grocery hacks Archives | MoneyDigest.sg

6 Clever Tricks To Help Singaporeans Spend Less On Groceries

Perfecting your grocery budget can help you make serious contributions to your savings. Best of all? Saving on groceries does not have to mean skipping on delicious meals or depriving yourselves of quality produce. Read the following backs before you complete your grocery shopping trip.

#1: BRING A SHOPPING LIST

Whether you want to write down your grocery list on a piece of paper or bring a portable list through a mobile app, you can save time and money by sticking to this list. Free apps such as rShopping List (available on Android) and AnyList (available iOS & Android) let you create customizable lists to help you avoid unnecessary purchases. Some of these apps have built-in calculators too! Use this app to help you split the list when shopping with friends or family members.

#2: SHOP WITH A BASKET

Believe it or not, study showed that consumers tend to spend 40% more money than usual when the size of their shopping carts were doubled. Simply put, people tend to feel more comfortable with filling up trolleys due to its larger size. Trick yourself to narrow down what you need by carrying a basket instead. It may be easier to push a trolley but carrying a basket can help you spend less time and money in the supermarket. What’s more? You can enjoy a free arm workout.

#3: FIND CHEAPER-PRICED ITEMS

Supermarkets strategically put their pricier and popular items at the eye-level so you can get tempted easily. Next time you shop, give yourself the opportunity to comprehensively look at the shelves from top to bottom. While you are at the fresh meats section, filter through the displays to spot the reduced-price items. These packaged meats may be on the display for a few days, but they are still good for the same-day cooking.

#4: LOOK AROUND

Since every aspect of the grocery stores are meant to entice you to buy more, you must not buy the first brand you see. Chances are, products in the lower shelves are of the same quality, but they are cheaper. House brands are typically placed there. Moreover, fresh milks that expire next week are usually hidden behind the carton that expires tomorrow. Feel free to look around.

#5: BUY A WHOLE CHICKEN

A fresh whole chicken retails for about S$6 at the supermarket, whereas buying separate parts of the chicken can cost twice that amount. So, do not be afraid to cut the whole chicken by yourself. There are useful and free tutorials on YouTube. All you need is a sharp knife!

#6: EARN CASH BACK REBATES

Whether you are living with your kids or by yourself, groceries can cause a huge dent to your wallet. Since they are essentials, you cannot exactly cut down so much on the costs. However, you can still get cash rebates.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

If you have a grocery credit card, you can earn cash back rebates whenever you shop. While some cards can help you save money on Giant, others can increase your savings at NTUC FairPrice or Sheng Siong. Get the best grocery credit card that suits your needs and your grocery preferences to save up to 8%!

Sources: 1 & 2

6 Genius Hacks You Can Use At Grocery Stores

Grocery stores, like any other businesses, are looking for ways to make profit. This is why they have used strategies and psychological obstacles to entice customers to put more items in the basket. Combat those strategies by knowing the genius hacks shared by store employees, food experts, and industry analysts. Here are several of them:

1. BE AWARE OF SENSORY STIMULATION

Imagine the smell of baked breads mixed with the fresh smell of flowers. Very enticing to the senses, am I right? This is why newly baked goods and fresh flowers are placed near the front door. The goodness of smell will surely make you feel hungry, and keep your mood up! Furthermore, bright colors will inspire you to purchase more.

2. LISTEN TO UPBEAT MUSIC

Some supermarkets play relaxing music that can help slower down one’s heartbeat and later on lead to more purchases (i.e., about 29% more). An inexpensive way to beat this trick is to listen to upbeat music with your headphones or earphones. Grocery shopping never sound this good!

3. BULK IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER

Consumers think that when they buy something in bulk, they end up having a better deal. But, that is not always true. For example, individual avocados are always cheaper than grouped ones.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Be vigilant and analyze the total price first.

