For those with the lowest incomes, more than half their total weekly spending goes on essentials such as food, housing and transport, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Its latest survey of family spending says food and non-alcoholic drinks cost the average household £69.20 a week.
But that research dates back to the period from April 2020 to March 2021, when the pandemic was at its peak and before the rise in the cost of living.
If you’re looking to cut back on spending, there are lots of ways you can make your money go further by saving on shopping and wasting less.
If you shaved £5 per week off your supermarket bill, you’d save over £250 a year. Shave £10 off per week and you’ll save over £500 a year.
This table shows what weekly savings can add up to over a year:
| Weekly saving | Annual saving |
|---|---|
| £5 | £260 |
| £10 | £520 |
| £15 | £780 |
| £20 | £1,040 |
| £30 | £1,560 |
| Weekly saving | £5 | £5 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual saving | £260 | £260 |
| Weekly saving | £10 | £10 |
| Annual saving | £520 | £520 |
| Weekly saving | £15 | £15 |
| Annual saving | £780 | £780 |
| Weekly saving | £20 | £20 |
| Annual saving | £1,040 | £1,040 |
| Weekly saving | £30 | £30 |
| Annual saving | £1,560 | £1,560 |
You could use the money you save to pay off debts, build your emergency fund, or put it towards another savings goal.
We spend a lot money that goes to waste. Each year, UK households throw away 4.5 million tonnes of food that could be eaten, according to WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme).
Food production and food waste combined are among the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, contributing to global warming and climate change. Vast amounts of resources – including energy, water, and fuel - go into the process of producing, storing, transporting and disposing of food.
So wasting less could save you money and have a positive impact on the environment.
Here are some tips on how to do it.
Here are some common reasons why we end up wasting food:
And here are some ways to avoid wasting food.
Creating a budget is a great way to make the most of your money. Start by working out how much you’ve spent on food over the last 3 months. Checking your transactions and statements should help.
Are you comfortable with that amount, or do you want to spend less? If so, by how much? It can be helpful to set yourself a goal.
Then, each time you make a budget - for example, once a month when you get paid – set aside a certain amount for food. Make sure it's realistic – it’s fine to include luxury items as long as you’re spending within your means.
Make a list of your main meals for the coming week, including the ingredients you'll need. Check which ingredients you already have in and add the rest to your shopping list.
Once you’ve made a list, try to stick to it. Don’t get drawn into offers for things that you don’t really need.
If you’ve already got food in, try to account for it in your plan – especially fresh food that may otherwise go to waste. Are there items you could add, or substitute, in to the next week’s recipes to save you buying more?
Think about the types of ingredients on your list and try to include some cheaper meals. Is there anything you could batch cook to cover 2 dinners?
The main thing is to know why you’re buying each item and to have a plan for how and when you’ll use it – even if that’s just ‘afternoon snack’. This will prevent you buying more than you need.
Shopping less often can help you think more carefully about what you buy and save you money. You may find it easier to stick to your budget if you shop once a week.
And try to find the right shops for you – ones that have the types of food you want at prices that fit with your budget.
Another idea is to shop on a full stomach rather than an empty one, so you don’t get tempted by hunger pangs.
Check the best way to store different foods so they don’t go off before you get to use them. Check use-by dates too. If you don’t have a plan to use something before its use-by date, can you freeze it?
Batch cooking and freezing portions will also help you save money and preserve food. And then when you don’t have time to cook, you’ve got a ready-made home-cooked meal. Just don’t forget to defrost it.
Shopping online is a good way to manage your budget, as you can monitor how much you’re spending with every item you add to your basket. Some shops offer a similar in-store experience, where you can add up as you go along.
Even if you’re not placing an order, you can check prices online to have a better idea of whether your shopping list fits your budget.
Shopping online helps to stop impulse buying as well.
You can also use apps to track your spending. For example, the HSBC UK Mobile Banking app (available on compatible devices) will send you notifications each time you spend money from your current account. And the Balance After Bills feature shows you how much money you could have left for the month ahead, once scheduled bills (standing orders and Direct Debits) are taken into account.
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