In the midst of the cost of living crisis, families across the UK are constantly looking for ways to ease the financial pressure, particularly when it comes to managing the weekly grocery budget.
One resourceful mum from Oldham has shared an ingenious approach that helps her cut a significant amount off her food expenses each month. Claudine Starkie, a dedicated NHS worker and mother of two, manages to save around £200 monthly by opting for small, daily shopping trips instead of the commonly advised larger, weekly hauls.
Her secret weapon? Claudine meticulously plans her meals and checks her stock at home before each shop to ensure nothing goes to waste.
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Dedicated to purchasing only what’s necessary, regardless of discount temptations, the savvy shopper also hones in on reduced-price vegetables to blanch and freeze for later meals.
Sharing her experience with LatestDeals.co.uk, Claudine who has worked for the NHS for 30 years, said: “My main reasons for starting yellow label shopping is purely the cost of living crisis we’re all going through and trying to keep food on the table and making ends meet every month.
“I split from my husband in 2010, so I had no choice but to be strong. My kids are used to economic meals I’ve created, which we call ‘SOON Dinner’ – this stands for Something Out Of Nothing.
“As a single mum, I’ve always gone shopping after work, and during lockdown, I found that items were reduced around this time of day. I used to primarily shop at Asda but I’m unable to shop in just one supermarket now, so I trawl all supermarkets on my route home and try others if I’m out and about.”
As a rule, Claudine tries to meal plan with what ingredients she has in the fridge, freezer and cupboards, and if she finds any bargains, she will mentally plan meals before picking them up, reports Birmingham Live.
She said: “My son is a very very big lad who has mild Prader-Willi syndrome, so he’s constantly hungry. He’s also autistic, so he likes routine and to know exactly what he’s going to be eating each day.
“Yellow label shopping has allowed me to be able to get treats that just aren’t normally in my budget, like different cuts of meat, different vegetables, and desserts.”
Claudine, a savvy shopper, purchased an upright freezer from Facebook marketplace to store her bargain finds such as prawns, burgers, vegetables and butter.
She said: “Around payday, I look at what’s low in my freezer and look for the things I know we’ll need, like chicken, fish, mince, prawns and steaks and bulk up on those, so I can concentrate on the other bargains to go with them, so I can meal plan. On average, one bag of shopping costs around £20 to £30.
“I try and budget for a week full shop to cost around £50 to 60 and this must include staples like bread, milk and cheese.”
Claudine also encouraged others to ‘be kind’ to fellow bargain hunters, she added: “Always think about the variety of meals you can cook with the bargains you purchase and have fun exploring new ingredients and making new dishes.”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, praised Claudine’s efforts, said: “Most of us can only dream of saving £200 a month on our food shop, but Claudine shows how everyone can do it with perseverance and creativity. It can take discipline and time to build up a freezer stash of reduced food, but the savings are so worth it.
“Another top tip when it comes to saving money on food is to hunt for voucher codes – for example, at the moment, at Sainsbury’s, you can get £15 off your first £80 online shop.”