Going for a grocery shop can be as expensive and as painful as a trip to the dentist these days. But we've rounded up some top tips to save you money on your food bill.
4.7 based on 823 reviews
Key takeaways
Australians spend $188 weekly on groceries; meal planning and price comparison apps cut costs.
Choose store brands, imperfect produce or frozen goods to reduce your trolley total.
Save $1844 annually by reducing meat consumption, also compare unit prices for best value.
If it feels like almost everything has gone up in price at the supermarket, that's because it has. Increased grocery prices have been putting stress on our budgets, and it's no wonder Finder research confirms over a third of Australians put groceries as one of their top 3 most stressful experiences in 2024. But you can still save money on groceries – and these 20 tips give you a chance to do that, no matter where you shop.
How much are we spending?
The average Australian household spends $188 per week on groceries. But it could be higher depending on the amount of people you're shopping for if you live on your own or are in a regional area. Ongoing incremental price increases also add up. So, here are different ways to keep grocery costs manageable under these conditions.
Finder survey: What do Australians of different ages do to save money on groceries?
Response
75+ yrs
65-74 yrs
55-64 yrs
45-54 yrs
35-44 yrs
25-34 yrs
18-24 yrs
Visit multiple stores
50%
57.32%
60%
65.5%
64.84%
59.44%
61.54%
Coupons
33.93%
26.83%
27.5%
40.35%
41.76%
49.44%
42.86%
Bulk buy
28.57%
40.85%
49.38%
57.31%
59.34%
63.33%
50.55%
I do not do anything to save money on groceries
16.07%
12.8%
10.63%
5.26%
7.14%
2.22%
7.69%
Other
16.07%
17.68%
15.63%
10.53%
8.79%
10.56%
10.99%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1004 Australians, December 2023
Without further dilly-dallying, let's bring the cost of your grocery shop down...
1. Shop at night
Evenings are when many supermarkets discount food that's nearing its use-by date, such as pre-packed vegetables, meat and ready-made meals. This is a great way to save if you're looking for something to eat that night. You can also cook or freeze meat before its expiry, and chop wilting parts off vegetables to extend their life.
2. Use an app for specials and savings
Supermarket websites and apps will show you their own deals, but apps like Frugl, SmartCart and WiseList let you compare prices between supermarkets so you can find the cheapest option. Plus, you can make your shopping list in the app and share it to help you save time.
3. Sign up for paid loyalty programs
Yes, there is a cost involved, but you'll save much more than you spend if you're strategic. For $7 per month (or less if you pay annually), you can become a member at Coles or Woolies and receive double points on every shop, plus one 10% discount per month on your grocery shop, worth up to $50. We share this tip far and wide – here's what a friend of Finder had to say recently:
4. Go to ALDI for staples
ALDI is not reported to be as popular as Woolworths or Coles (just 19% of Australians say it's their supermarket of choice according to Finder research) – but you'll typically find cheaper staples there. For example, when we checked online in August 2024, an 8-pack of ALDI Confidence 4-ply toilet paper was $4.79 (58 cents per roll). This compared to $8.60 for Quilton Classic Toilet Tissue 3 Ply 8 Pack at Woolworths. Stocking up on staples next time you're at ALDI can bring some nice savings – just try to avoid the lure of the middle aisle Special Buys.
5. Make enough to have leftovers
Cooking a big batch of food is often more cost-effective than making a single meal because it means you can buy in bulk and use up ingredients that might otherwise go to waste. If it's something like soup, curry or Bolognese, you can freeze it for later or take it to work for lunch (for more savings!). You can also use leftovers to create other meals, for example using roast veggies in a delicious salad or blitzing them up for a rich soup.
Finder's personal finance expert Sarah Megginson speaks to Yahoo Finance about Coles' latest shopping move to rival Costco: they're slashing prices, but is it too good to be true?
