UNPACKING the food delivery or your bags from the big supermarket shop is no fun task – but doing it the 'right' way could help save on your bills.
There's plenty of ways to cut the costs of your supermarket spends – even timing your shop will pay off.
The art of picking which exact date to visit shops like Tesco or Aldi, will help you save some pennies on your next visit.
But it's once you've got the groceries back to your home that you really need to think about how to save some more cash.
Vix Leyton, shopping expert at the UK’s biggest deal sharing website hotukdeals, said: “Rising prices at the supermarket mean fewer margins for meaningful savings.
"If you’re savvy with deals and prepared to plan, there are ways to make your money go that little bit further. "
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If you make sure you're buying the right items in the first place and putting them in the correct places in your fridge or cupboards you'll make them last longer.
That way you're not spending more on things you technically already have waiting back at home.
You can also pick up the cheapest items from the shelves, and if you make a beeline for the right storage place in your kitchen, you'll save even more.
Vix said: "Simple changes like limiting your impulse purchases, researching the best deals out there, and using loyalty schemes to your advantage can have a big impact too."
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Plan meals and check deals
It all starts before you head out the door to embark on the daunting supermarket sweep.
By planning your meals and taking into account what you already have in the cupboard, you can avoid impulse buying.
And that way you can keep your eye out for the specific ingredients you need at the best price, explained Vix.
When you unpack your shop make sure to make a note of everything you've got too.
Then, when you're tempted to reach for the phone to order a takeaway, you'll know if you have all the right ingredients to make it yourself.
Waste not
When all your new shopping arrives on the doorstep don't rush to throw away everything that's already in the fridge just to make space.
Households waste around £496 of edible food per year according to The Eco Experts.
Sure, some of the items might be nearing their use-by date, but the freezer is your closest ally in saving money.
Love British Food says if you have fruit, vegetables or herbs in the house that are due to expire, cut it up and put it in a zip-lock bag to put in the freezer to use at a later date.
The food blog also said to make sure you use up your leftovers.
That stale loaf of bread, that you're throwing out the cupboard to replace with the new one that just arrived in the shopping, could be used to make a bread and butter pudding, the experts explained.
Or you could use the beef from Sunday's lunch that's been sitting in the fridge, for a cottage pie.
Stick em up
Yellow stickers are they key to a successful shop for most customers, but obviously they don't have a very long life left for them.
Supermarkets will often reduce the price of food nearing its use by date to shift stock and avoid food wastage – and the store will flag these discounts with yellow stickers.
The food is still good to eat, but not forever.
Load up on these deals in the supermarket and freeze them as soon as you get in though, and you'll be sure to have made a saving.
"That said, don’t buy an item just because it’s discounted if you don’t need it," said Vix.
"A good rule is to check the unit price displayed on the shelf to make sure the deals are actually worth having – if it’s a matter of a few pence and you don’t need the product, it might work out as false economy."
Similarly, only buy what you need – especially when it comes to multibuys.
Whilst four chicken breasts might only be £1 more than buying two, if you have no plans for the extra one and know you’re unlikely to remember to freeze it, then steer clear.
Particularly if you find you don't have the space for it when you're doing your unpacking – the food and your spends could just go to waste simply because there's too much of it.
How else can I slash my supermarket spends?
Shopping around is a great first step – other supermarkets may have cheaper offers available.
It doesn't have to be another supermarket either, as one savvy shopper managed to save over £200 on her food shop by taking a trip to the wholesalers instead.
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You can also try planning your meals, or taking advantage of supermarket loyalty schemes.
And some supermarkets even have their own discount codes that you can snap up too.
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