At Prestige we understand the importance of making the most of your household budget ensuring your weekly shop goes that little bit further. One way to do this is to start bulk buying which is an easy concept to execute once you’ve mastered the art of planning, organising and finding the space to store all of your food. Bulk buying isn’t about quantity but about thrift; buying those all-important essential items which you have tried and tested previously are usually the best items to bulk buy. For example, perishable foods which have long best before dates; pasta, rice, cheese, coffee, meat, tinned foods and root vegetables can all be bought in large quantities. Just make sure the overall cost of the bulk buy is cheaper than the equivalent amount per item.

Whether you’re a small or large family, bulk buying can save you precious time and money, we’ve taken a look at some of the benefits;

THE BENEFITS

• Save money – more items for less cost per batch.

• Convenience – Prevents you from having to go to the supermarket as often, helps you when planning ahead and can save you money on petrol too.

• Healthy – A lot of bulk buy ingredients can be used as part of a healthy, nutritious meal.

WHAT NOT TO DO

Perishable foods such as dairy, fish and a handful of vegetables like tomatoes are not classed as bulk buy items as they are prone to decaying quickly; they simply won’t last long enough for you to eat them. However, a handy trick to consider is in fact buying tomatoes and using them with pasta and mincemeat from your bulk buy to make a large homemade lasagne, which you can freeze and then serve on those busy evenings when you’re short on time in the kitchen.

Bulk buying products you’ve never tried before is also a big no no! There’s nothing worse than bulk buying a kids’ shampoo and finding out it’s not suitable; resulting in a stock pile of shampoo you can no longer use, meaning you lose money rather than saving it.,Once you get the hang of bulk buying your family essentials, it’s important to not overdo it. To begin with only bulk buy a few different items you know you will use and will last. These might include; teabags, coffee, toilet roll, toothpaste and vegetables. Then slowly move on to cleaning products, meat such as chicken and lamb chops (freeze only), and non-perishable items if you know you’re going to use them within a few days.

With bulk buying it’s important to evaluate how much money you’ve saved and whether you have had to throw away any food. This way, you know exactly what to buy next time, and how much to buy. This method will ensure you save money and time whilst having to visit the supermarket less often. Bulk buying really will help with your shopping and keeping to your budget and with a bit of planning you’ll never look back!

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For more money saving ideas, visit our Ultimate money saving tips to spend less on your weekly shop blog.