6. Buy frozen or tinned
It's often cheaper to buy frozen or canned foods compared to fresh fruit and vegetables – especially if what you want is out of season.
There's also been a lot of research showing the nutritional value is similar to that of fresh foods. Frozen and tinned foods are typically processed soon after being harvested, which also preserves the flavour. Sometimes the texture will be different to fresh, particularly with tinned foods, which makes them a safer bet in things like curries and casseroles than as a side dish.
7. Go to specialty stores
Butchers, greengrocers and other speciality stores typically have closer relationships with suppliers, which means they can be cheaper than supermarkets for some groceries.
Health food and bulk food stores can also save you money on dry ingredients like rice, oats, herbs and spices. It's still worth comparing prices with supermarkets if you can, but often these smaller stores will help you save on essential groceries.
8. Meal plan: make a list and stick to it
Planning your meals before you go to the supermarket means you can use some of the same ingredients a few times to help make your money go further. It also saves you time and energy trying to think of what to cook every night and can reduce food waste.
Meal planning goes hand-in-hand with having a shopping list, which can also help you avoid impulse buys to save even more.
🔥 Hot tip: Need some inspo? The Sydney-based Cornersmith team have a whole book dedicated to re-using ingredients in delicious ways, Use It All. It includes recipes and shopping lists and is available through Amazon, as well as their own website.
9. Find a co-op, farmer's market or local growers
Shopping local helps support locals and can help you save money as well. Without the overheads of big supermarkets and stores with shopfronts, co-ops and farmer's markets can offer great value for money.
If you're in a regional area, keep an eye out for food stands – or even free fruit and vegetables if someone's had a bumper crop.
10. Collect Flybuys / Everyday Rewards
It's free to sign up to Flybuys and Everyday Rewards, which let you earn points at Coles and Woolworths respectively. These points can give you dollars off your shop, with 2,000 points equal to $10 off through both programs. Or you can transfer them to a frequent flyer program for future flights and other rewards. That gets you even more value, with 2,000 points typically worth $20 or more if you use them on flights.
You earn 1 point per $1 with each program as a standard – more if you're a member of the paid program – plus you can get bonus offers via email or their apps. Check out Finder's guides to Flybuys and Everyday Rewards for full details on these loyalty programs.
11. Choose imperfect foods – they taste the same!
Choose fruit and veg that aren't "pretty" enough used to be thrown out or used in other ways, rather than showing up on supermarket shelves.
But a push for sustainability means imperfect carrots, apples, capsicums and other foods are now readily available – and cheaper than their more attractive counterparts.
Home brand products are usually made by the same factory as the brand names but at a lower cost. In the case of food, sometimes ingredients may be slightly different – but you could always try the supermarket brand out to see (or do a blind taste test with friends).
Flour, sugar and other pantry staples are almost always the same whether they're branded or not – and things like cleaning products typically get the job done regardless of what the packaging looks like.
13. Buy in season
The further fruit and vegetables have to travel, the more expensive they become – especially with petrol prices in 2022. Buying what's in season means supermarkets can source from farmers that are closer, helping keep your grocery costs down.
If you're not sure what's in season, The Sustainable Table Fund has a handy seasonal produce guide you can check. Both Coles and Woolworths also have details of what's in season online, and you'll sometimes find recipes in their catalogues.
14. Consider cutting back on meat
Reducing meat consumption can save you $1,844 over a year, according Finder analysis. Inflation has led to a rise across meat, poultry and seafood, with beef and veal seeing the biggest increases, so cutting back will help you save.
Expert insight
"If you're used to having a lot of meat, take baby steps. So maybe that means having one meal a week where you go plant-based, or even just increasing the plant-based foods on your usual plate as you reduce the amount of meat. It's also about experimenting and substituting foods and knowing that it's okay if it doesn't work. It's not easy to change habits, but even a small change with a goal will help."
