5 mistakes people make at supermarkets that could be costing you $1000s

Easy ways to save more at the checkout.

Justin Reiss
Jul 30, 2017 · 4 min read

Everyone shops differently. We have different preferences, family sizes and are at various stages of life. Despite this, most people still want to stretch their grocery budget further, but marketing noise out there can often derail your savings.

The competition between Aldi, Coles & Woolworths is ramping up, and this will help you save a lot more if you take the right approach. Genuine savings are out there you just need to know how to find them.

Not comparing unit pricing

Unit pricing unlocks the truth behind a product’s value.

Looking at unit pricing is the easy way to see how much bang for your buck you’re getting. It’s simple, if you’re not sure how good a deal is compared to other options, just glance at the unit price and that will tell you how much value you’re really getting.

Even savvy shoppers that usually pay attention to unit pricing can fall into the trap of paying more per unit than comparable products.

Take dishwashing tablets for example. Sometimes medium sized packs of these tablets will be on special and almost half price. This could be a saving of $10–15. Seems good right? Except even though they’re on special and the savings seem substantial I’ve noticed that often the same product in larger packs that aren’t on special are still better value per tablet.

So remember to check the unit price and avoid being stung.

Missing specials

You can make substantial savings if you hold off buying at full price.

I will admit missing specials is more bad luck than it is a mistake, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

Finding good specials is a bit of an art, and whether you carefully scan the shopping aisles or trawl through catalogues, it takes time, effort and patience.

We can relate to these problems, which is why we’ve come up with a solution. Your SpotSave Watchlist lets you flag your favourite products so when they come on special, you receive a notification. There are lots of full price items you could make substantial savings on if you just wait a bit.

Products come on special all the time so hold off and wait for the yellow tag.

Favouring one store over another

I get it, you really like your local Coles or Woolworths and don’t want to swap and shop at the other. This isn’t doing you any favours. Your trolley of groceries could be $30 cheaper or more at the other supermarket.

SpotSave takes your shopping list and tells you whether it’s cheaper to shop at Coles or Woolworths. If a product can’t be found at both stores, then you can quickly replace it with a comparable item while maintaining savings.

Not buying enough specials or stocking up

Specials aren’t always that special, but there are still plenty of savings to be made by strategically picking discounted products. You can easily reduce your spend by 20% or more if you buy enough specials. A great way to save in the long run is to bulk buy products on special like coffee, drinks, household items and other goods that store for long periods.

Not planning your shop

Finally, make a shopping list and stick to it. It’s easy to go shopping and get carried away buying things you don’t really need or that aren’t good value. By having a shopping list and spending a few minutes planning your shop ahead of time, you’re less likely to overspend.


Justin is the co-founder of SpotSave — the new Australian supermarket savings app for iOS & Android that lets shoppers save more at the checkout. Sign up at spotsave.com.au to download the pre-launch beta today!

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