I’m a bargain expert – why you should never shop at midday and 3 other ways to save cash

A SAVVY shopping expert has revealed the biggest mistakes Brits make while doing their weekly food shop.

Bargain hunter Tom Church, 31, says following these steps can save shoppers big money.

With the cost of living crisis still ongoing, food prices continue to rise and Brits are doing everything they can to save money on their weekly food shop.

Here Tom, Co-founder of money saving site LatestDeals.co.uk has exclusively shared where you may be going wrong with your shopping…

Only Buying Branded

If you only buy branded products, that’s your first mistake. You can get so many fantastic own brand alternatives that often taste just as nice at a fraction of the cost.

Shops such as Aldi and Lidl even do dupes of branded products, which are as close to the real thing as you can get!

Some of my favourites are Aldi’s Vive Orange Cans, a dupe of Fanta Orange. If you buy a multipack of Fanta from Sainsbury’s it works out at 44p a can, whereas Aldi’s alternative is just 28p a can.

I’m also a fan of Aldi’s Mild Salsa Dip, which is an alternative to the Doritos Salsa. Aldi’s is just 75p compared to the real thing which will set you back £2.50.

Shopping When Hungry

Next on my list of things to never do is go food shopping on an empty stomach.

I’ve done this a few times before and I always end up impulse buying things that look good in the moment, rather than sticking to my list and only buying what I need for that week.

This can mean you end up spending more than you wanted to, just because you were feeling peckish and got tempted! So eat a snack before you go – trust me!

Falling for bad deals

Just because something is on offer, doesn’t mean it’s a good deal. Prices for the same items can vary between shops, so just by researching your shopping list beforehand, you can save lots of money.

I recommend using a price comparison tool to make sure you’re getting the best deal. I use the Latest Deals one.

You can search for a specific product and it shows you how much it costs at all the major supermarkets.

For example, I searched for a jar of Nutella and found it was cheapest at Sainsbury’s for £3.15. Morrisons were selling the exact same product for £3.59.

Missing out on loyalty schemes

If you’re not signed up for all the various supermarket loyalty schemes, you’re missing out!

Tesco has Clubcard, Sainsbury’s has Nectar, Lidl has Plus, ASDA has Rewards, M&S has Sparks and Iceland has Bonus.

Most supermarkets have some type of loyalty scheme, and you can earn rewards and perks on your shopping.

At shops such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer, you’ll earn points on your entire food shop. Some supermarkets only offer points for purchasing qualifying items, for example ASDA, and some don’t offer points at all, for example Morrisons.

However, for the most part loyalty schemes are free to join and you’ll get personalisd offers, freebies and rewards. So, it’s definitely worth signing up for loyalty cards at any supermarkets you shop at. Right now, Iceland Bonus Card is my favourite because it works out to be 5% cashback which is the highest of all of them.

Shopping in the middle of the day

Now, tip number five may seem random, but shopping in the middle of the day can mean you miss out on the best deals.

We all know about yellow sticker (or red if you shop at Aldi or Lidl) products, items that are nearing their best before date and have been heavily reduced. Yellow Sticker products are difficult to get your hands on, as everyone is so keen to get them. 

Most shops make these reductions either at the end of the day or first thing in the morning. For example, Waitrose, Tesco and Morrisons often make their reductions in the evening, whereas Aldi, ASDA and Lidl tend to make theirs first thing in the morning.

You’re far more likely to save on your shopping if you go in the morning, or late afternoon/evening. Avoid shopping in the middle of the day if you want to get the best bargains.