Grocery shop on a budget

Simple ways you can save money on your food shop

Life as a student can get expensive, especially when you're new to living independently. But don't put too much pressure on yourself to save every last penny the minute you arrive at university. It's all about figuring out what works and what doesn't.

Here are a few ways you can save a bit of money grocery shopping without having to cut back on snacks and luxuries!

1. Take advantage of student discounts

One benefit of being a student is that there are so many apps and websites purely designed to give you discounts and offers. For example, UNiDAYS and Student Beans offer many food discounts at local supermarkets:

• Iceland: £12 off £60+ orders for new customers
• M&S Food: 25% off Food on The Move
• Co-op: 10% off when you shop in-store
• Gopuff: 25% off first 6 orders

2. Plan your weekly food shop

We've all been there, where we've gone to do our food shopping and ended up spending way too much money because we didn't write a list and decided to buy everything "just in case". Writing a list helps prioritise what you actually need, away from the tempting middle aisle in Aldi. Also, shopping at a known cheaper supermarket like Aldi and Lidl helps you budget and save money. Here's a map of the closest supermarkets near Bath University so you can plan where you'd like to go!

3. Buy essential items over branded items

Buying essential items/shop own brands rather than big branded items such as Heinz, Kellogg's and Walkers will save you a lot of money! And they actually taste pretty much the same as the real deal.

Let's compare prices:

When doing your food shop, it's also important to understand what products you are buying. Take a look at our page to understand more about food labels and what they mean, so you can make sure what you're buying is healthy and nutritious!