Senior lecturer and unit chair of consumer behaviour, Deakin Business School Department of Marketing
15. Avoid specialty ingredients or find substitutes
Recipes that call for ingredients you don't have on hand and hardly ever use don't have to add to your overall grocery costs. You can usually find substitutes in your pantry – or at least ones that you'll use in different dishes.
For example, if a recipe calls for mirin, you could swap it out for a mix of sugar and rice vinegar (or even white vinegar if that's what you have). There's a treasure trove of tips online for substituting just about anything.
16. Store your food correctly
There's a special kind of disappointment that comes from opening the fridge and finding slimy lettuce or floppy carrots. Turns out, there are better ways to store some foods and extend their life, including:
Storing potatoes and onions separately
Keeping the core in a cut capsicum
Cutting off any damaged or bruised parts of the food
Storing lettuce leaves in a mason jar
Freezing milk before its expiry date if you won't use it
If you do find your vegetables looking wilted, you can often revive them in very cold water – or chop and use in stews, soups and other cooked meals after checking they taste fine.
For more help with your money, Finder's budgeting guide has you covered.
17. Leave your kids at home
Not alone, obviously. But if you can, try to shop without the kids in your trolley to keep distractions – and the temptations to overspend – to a minimum.
"In terms of marketing, supermarkets overwhelm us with stimuli but they make it easy to make decisions with product placement, labelling and layout," Dr Paul Harrison told Finder. For example, products targeted at kids will often be at their eye level – so they're more likely to see (and want them). But if you do have to bring the kids with you, Dr Harrison said it can help to be aware of the potential temptations: "Look at the reality of what's going on and say 'what can I change to remove some of these barriers?'"
18. Buy based on unit price, not sticker price
If you look at the unit pricing on supermarket shelves, you'll usually find that it's cheaper to buy the larger version of products. This is great for pasta, rice, beans, tinned and frozen foods, as well as most nuts, dried fruit and any non-perishables. Check the unit price to see which option offers the best value. Sometimes, an item that's on sale is still more expensive than other options when you compare per 100ml or per unit.
"This might be an obvious one, but look at value per kilogram for meat shopping. For example: I nearly went for 2 packets of pork belly slices at $12 per 500g each at Woolies, but realised that on the bottom shelf, they sold 1kg of pork belly roast that isn't cut at $16. Much better value!"
Supermarkets have return policies, just like any store. And if something has gone bad before it should or there's another reason you're not happy, take the product and your receipt to the customer service desk.
They'll usually ask you why you want to return it as part of the process – and as long as it's a legitimate reason you'll get your money back or a replacement.
20. Get discounted supermarket gift cards
If you're a member of a club or service like NRMA, RACQ, RACV or Red Energy, you could have access to gift card discounts. Right now within the Woolworths app itself, you can get a 3% discount on gift cards to use at Woolies.
For supermarkets, you'll usually find discounts of around 2% to 4% – which means saving $2 to $4 for every $100 you spend even if what you're buying isn't on special. This means you can stand at the register or when you're about to check out online, you can hop online and buy a $300 gift card; receive a discount of $6-12; then pay immediately using that gift card. It's only a small saving, but they all add up!
Amy is an experienced journalist with over 16 years of experience, contributing to major publications like Money Magazine, The Sydney Morning Herald, and ABC News Australia. Specialising in personal finance, she frequently appeared in media outlets and on radio. Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Drama from Griffith University and earned RG146 certifications in Tier 1 Generic Knowledge and Tier 2 General Advice Deposit Products, ensuring her expertise is grounded in current financial regulations. Amy was Finder's Senior Writer for Credit Cards from 2016 to 2024.
See full bio
Amy's expertise
Amy
has written
471
Finder guides across topics including:
Sarah is the author of How to Raise Rich Kids. With over 20 years of experience in property, finance and investment journalism, she is a trusted expert whose insights regularly appear across television, radio and print media, including Sunrise, Channel 7 News, Bloomberg and Yahoo! Finance. She has previously served as managing editor for Your Investment Property and Australian Broker. Her expert advice has been shared in the media over 4,000 times. Sarah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and a Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification, which complies with ASIC standards.
