As Christmas approaches many Australians remain concerned about the cost of food and groceries.
CHOICE's quarterly Consumer Pulse survey has once again found that many of us are worried about how much it costs to feed our families. A whopping 87% of Australians recently told us that the price of food and groceries was a concern and was even more worrying than expenses such as rent and mortgage.
With the festive season looming and entertaining on the cards for many, our clever CHOICE community and staff are sharing how they save on the cost of food and groceries during this pricey period.
1. If you're in a loyalty scheme, cash in your points
We've expressed our concerns about supermarket loyalty schemes but there's no question that they're a popular way to save.
If you are a member, you may find that the extra expenses that the festive season brings make December a good time to use your points. Some loyalty points programs, such as Woolworths' Everyday Rewards, give you the option to 'bank' your points to spend at Christmas rather than spending them throughout the year.
Some loyalty programs let you 'bank' your points to spend at Christmas
"I have about $520 worth of Woolworths Everyday Rewards points banked which will be released for use on December 1," says Cate.
Another Woolies shopper, Mel, told us that she uses her points to shop for alcohol for the Christmas and New Year's period.
If you also have loyalty cards for any other retailers where you shop regularly now is a good time to see what your points can buy you.
Christmas can be a good time to use any points you've accumulated through loyalty program membership.
2. Check for savings through your memberships
Many organisations such as motoring groups like the NRMA or RACV, and health insurers like HCF offer discounts for their members on gift cards you can use at the big two supermarkets. While the discounts may not be huge, they add up, especially if you're spending big on Christmas entertaining.
"I buy Woolies vouchers at around 4% off which saves me $40 every $1000… not a lot but when you consider how much we spend on groceries it adds up," says Lisa.
If you have a fresh produce market nearby you may find savings on your fruit and veg.
3. Look for cheaper options for your fruit and veg
While they might not be the most expensive part of the menu, saving a bit on your fruit and veg can help make festive feasting at least a little more affordable.
If you're lucky enough to have a large fresh produce market nearby, you may be able to save by shopping there. Depending on when you go and what you buy, it's possible to make substantial savings.
"Markets like Paddy's at Flemington in Sydney sell larger quantities of seasonal fruit much cheaper (and tastier, I think) than what you can get from the supermarket," says Imogen. "Boxes of cherries, trays of mangoes and peaches, berries – all significantly cheaper. Worth it if you can make the trek and put up with the pushy patrons!"
Other changes to the way you buy your fruit and veg can help you save throughout the year.
"I recently joined a food co-op and have been really impressed with the quality and cost of fruit and vegies," says Uta, who anticipates serving plenty of traditional side dishes such as roesti, potato dumplings and red cabbage at her Christmas dinner.
4. Shop ahead
While you can't necessarily buy everything you'll need for Christmas lunch months ahead, there are often items you can begin to stock up on before December rolls around to help you spread the cost
"For anything non-perishable, start adding things to your weekly shop in the lead-up so you don't have one mammoth shopping bill three days before Christmas," says Mindy.
Even better, if you know that you'll be hosting an event the following year, you can stock up on crackers, table decorations and other seasonal items when they go on sale straight after Christmas.
There are often items you can begin to stock up on before December rolls around
Sometimes issues with weather or produce availability can affect the prices of popular Christmas food items as the festive season ramps up and demand is high. If you see a great price in the lead-up to Christmas on items you want for your festive catering, it could be worth stocking up if you have space to freeze or store them.
"I buy prawns at the end of November and freeze them," says Finola.
Frozen prawns can be safely kept in your home freezer for 6 to 8 months, provided your freezer is operating as it should and maintaining a temperature of -18°C or less.
For Vi, it's citrus he stocks up on.
"I buy some lemons a month early and keep them in a plastic bag in the fridge. They always seem to be exorbitant two weeks out from Xmas," he says.
If you're hosting a large gathering, get other attendees to bring a dish to help share the cost.
5. Share the load
If you're hosting a celebration around the festive season, get the attendees to help with the catering.
"You gotta do 'bring-a-plate' for big dos," says Mark. "We create a theme and everyone has to bring a main and sweet around that theme. We have a friends' Christmas dinner around the 28th December every year where we do that and it's always amazing."
Some coordination will be required unless you want to end up with 11 pavlovas and no salads.
Comparing prices across different stores can help you make significant savings.
6. Switch things up
Our regular surveys of grocery costs at Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA supermarkets find some fairly significant differences for similar items, so if you're watching every cent it can be worth checking out what's on offer at stores you may not regularly visit.
If you're lucky enough to have easy access to more than one store, you can save by comparing prices and splitting your shop across different supermarkets. There are different apps available to help you identify the best deals across the various chains, so if you have the option, visiting more than one shop can help reduce how much you spend on your Christmas entertaining.
Even if you only have one supermarket option, using unit pricing to find the cheapest products can help you save. For example, when we compare loose vs packaged groceries we find significant savings to be had if you buy the lowest priced option on offer.
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
