"Oh So Effective"

Understanding how the supermarket works – Shopping tips

Understanding how the supermarket functions can save you money, there are plenty of saveins to be had, and here are my top tips to finding them:

Know the reductions - Every supermarket has a reduction system, where the out-of-code products(products on todays date) get reduced, this is done to sell the products quick and lower the sections waste bill. Each store and sometimes, each department; has there own method of doing reductions. I’ll explain how the UKs leading supermarket Tescos system works:

Every evening a member of staff(usually the same person) will scan all of the products that are being reduced the next day into a PDA. The next day someone will use the PDA to reduce these products. There are two rounds of reductions the system sets, one at 25% and one at 50%, so its best to catch the time of day when there doing the 50% routine.

This may take alittle trial and error to get the timing right, but once you know how the store operates you can better choose the best shopping time to make the most savings.

Don’t be tempted by offers - Offers are just about everywhere ‘half price’ or ‘buy one get one free don’t be tempted by things that you dont need, always keep to your list and you wont go wrong.

Assess weight as well as price – Often prices don’t change week to week, but sometimes the weight will change. Always keep an eye on the weight and when assessing the price compare price per weight and compare with other products of that nature to find the best deal.

Know the Law – Know the law, if something is priced wrong – the supermarket MUST sell it to the customer for that price, or remove it from sale for the day. If a ticket price is wrong, take the item to customer service and you will get the product for that price. If not ask to use there phone to make a call to trading standards.

Also if you have been overpriced for a product, take it to customer services, they will usually give you a coupon for your trouble and if they don’t, a letter to head office will definitely get you some free money next time you shop.

Use your coupons and collect points - Always make the most of your coupons, read them correctly and if the checkout wont except them then leave the item. But never use coupons un-productivley – if you dont need the item don’t buy it just because you have a coupon. Also don’t forget to use your club-card and collect points!

Staff loyalty cards - If you have a friend that works in a supermarket, you should see if you can do your weekly shop at the same time

Be price loyal only – Don’t stick to the same supermarket because just because your accustomed to it, shop around and find a routine for the best prices for your shop. Take a notepad inside the supermarkets and assess the prices for your products. Tesco may advertise to be ‘the cheapest supermarket’ and across a wide range of products this is probably true. But there are definitely cheaper places out there still.

Consider alternatives or bulk buying – Toilet paper may be cheaper if brought from a wholesales for example, or razor blades may be cheaper on ebay, remember ‘be price loyal only’

Online shoping - If getting to and from a supermarket is expensive, consider shopping online. There is a charge for this service, but it may save you both time and money in traveling.

Add your own here – Everyone has there own way to shop, you need to find your own style and find your own methods to cut the shopping bill in half.