How I Spend Smarter: Grocery Edition

0:00Speaker 1:She's on the money.

0:02Speaker 2:She's on the money. My name is Natasha Bamblett. I'm a proud First Nations woman and I'm here to acknowledge country. Hello, beautiful friends. We gather on the lands of the Aboriginal people. We thank, acknowledge and respect the Aboriginal people's land that we're gathering on today. Take pleasure in all the land and respect all that you see. She's on the Money podcast acknowledges culture, country, community and connections, bringing you the tools, knowledge and resources for you to thrive.

0:32Speaker 1:Hello and welcome to She's on the Money, the podcast that discusses All of the issues concerning your wealth goals so you can feel more in control of your financial future. But you know what feels completely out of control lately, Miss Bex Syed?

0:46Speaker 3:What is it?

0:46Speaker 1:The price of eggs. No, you aren't imagining things. The cost of everyday essentials like milk and bread and even Tim Tams seem to be rising at a fever pitch. So what's behind it all and how might we shop a little bit smarter to avoid feeling personally victimized by the cost of our weekly shop? I am Victoria Devine and joining me today is none other than Miss Bec Syed. Hi. I would say you are one of the craftiest grocery shoppers.

1:14Speaker 3:Thank you so much.

1:15Speaker 1:And I've tried to pull some tips and tricks that maybe even you haven't thought of.

1:19Speaker 3:Oh my God, that'd be gorgeous. Thank you because I'm running out of ideas here.

1:22Speaker 1:But it doesn't involve, I'm really sorry, putting mushrooms through as brown onions.

1:26Speaker 3:Okay, that's okay.

1:27Speaker 1:Which for those of you playing along, Bec tried to suggest as a broke tip once and we were like, that's actually illegal.

1:33Speaker 3:That's illegal.

1:33Speaker 1:That's illegal and we definitely don't do that. And, in fact, if we see other people doing that in the supermarket, we didn't see that, did we, Bec?

1:41Speaker 3:We didn't see it.

1:42Speaker 4:No.

1:42Speaker 3:No, absolutely not.

1:44Speaker 1:No, I'm actually blind. That's so crazy. If someone was like, did you see that? I'd be like, no. No. No, that's crazy. I'd sign an affidavit that I didn't see that.

1:52Speaker 3:So I would sooner gaslight a police officer.

1:55Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. Anyway, what do you reckon? Have the hens finally unionized or is there more to it, Bec?

2:02Speaker 3:Well, would I be right in saying that it probably has something to do with inflation or is it just late stage capitalism?

2:08Speaker 1:You know what? Why not both? Why not both? I think it's a little column A, a little of column B, Bec. See, there are actually a few things going on here and I want to make sure that we kind of help set the scene for our community so that They not only understand how to save more at the checkout, important, but why the prices are the way they are. Because I think we're all, I don't know, COVID happened. And I keep saying stuff like this, but COVID happened and we flowed through that and we weren't comfortable.

2:38Speaker 3:Yeah.

2:39Speaker 1:But we could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

2:41Speaker 3:Totally.

2:41Speaker 2:Right?

2:41Speaker 1:And we're like, this won't be forever. Like we will get through this and everything will go back to normal. And- I don't feel that everything's ever gone back to normal. And now I think we're all getting a little bit pessimistic and saying it's never going to go back to normal.

2:57Speaker 2:Yes.

2:57Speaker 1:And at what point do we agree that that's the case and we kind of try to... to live with this new normal instead of wishfully being optimistic that things are going to change.

3:08Speaker 3:True. Because that will also, I mean, either way, it's going to cause some like disenchantment, but there's just like an anger when you go shopping. It's like, I feel helpless. Like I don't, how, why is this allowed to happen?

3:18Speaker 1:And you deserve better than that. And I think I'm an inherently optimistic and positive person. Like give me a negative situation and I will turn it into a positive. Like I try very hard to do that because I think that not, it's not my family, but growing up, there were a lot of people that were like quite negative and down. And I realized how much that would impact my own mental health. And so I started to try and be a little bit more positive. And now I just gaslight myself quite consistently into being more positive.