See full bio
Sarah's expertise
Sarah
has written
242
Finder guides across topics including:
Home loans
Personal finance
Budgeting and money-saving tips
Managing the cost of living
Get rewarded $$ for switching with Finder Rewards
Find a better deal, save on your bills and get a free gift card. Sign up to be the first to hear about new Finder Rewards.
Wondering how your grocery bill stacks up to your neighbour? We break down the cost of food in Australia, and how much we’re spending by state, lifestage and household size.
Your net worth is calculated based on the value of your assets minus your liabilities, and this figure represents your overall financial health.
Important information about this website
Finder is a comparison service. We do not compare every product or every provider in the market.
We make money through commercial arrangements with some of the providers on this site. Products marked 'Sponsored', 'Promoted', 'Featured' or 'Advertisement' appear as a result of a commercial arrangement.
Our editorial content, product reviews and any 'Top Pick' designations are prepared independently of these commercial arrangements.
The default order of products in our tables can be influenced by commercial arrangements. You can re-sort or filter using the controls above each table.
Some content on this site may be generated or supported by AI tools. You should verify details directly with the provider.
Finder is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We are committed to our readers and stand by our editorial principles.
Our comparison service does not include every product or every provider in the market. Some product issuers offer their products under multiple brands or through associated companies. Where we can, we identify the underlying issuer so you can compare like with like, but you should always check with the provider directly to confirm which brand you are dealing with.
Finder is a comparison website and an intermediary. We are not a product issuer and we do not provide personal financial or credit advice. When you click a link to a product, or apply for a product through our site, you deal directly with the product issuer. We may receive a referral fee, commission or other payment from the issuer if you click through, apply or take out a product. We describe these arrangements in more detail under 'How we make money' below.
Product features, fees, terms and eligibility criteria are set by the product issuer and may change. We rely on information supplied by issuers when we present product details on our site. Before you apply for or take out any product, you should confirm the details directly with the issuer.
We earn revenue from Finder in four principal ways:
Referral fees and commissions. When you click a product link, complete an enquiry form or apply for a product through our site, we may receive a referral fee, commission or other payment from the product issuer. We may also receive payment based on the volume of leads or conversions we send to an issuer.
Sponsored placements. Products marked 'Sponsored', 'Promoted', 'Featured' or 'Advertisement' appear as a result of a commercial arrangement between Finder and the issuer. These labels always indicate a paid placement. We do not use them for editorial choices.
Display advertising. Banner advertising, newsletter advertising and similar display ads on our site are paid by advertisers.
Content sponsorship. Some articles, videos and social media posts are sponsored by an issuer and are clearly labelled as such.
Our editorial opinions, product reviews and any 'Top Pick' designations are prepared independently of these commercial arrangements. A 'Top Pick' is an editorial choice made by our writers and editors based on the criteria described on each comparison page. A 'Top Pick' is not a personal recommendation and does not mean the product is appropriate for your circumstances.
If you would like to know whether we have a commercial arrangement with a specific product issuer, please contact us.
When products are grouped in a table or list, the default order can be influenced by commercial arrangements we have with product issuers. In some categories, sponsored or featured products appear in the top positions of the table by default, and are always labelled as such.
Other factors that influence default order include price, fees and features, and (where relevant) our editorial view of the product.
You can re-sort every comparison table using the controls above the table. You can filter by product features that matter to you. The order you see after re-sorting or filtering is not influenced by commercial arrangements.
Some content on this site is generated or supported by artificial intelligence tools, including our AI-powered assistant FinderBot. AI-generated content may contain errors. Please verify important information directly with the product issuer before making a financial decision. For more information about FinderBot, see the FinderBot Terms of Use and FinderBot Privacy Collection Notice.
Please read our website terms of use and privacy policy for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
