Supermarket shopping. Just how does that packet of Tim Tams manage to find its way into the trolley? It’s one of life’s mysteries.

But emerging from the checkout with both your budget and your shopping list under control always feels like a win.

So how can you get that feeling everytime you shop? How can you save money on your grocery bill?

It’s easy. It’s called The List.

This is so much more than your regular, scrawled-on-the-back-of-an-envelope list.

The List

Draw up a grid. You want a box for every day of the week and three meals a day. Next, write down what you’ll eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, for the week. 

Be comprehensive. Factor in the kid’s snacks, sandwich fillings, enough pieces of fruit to last the week plus ingredients for special meals. 

It sounds like a lot of work, but it doesn’t take more than a few minutes.

Then, using your meal plan, check what you already have in the fridge and pantry. You’ll probably already have a lot of the basics, like pasta, rice and flour.

Next, write your shopping list. Just list the things you actually need for that week. Then, as long as you can resist the urge to pick up anything that’s not on the list -including Tim Tams – you’ll find yourself buying half as much as you normally do.  

Buying in bulk

There are other ways to save money on groceries too. When an item is discounted, it makes sense to buy up big – especially for staples like olive oil, pasta, rice and toilet paper. But wholesalers can also supply meat, seafood, tinned foods and pet food.

So if you’ve got the space to store bulk foods, it’s worth doing a little research to find a bulk food wholesaler near you.

The benefits of planning your weekly spend and buying goods in bulk means that you’ll always stay on budget and in control of your trolley.

Just beware of the Tim Tams.