In the last year, inflation has caused consumer prices to skyrocket by 4.2%! This has left many families struggling to afford their usual food shop, with a record-breaking number of people turning to food banks over the last year.
The average family food shop is £63.70, but this is expected to rise as inflation continues!
While families across the UK struggle to keep up with rising food prices, one savvy mum has found a hack that could save shoppers thousands!
Married mum of one, Sarah Colley, has saved £2,340 on her food shopping over the last 18 months. Following her money-saving success, the head of finance for a menswear retailer sat down with LatestDeals.co.uk to reveal exactly how she managed to make such incredible savings.
How to get £50 worth of food for just £3.09
Over lockdown, Sarah Colley went on a mission to cut down the cost of her food shopping. This came as the prices of food continued to rise and an increasing number of families struggled to afford their weekly shop.
Sarah, who lives with her family in Scarborough, reveals that it was an app that helped her to save so much on food. She explains, “I heard about the Too Good to Go app via a colleague at work. I was very dubious at first, as with living in Scarborough there weren’t many businesses signed up to it.”
Too Good to Go is a mobile app that connects users with local stores and restaurants. Through the app, users are able to buy unsold food surplus that would otherwise be thrown away. As a result, families can buy heaps of food cheaply and food suppliers can cut down on waste.
Sarah bought her first ‘magic bag’ of surplus food from her local One Stop shop. The mum paid just £3.09 and was delighted to receive a bag full of goods worth around £50!
Due to the great value that was provided in her first bag, Sarah continued to buy weekly bags throughout lockdown. By doing this, the savvy mum managed to save £30 per week on her food shop.
According to Sarah, the contents of the bags are completely random. Despite this, the mum says that the items she receives are perfect for lunches, quick meals and snacks. Some bags also contain fruit and veg, which is ideal for people with particular dietary requirements.
The savings go beyond just food!
As well as saving on her food shop, Sarah has also been able to cut down her transport costs. Since using the app to buy bags of food, Sarah has noticed a significant drop in the number of times she goes to the supermarket. As a result, she has been able to make savings on fuel.
Sarah explained that buying food bags is a great way to cut down on buying unneeded things. This is because buying the bags cuts down visits to tempting supermarkets.
The Good to Go app is available in every city around the UK. However, Sarah points out that larger cities have more choices available. She said, “There is a lot more choice in the bigger cities – we use the app to find magic bags when we visit family in Leeds.”
By using the Too Good To Go app, Sarah has been able to save towards her next family holiday. She explains, “In a time of rising costs, any help that people can get to save money is extremely helpful!”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk further explains, “Food waste apps such as Too Good To Go offer a win-win for everyone. Less food gets wasted, shoppers get a great deal and businesses still get a bit of money for food that would have ended up in the bin.”
Too Good to Go isn’t the only cheap food bag service. Others that you could try include Olio, Gander and Savery. If you’re struggling to keep your family fed this Christmas, using these apps could be one of many great ways to make significant savings.
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About the author
Ruby is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about all things personal finance. After embarking on her own side hustle journey three years ago, Ruby is passionate about helping others to learn about the ins and outs of persona… Read More
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