How do you keep your grocery bills down?

[~clover~]

I think the biggest thing for me is home brands & specials. I got continental pasta last week at woolies 4 packs for $5.
Sauces, salt, & basics like that are home brand mostly. Everything else I try to get on special. Cheap bread, cheap milk.
I only buy what I know we will eat for the week too. I don't buy extra, unless by some miracle I have some extra money & can afford too.
We don't buy bikkies or anything exciting Maybe once a month we'll get some tim tams
I don't buy nappies. I use cloth.
If I see shampoo & cond, or toilet paper on sale for a good price I'll buy them even if they aren't needed yet.
HTH.

[organicem]

I buy toilet paper, tissues, washing detergent, dishwashing tablets etc when on special and keep them in cupboard until needed.
Generic brand everthing is found in my cupboard (usually made in the same place as other brands anyway). I also buy things on special at woolies such as herbs, wipes etc.
Nappies I buy snugglers from Big W as they are cheap and effective.
Good luck with cutting your bills!!

[Rouge]

For us there is a huge mark up on Online shopping, up to $50 per shop which is RIDICULOUS. So we don't use it. But I do use it as a reference for prices of things. But I'm pretty good with impulsive buying so its not too hard there. But if you're an impulse buyer, or you prefer not to lug kids around, don't have time etc then yeah coles online is a godsend. When we didn't have a car and lived in Sydney (about oooo 10-11 yrs ago now *eep*) we used it a lot and it was great as often if they don't have what you order we'd get lots of freebies

[*Ash*]

Vegetable protein sources are usually cheaper than meat. Try replacing some of you meat dinners with tofu or legumes.

[LaDeeDa]

Vegetable protein sources are usually cheaper than meat. Try replacing some of you meat dinners with tofu or legumes.

I wish - DF is the original if it moves shoot it - if it doesn't cut it down kind of guy ...
Carnivore to the extreme

[~Trish~]

We do 99% of our shopping at Aldi and it costs us around $100 per week (it can be more if we buy extras, DH likes their beer LOL). I have learned to work with what Aldi has and make food around what I can buy there.

We meal plan so we buy all the food we'll need in one shop and don't generally need to go to another supermarket for the extras, but if I do it can cost up to an extra $30 per week.

I buy my nappies for DS2 from the manufacturer Naelfran in Ferntree Gully. A pack of 100 seconds costs about $17 and I have no problems with them. I do use Aldi nappies for night time though.

Another money saver is to grow your own herbs if they are something you use a lot of.

Ummm...that's all I can think of for now!

[LaDeeDa]

[QUOTE=~Trish~;1842955]I buy my nappies for DS2 from the manufacturer Naelfran in Ferntree Gully. A pack of 100 seconds costs about $17 and I have no problems with them. I do use Aldi nappies for night time though.
QUOTE]


Naelfran and I don't get along too well - DS just soaks straight through them
I get bulk Huggies from NappyLand about $40 for 108 so thats not too bad - a box lasts me almost 3 weeks

[helle]

I wish - DF is the original if it moves shoot it - if it doesn't cut it down kind of guy ...
Carnivore to the extreme

haha, had to laugh. Same as my DF! And god can he eat. What I eat in a week he can eat in a day and what annoys me more is he's 6 foot 3 and a bean poll, damn him.

All great suggestion! I find it hard to find the time though to take my time to check out the best prices, or check what's in my cupboard before I shop.
They need to make a "budget section" or something... instead of having all the specials hidden away in the shelves all over the place!

[Lolli]

Meal plans have been a godsend here. Plan everything for the week, all meals and snacks (sounds like lots of work but gets easier the more you do it). Go through your cupboards, write a list of what you need and stick to it. I try not to go to the shops between grocery shops. And check out discount shops (the $2 ones) and Big W for thing slike toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, washing powder etc. Heaps cheaper.

[Ryatha]

Vegetable protein sources are usually cheaper than meat. Try replacing some of you meat dinners with tofu or legumes.

Our meat bills were huge until I started getting refried beans and 4 bean mixes and adding it to my casseroles, chilli con carnes, bolognases and anything else that has a meaty sause. It makes it really rich and thick, and if you have lots of other things in there then they are pretty hard to see. You can also then use less meat in each recipie, making the meat last much longer (if frozen - I freeze everything!)

[LaDeeDa]

I forgot to mention that I can't eat mince or cheap cuts of meat because of the fat content (I have a medical condition) so that makes it a little tricky - anything tomato based is also out