Shopping wisely to make your money go further

Shopping wisely

Shopping wisely and being an ‘aware consumer’, will help you to continue reaping benefits long after economic conditions change and the fuel price begins its inevitable upward spiral.

Getting the most you can for every shilling spent continues to be a priority for many households, making the development of savvy shopping skills as vital.

So says Fayelizabeth Foster, Head of Loyalty Rewards at Standard Bank, who emphasises that making the most of shopping experiences, by being an ‘aware consumer’, will help you to continue reaping benefits long after economic conditions change and the fuel price begins its inevitable upward spiral.

Rewards or loyalty programmes can save you thousands

“At the base of wise shopping lies rewards programmes,” says Ms Foster. “These programmes […] should be considered as a necessity by people who want to effectively manage their spending and reduce the costs of day-to-day living. A loyalty programme combined with savvy shopping habits will save you thousands in the long-term and even frees up cash for fun and luxury buys.”

Having a budget is the first requirement for savvy shopping

Knowing how much you have to spend means that you won’t be tempted to buy unnecessary items.

Other ways of shopping wisely to reduce those everyday shopping bills:

  • Keeping a list of the items you most often buy to form the basis of a shopping list.
  • Use this list for reference, compare costs across various brands for the staples you require. Buy the brand that represents the best value on the day you shop.
  • Always look at the prices of house brands. These are often cheaper than other items, but are produced to high standards by suppliers that often also produce better-known brands found on shelves.
  • Making sure you have set aside enough time for your shopping. Shopping when you are in a hurry means not being able to compare prices.
  • Buying house brands in bulk is often cheaper than buying single items.
  • Take advantage of shelf stickers that break down prices by weight and check the prices against each other before making a purchase to ensure that you get the best prices.“Being a savvy shopper may take a bit of planning and requires time being set aside for developing a budget, but will provide dividends,” says Ms Foster. “Combine the tips above with your loyalty programme and you will emerge from grocery and retail outlets happy with your purchases.”

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