Yes! I produce yogurt and bread (with a machine) at home also. Both are so, so easy that I can hardly say that I’m making it! Save a lot of money, saves waste and I know much about what’s in what I’m eating.
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Yes, I also stock up on the more often used or pricier items when they are on a half price offer. To me it’s a way of shopping that ensures I don’t run out and don’t pay the higher price. To me it’s just the way grocery shopping has to be but my husband is someone that goes to the supermarket and buys the minimum amount possible on every trip.
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At the moment IGA have jars of Dolmio pasta sauce down from $5.70 to $2.90 . As we eat a lot of pasta I picked up 6 jars yesterday .3 Classic oregano and 3 classic basil. Around $12.00 saved .
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For non-perishable or pantry items, we buy a few when on special or half price. The same products are on special reasonably regularly (maybe every month or two) and what we buy keeps us going until the next time they are on special.
We also buy local fruit and vegetables when in season. Generally local season fruit and vegetables are in plentiful supply resulting the lower prices. Not only are they fresher, but also can be quite cheap.
We also tend to buy raw ingredients and make our own foods. It is significantly cheaper and one can chose what in in the end product (such as reducing salt, sugar, fats etc). This is from biscuits through to mueslis and bread.
We also use a reasonable amount of herbs and spices. We buy these in bulk from Brisbane and have them delivered by friends and family when they visit us. Occasionally they are posted to us with other things. For around the same price as a small herb/spice shaker in a supermarket, we can buy a bulk bag (100g to kilo) of the same herb/spice which has a unit price of 10% of the supermarkets.
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Picked up some more specials at IGA that we regularly consume . Herbert Adams Vegan pasties usually $9.70 down $7.50 2 packets . 2 packets of Patties Party Pasties $9.90 down to $7.50 . 2 packets . A saving of around $8.00 .
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Thanks for the heads up, one of the jars is a fave at our place so I’ll grab a few 
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No problems . Glad to be of help .
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I need to purchase non dairy milk. So Good is usually is $2.90 - $3.20 per packet. I purchase 12 when they are on special at $2.00 per packet. By the time I nearly run out it comes back on special again - savings of $10.80- $14.40 each time. It has a use by date approx 12 months in advance. It really helps.
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Tyrrells Crinkly Potato Crisps 165 g .at 7/11 .$5.00 for 1 pak $9.00 for 2 paks and $12.00 for 3 paks . We buy 3 and save $3.00 . Same deal usually for Colvan Chips and Cadbury Chocolate varieties 180g .
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I buy more when regular use pantry items are on Special (checking the Unit Price to make certain). For example Weetbix - Mr Z has 4 a day. Sometimes the smaller packet on special is cheaper per kg than the largest.
I decided against getting a freezer as I think the cost of buying and running one for the bit that I might save by bulk buying frozen goods makes it uneconomical. We don’t eat ultra processed foods. A lot of frozen is overly processed, and these have the biggest mark-up and flashiest discount. I prefer fresh or unprocessed which works out cheaper and healthier. They also take up more room - most are in boxes larger than the contents. So I buy things that pack a punch nutritionally, but take up less room.
We shop at an independent “warehouse” supermarket. I check prices on-line for Coles and invariably they are dearer, so I don’t bother now.
Buy in season, eat lots. Accept that F&V can have minor imperfections (hey! my home grown look worse!) When cherries were in abundance I was buying them for less than $10/kg, and buying lots. That was my treat for the Christmas season, forget expensive chocolate etc.
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As an aside, I noticed this week that neither Coles nor Woloworths had any “special” price tags on the shelves which is often how I make my choice for things like washing powder etc. Anyone know if this is a new thing?
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The specials generally run from Wednesday through to the following Tuesday. It is common for the special tags to be removed on the Tuesday afternoon, with the lower price still applying for the remainder of the day.
I went to Coles on the weekend, there were lots of special tags being displayed.
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Me too, but I object to seeing baked goods priced 2 for $6 or pay more for 1 when in a two person household 2 packs of Hot Cross Buns go too slow for us and are just not the same from frozen. Bread seems ok but not buns.
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Was shopping at IGA Werribee .Picked 3 x500g jars of Dolmio Pasta sauce Classic Tomato . Usually $5.90 each …Paid $2.70 each A saving of nearly $6.00
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I buy fresh fruit and veg at small ‘family’ grocers, I’m fortunate that near me, there are many strip shopping streets with competitive fruit and veg shops. Much greater choice of quality and price, especially when ‘reduced to clear’. Supporting these ‘little guys’ also maintains competition with bigger supermarkets.
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I shop online. Every week I check the Coles and Woolworths catalogues which are released each Monday at about 5pm. The nature of the specials at each store determines whom I order from that week. I only buy larger products when they are on sale, stockpiling enough to keep me going until the next time they are on special. I find it hard to understand the respondents to this challenge seem to be unaware of the existence of these online catalogues! Once upon a time, both catalogues would appear in your letterbox, delivered by a friendly walker - sadly this no longer occurs.
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