3:49Speaker 1:It's crazy the more your external speak over time becomes your internal monologue. Like a lot of people are probably thinking, Victoria, you're insane. But like your mindset can really help. but even my mindset is a little bit waney at the moment. I'm a little bit frustrated. I just, I hate what this feels like knowing that my community are going through this and it's not, oh, you know, a monthly bill. It's every damn week. And if you're like me, it's every couple of days going to the supermarket because you can't get your stuff together to do a big weekly shop.

4:21Speaker 1:And like, I'm so bad at meal prepping. Like all of this feels out of reach.

4:24Speaker 3:Yes, completely agree. It's just, it's, it's a lot. And it's, Almost like how do we, the light at the end of the tunnel that we saw was actually an illusion.

4:32Speaker 1:It was an oasis.

4:35Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly.

4:36Speaker 1:But let's go back to like why the prices are the way that they are. So firstly, we're going to go back in time and compare just how much the prices of essential items have actually risen over the last 10 years and how things like wages and inflation and CPI come into play, which I'll explain a little bit more about later on. Then we're going to cover some, I guess, fun factors.

4:59Speaker 3:Cool.

5:00Speaker 1:Like labor costs and logistics and supply chain disruptors.

5:03Speaker 3:That sounds fun.

5:04Speaker 1:Yeah, that's exactly where you thought I was going to go before bringing you some smarter spending habits to reel those receipts right in. But first, Bec, guess what? We're taking a quick break.

5:15Speaker 3:Okay, let's go.

5:20Speaker 1:Welcome back, my friends. And while it might look like we're just sitting here in 2026, it's actually 2016.

5:26Speaker 3:Yep.

5:27Speaker 1:I'm taking you back a decade to show you exactly how much things used to cost. She's on the money was only a thought in my head in 2016. We didn't exist yet, but you best believe, even then I thought the prices were expensive, but I'm about to get a rude shock. So, Bec, imagine you've just met your first iPhone without a headphone jack. Oh, true. Remember when that happened?

5:53Speaker 3:Yes.

5:53Speaker 1:That was, no, that was unacceptable. The 31st Olympic Games have just opened in Rio.

6:00Speaker 3:Lovely.

6:01Speaker 1:Okay. And people are leaving their homes in droves to catch Pokemon on their phone for the very first time.

6:08Speaker 3:Oh my God, I remember that was so much fun.

6:10Speaker 1:I just, I look back at that and I go, what an epic way to data mine.

6:15Speaker 3:Oh, true.

6:16Speaker 1:They were getting so much information from that.

6:18Speaker 3:That's so funny. I never thought of it. I genuinely was just like, take whatever you want. I just want to find these Pokemon. Yeah, exactly.

6:24Speaker 1:And you've got to catch them all, right?

6:26Speaker 3:You've got to.

6:26Speaker 1:Can you guess what the median annual wage was in 2016 here in Australia?

6:32Speaker 3:And remind me, median is. Like is the average or median is? It's different. It's different.

6:38Speaker 1:Let me give you an example. An average wage would be the amount that all of us earn. Yep. Added up and then divided by the number of people that are involved. So it just like spreads all of the money across the board evenly.

6:52Speaker 2:Yep.

6:53Speaker 1:So an average number from my perspective and in general when it comes to data isn't always reflective of what every single Australian or like, you know, your average Joe Blow actually is earning because even a few really wealthy people or like Gina Reinhart, billionaires, will skew the results and make us look much wealthier than we actually are. So if you were taking, you know, a whole heap of people who are on Centrelink and then a whole heap of average Australians and then a few billionaires and spread the billionaires' dollars across all of us.

7:25Speaker 3:True.

7:26Speaker 1:Sorry, that's not fair. From my perspective, that is not a really good look at what the average community member or the average Australian actually earns.

7:37Speaker 3:True.

