Grocery hacks to save big on your food spend

Fill up when you visit and buy, for example, 160 Finish powerball quantum ultimate pro dishwashing tablets for $69, and you could save about $15 on an average tank of fuel and about 50 per cent each time you switch on the dishwasher.

Your second grocery store could be a local fruit and vegetable market, which has always been cheaper than the supermarkets. However, the price gap between the pair appears to be growing, now that fruit and veg prices are being inflated by higher petrol, labour and fertiliser costs.

Produce at the markets might also be fresher and longer-lasting than supermarkets, which tend to store their products for longer periods.

Which brings us to seasonality and the impact of recent flood events on our groceries.

While repeated flooding on the East Coast this year has devastated many crops, not all fruit and vegetables are soaring in price.

A recent Deakin University study found the biggest increases in the past year were iceberg lettuces (100 per cent, on average), broccoli (101 per cent), tomatoes (43 per cent) and olive oil (33 per cent).

However, banana prices dropped 28 per cent, on average, and oranges by 17 per cent, compared to a year ago, while canned bean mixes were also 5 per cent cheaper. Apples, carrots, eggs, red onions and sweet corn cost about the same. So, being selective when you shop can also help your bottom-line food costs.

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Finally, there is a new discount scheme to consider: Woolworths has long offered 10 per cent off your first shop each month to their mobile phone or insurance customers. However, the supermarket is now offering the same deal if you subscribe to its “Everyday Extra” rewards program for $59 a year, plus 10 per cent off a Big W shop once a month. So, if you spend $600, or more, at those two stores each year, you should come out in front.

• Advice given in this article is general in nature and is not intended to influence readers’ decisions about investing or financial products. They should always seek their own professional advice that takes into account their own personal circumstances before making any financial decisions.