Is your bank account as dead as 2020? Not this year! Here are 5 grocery hacks so you won‘t have to spend a ringgit more on food.

1- Meal Plan

It might take some time, but if you follow this, you'll actually save more cash. You can use a piece of paper or the Memo app on your phone. 

  
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- Write down the meals you'll make for breakfast, lunch and dinner each week. 

- Then, cross check with the ingredients that you already have in your fridge & pantry. 

- Whatever that's missing goes on your shopping list plus the quantity that you'll need. 

Don't forget to sneak in snacks that you're craving for too. Make this a weekly routine to save time, money & trips to the store.

2- Shop Full

Before you're out shopping, make sure you eat first. That means the kids too, if they are tagging along. A full meal at home or a quick snack on the way will do. 

  
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When you have a full stomach, it's less likely that you'll fill the cart based on your instinct. So, no unnecessary purchase or crazy amount of items. Instead, you'll stick to the list that you brought along. 

3- Eyes To The Ground

  
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Supermarkets don't want you to know this. But, next time you go shopping, don't just focus on products shelfed at your eye-level. That's where the brand names will be. Instead, shift your eyes to the lower shelves. You'll find off-brands that are less pricier like Tesco products. 

4- Bulk On Frozen

  
Source: Coup de Pouce

Frozen items last longer than your fresh groceries. So, buy enough frozen fruits & veggies to last you for the whole month. They won't go bad as long as your freezer's working fine. 

And, don't worry about nutritional content. There's almost no difference in both types. So, stock up. 

For proteins like fish, chicken & beef, buy in whole because that's cheaper & will save you some trips to the store too. When you get home, wash, pre-cut & pack them separately in ideal portions. You can easily pull out a pack before prepping for each meal. 

5- Do Your Math!

Don't attack every aisle with sales! Count the unit price of the items on sales first. 

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Make sure it's a good deal compared to items that aren't on promotion. 

- Let's say a 170g box of Koko Krunch is on sale for RM5.50.  

- A bigger box of 330g that's NOT ON SALE is RM 10. 

- Find out the unit price for 1g of cereal & you'll see how the bigger box is actually a money-saver. 

Use this Unit Price Calculator app for fast, easy math. Get it on Android or iOS.

Shortest horror story ever: SOLD OUT!