4. KNOW THE BEST DAYS TO SHOP

Imagine a crowded supermarket on weekends – the queues are longer and the products are nearly running out. It makes you want to grab more of what you need before the stocks are gone. Researchers examined this phenomenon and they found that consumers tend to purchase more in crowded days because they subconsciously want to be a part of the group. Forget belonging-ness, Mondays and Tuesdays are the best days to shop!

5. KNOW THE BEST TIME TO BUY MEAT

Determine the time when your butcher marks down the prices of meat and purchase accordingly. Usually it is between 8 to 10 am but the timings depend on the operating hours of your local supermarket.

6. TRUST YOUR ROUTINES

Look at your last grocery receipt, chances are, approximately 80% of those items were the items you bought a week ago or the week before. It is good to trust your routines by having the previous receipt along when you shop. With that receipt, you can tell when something is on sale. That is when you must stock up.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Shop smarter and save more! 🙂

Source: 1

How To Minimize Food Leftovers And Save Money

Food leftover or food waste consists of numerous discarded materials. Over the last decade, the amount of food waste generated in Singapore had elevated by 45%. In fact, in 2013, the food waste rate reached its peak of 796, 000 tones and with only 13% of it recycled.

1. SHOP ONLY WHAT IS NECESSARY

Shopping for groceries? Make sure you buy what is realistically necessary for your whole family. Even though the produce is enticing, avoid being greedy with it, as you certainly cannot consume all of it. Plan out your meals and make a detailed shopping list of the ingredients you need. Stick to the list. If you live far away from the grocery store, be careful about your purchases.

2. COOK THE RIGHT PROPORTION

Mouth-watering massive proportions of food in restaurants sound tempting but you only generate more leftovers once you adapt this culture to your home. Avoid cooking more food than your family can consume. Over-serving your friends and family especially during special occasions will only generate more monetary and food waste.

3. EAT THE LEFTOVERS

Save the unconsumed food when you either ordered too much restaurant food or when you cooked excessively. Regularly label these leftovers so you can keep track of how long it has been in your refrigerator.

4. MORE THAN THE EXPIRATION DATES, TRUST YOUR SENSE

Milk, bread, and other grocery products have expiration dates that you can use as guidelines. But, do not solely rely on it. Trust your senses to prevent medical expenses in the event you had a stomach flu or food poisoning. Use your sense of smell, sight, and taste to test the condition of the food.

5. PRESERVE YOUR FOOD BY CANNING

Canning, a method that applies heat to food in a closed container, helps to preserve food and stop its natural spoilage. Lengthen the shelf life of your favorite fruits by following the steps on this video:

What’s more? You can decorate the containers or jars by using paint that you already have.

Best Credit Cards For Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping can be costly at times especially because businesses are becoming more competitive in their prices. And if you were to use a credit card, be sure to indulge on all of its rewards by paying the bill in full each cycle. That said, here are the 5 Best Credit Cards For Your Grocery Shopping in Singapore…

5. OCBC 365 CREDIT CARD
Minimum Annual Income (Singaporean/PR/Foreigner): S$30,000

Do you want a card that allows rebates on your daily spending – all year round? Well then, say hello to the OCBC 365. It has rebates from grocery shopping, telecom bills, petrol, and dining. Waived for 2 years, the annual fee is S$161. Get 3% off on supermarkets islandwide, on recurring telecom bills (e.g., SingTel, StarHub, and M1), dining on weekdays, and on all your online spending (e.g., travel, movie tickets, and fashion).

4. ANZ OPTIMUM WORLD MASTERCARD CREDIT CARD

Minimum Annual Income (Singaporean/PR/Foreigner): S$80,000

ANZ Optimum World is an all around card with a touch of personalization. It gives you the decision to select your preferred category for a calendar quarter wherein you can earn 5% cash back and 1% cash back on all other spending. You can choose to have grocery, dining & leisure, travel, and shopping as your category. The best things is that there is no minimum spend and no limit on your total accumulated rebate! The annual fee is S$180, waived for a year.

