco Club Card remember that you probably have coupons you haven't used, and get Club Card Plus for a 1-month trial to get 10% off.
"My shop was supposed to be £100, but I made it £69. (There are also things for my car, such as de-icers that aren't in the picture, and a late Christmas present, which added £1,7 but I don't think I did too badly)".
This indicated that the actual food shopping itself likely set the pair back approximately £50, which represents decent value.
However, some Reddit users criticised the duo for their lack of fresh fruit and vegetables, encouraging them to prepare their own sauces from scratch.
One individual commented: "Learn to make pasta sauce, it's easier, cheaper, better and healthier. Don't buy those old El Paso kits; buy the spices (you'll have them for ages), then buy the wraps separately and salsa/avocado as you go. Fruit and veg are good.."
However, someone countered that despite attempting numerous alternatives to replicate the El Paso kits, "you can't beat" them. They insisted they'd "tried a lot".
Another chimed in: "All those pre-made spice mixes are filled with an unholy amount of sugar, well worth learning a few spice/herb combos to achieve the flavours you want without all the extra c***".
One Redditor came to the young couple's defence, stating: "When I was 18 and 19 I did rely on Dolmio sauce jars and curry jars to be fair, partly because I didn't know how to make a sauce or curry from scratch, partly because I thought it was cheaper too.
"Pasta sauces are super easy and cheap to make from scratch, and much healthier than the jars. I make bolognese sauce from scratch for around £3, it has fresh veg in it and genuinely takes about 15 minutes to prep, and makes 4 good sized portions.
"With curries, there can be an initial outlay to purchase the ingredients and spices, but once you have them, they'll make loads of batches. Asian supermarkets are especially good for getting fresh and dried ingredients cheaper and more authentic than big supermarkets, if you know what you're looking for.
"My best advice would be to buy a few cookbooks and just spend time in the kitchen. I'd recommend Bosh and Delia Smith books. While you're learning, ignore TikToks and YouTube reels".
Another savvy consumer suggested that, despite the Clubcard offer, Aldi would prove a "better and cheaper" option for the weekly food shop.
One man commented: "Good shop! That's how much we spend too, pretty much the same, but we get protein from the butcher. If you can't be bothered with fresh veg just get frozen broccoli and cauliflower and just chuck it in a steamer as a side!! I'm in my late 20s, but I've lived on my own for a long time. My shop is pretty similar".