Sustenance is a basic necessity and whilst it is true that food is a most important requirement, cutting down on food expenses doesn’t mean sacrificing nutrition. There are many ways in which we can cut our consumption expenditures and still have enjoyable, nourishing meals.

Brand Shifting

Premium brands aren’t necessarily more nutritious or delicious than generic brands or own brand products. Studies show that you can save up to 45 percent on economy brands. If you have been used to purchasing luxury brands it is understandable how you can be apprehensive about switching to a lower class of product.

If this is the case, you can try shifting gradually. If you used to buy a premium brand of coffee for example, switch one brand lower to a supermarket’s own brand. Once you have gotten used to how the product tastes, switch lower to an economy brand. Now you don’t necessarily have to purchase value products because shifting to one brand level alone will already afford you considerable savings. An economy brand is just one amongst many options that you can explore.

When switching products make sure your decisions are not based on price alone. Check on the ingredients of all product classes and weigh them against each other. If a lower class brand offers less nutrition, then it simply wouldn’t do to switch to that brand just because it is cheaper.

Supermarket Shifting

You should also consider buying from supermarkets that offer lower prices. If you frequently shop at Tesco’s for instance, why not try out Aldi’s the following week? Budget supermarkets have been known to offer good quality food products and some of their offerings are even tastier than the ones you find in large-scale supermarkets.

Again, this is mostly trial and error. If there is no noticeable difference, a budget supermarket may be the more practical solution. If you feel you like the products of premium supermarkets are more to your liking, perhaps make the budget shopping a once a month habit. The goal here is to find ways to cut back on expenses.

Loyalty Programmes, Clubs and Vouchers

Supermarkets typically offer savings promotions that you can take advantage of. Tesco’s has a loyalty programme in place so if you don’t feel like shifting from Tesco, you should use a loyalty card with your purchase. You get discounts on your spending after you have accumulated a certain number of points. Joining supermarket clubs also affords you a percentage off of your purchases.

Vouchers and coupons are some of the most popular way of cutting down on food costs. Discount vouchers abound and you should have no problem finding ones that you can use. They are available through the local paper, online, from magazines and even the stores themselves give out coupons and vouchers at checkout. You can often combine these coupons and vouchers to acquire bigger savings but check the store’s policy just to make sure. Also, ask for raincheck vouchers. Raincheck vouchers are issued when the product advertised on the coupons are currently not available. This way, you can still get a discount at a later time.