3. CITIBANK SMRT PLATINUM VISA CARD

Minimum Annual Income (Singaporean/PR): S$30,000

As the name implies, Citibank SMRT Platinum Visa will give you good savings for your public transportation. Surprisingly, it is also good for grocery shopping. Get up to 7% savings on Fairprice, Sheng Siong, and Giant. Just pay an annual fee of S$161, waived for 2 years.

2. NTUC PLUS! VISA CREDIT CARD

Minimum Annual Income (Singaporean/PR): S$30,000

NTUC Plus! Visa will give you a whopping 10% off from all the items at FairPrice and FairPrice Online. What’s more? You can save up to 5% off at Unity, 3% off at Popular bookstore or Bata shoes, and 18% off at Esso fuel stations. All you have to do is pay an annual fee of only S$39 – waived for 2 years!

1. UOB DELIGHT CARD

Minimum Annual Income (Singaporean/PR): S$30,000

Does 10% rebate at groceries and pharmacies sound tempting? Then, UOB Delight Card is perfect for you. Enjoy up to 10% off at Cold Storage, Jason’s, Giant, Market Place, and Guardian. To qualify for this, you must have a minimum spend of S$100 a month and pay an annual fee of S$87. Buying in bulk? Get a free home delivery at selected Giant Hyper with minimum S$150 in a single receipt.

Watch Out for these 6 Grocery Store Tricks!

Have you ever experienced going into the grocery with a shopping list in mind, and ended up buying more? Maybe it is because you shopped hungry, or just because of the grocery’s marketing strategies. Some grocery stores have subtle, psychological, and clever tricks to make their consumers buy more. Thankfully, I’ve uncovered 6 Grocery Tricks that will help you save more on your shopping bill.

1. VISUAL ELEMENT: SHOPPING CARTS

Upon entering the grocery, you’ll notice the shopping carts. An invention designed in the late 1930s have grown in size over the years. Since larger purchases are easily done, the bigger the cart, the more money may be spent. So, if you intend to buy a relatively medium amount of items opt for using a friendly basket.

2. SENSORY ELEMENT: AROMA OF FRESHNESS

Imagine the smell of baked breads mixed with the fresh smell of flowers. Very enticing right? This is why newly baked goods and fresh flowers are placed near the front door. The goodness of smell will surely make you feel hungry, and keep your mood up!

Image Credits: Paul Swansen via Flickr

3. RIGHT SIDE PHILOSOPHY

Most grocery stores place popular items on the right side of the shelves to move shoppers from the left to the right. This is because all items throughout the store are strategically placed to follow the “right” path.

4. KIDS MATTER

Another strategy is to target the children’s interests because they play an influence on what goes inside the carts. Supermarkets purposely place cereals, toys, and sugary treats at a kid-friendly level. So, do not give in to what your kid wants (unless he/she makes a huge and uncontrollable scene) or you can just leave your kids at home.

5. HIDDEN ESSENTIALS

Essentials such as dairy, bread, eggs, etc. are placed at the back of the store and far away from each other so you’ll be forced to travel the whole store to get it. Once you have travelled, you probably bought more that what you’ve needed. By knowing this trick, you may start with going straight to the back with your shopping list on your hand to keep you on track.

Image Credits: Redjar via Flickr

6. LASTLY, THE NUMBERS GAME

Instead of putting a price of, “$4” for example, they will put an irrational price of “$3.99 or $3.96” to make you think that you saved more money by scoring a better deal. What’s more? They will also put that if you buy more then you will save more! It’s these small details that may sound silly but it surely works.

Sources: Grocery Coupon Network, Idea Finder, & Lifehacker

Grocery stores, like any other businesses, are looking for making profit. This is why they have used strategies and psychological obstacles to entice you to put more items in the cart. I hope that by knowing these tricks, you will be able to shop smarter and save more!

Search the site