7:37Speaker 1:Yes, some people might resonate with that and say, well, I earn the average. I don't know what the problem is. It's like, well, the data isn't as accurate as it could be. Whereas median, which is something I prefer to rely on when I talk about statistics and wages and income. A medium wage looks at all of the wages in Australia, and it places them on a continuous line. So it goes from littlest to biggest, and then it picks out the number sitting slap bang in the middle, which is not only more representative of what most people would earn, it's reflective of the volume of people who earn more or less on either side. So when we say median, and we will get to a number, but when we say the medium wage is X, You can guarantee that half of Australia sits below and half of Australia sits above.

8:26Speaker 3:I see.

8:27Speaker 1:Does that make a little bit more sense?

8:29Speaker 3:Yes, absolutely. I like that one.

8:30Speaker 1:And why I wouldn't want to rely on the average.

8:33Speaker 3:Yeah.

8:33Speaker 1:Because like the average, if we put that on the continuous line, would sit much further towards the top. And then we're missing out on a really big amount of people who are earning less than that.

8:41Speaker 3:For sure. Okay. Okay.

8:43Speaker 1:And I also think it's a bit disenchanting.

8:45Speaker 3:Oh my God, totally.

8:46Speaker 1:Because if I say, oh, the average Australian earns a hundred grand, you go, wait, what? That's not me.

8:50Speaker 3:I know.

8:51Speaker 1:And most people are going to say that because most people are going to sit below the average because of the outliers at the top.

8:57Speaker 3:Exactly.

8:58Speaker 1:And that's not fair. Exactly.

8:59Speaker 3:No. Okay. That makes sense. So that does seem more fair or at least like more accurate than an average in this case. So what were we earning back then? Okay.

9:08Speaker 1:So in 2016, the median annual wage in Australia was $ 48, 360. So Australians were taking home $ 760 a week based on income tax rates at that time.

9:22Speaker 3:That's all you need?

9:23Speaker 1:That's all right. The annual inflation rate- so sorry, was 1.3 to 1.5%, which meant, and that's very low Bec, which meant that the cost of everyday things like milk and bread and eggs would only be 1.5% more expensive than the year before, or that your money was losing its buying power by 1.5% each year. So if we had a basket of goods, you could buy 1.5% less the year after that existed because of inflation.

9:55Speaker 3:Got you.

9:55Speaker 1:The average cost, please don't hate me, of your weekly shower. in 2016 was $ 69.

10:00Speaker 3:12.

10:00Speaker 1:Oh my God. So you're spending roughly 9% of what you earn on your groceries.

10:03Speaker 3:That is like $ 69 right now could get you one piece of salmon and And some bits and pieces, if you're lucky.

10:17Speaker 1:You might get a kick in the pants.

10:19Speaker 3:Oh, my God. That is insane. Right.

10:22Speaker 1:A dozen eggs, 10 years ago, $ 4.

10:24Speaker 3:04.

10:24Speaker 1:Wow. Two litres of milk, $ 2.

10:28Speaker 3:88.

10:29Speaker 1:Okay. A loaf of bread, $ 2. 60.

10:34Speaker 3:That's okay. That doesn't seem too bad. And how do they figure this out? Okay.

10:40Speaker 1:So, basically, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, or the ABS, considers essential household items like milk and bread and coffee, thank God, and toilet paper into its calculations to reflect what someone might purchase week to week, right? It just goes, what is the average job we're buying? And we're all buying, you know, without our allergies, milk and bread and eggs, right? So, that's what it takes into consideration.

11:06Speaker 3:I see. Okay. That makes sense. So now I have a feeling things like inflation and the average cost of the weekly shop is going to be more significant in a few minutes, but can you tell me where we're at now?

11:17Speaker 1:Yeah, you do know me too well. So we're going to flash forward to today and the median gross annual income in Australia is sitting around $ 78, 000.

11:27Speaker 3:Okay.

11:27Speaker 1:We're earning more, which is very nice.

11:29Speaker 3:Yes, that's good.

11:30Speaker 1:But remember, this is the median, not the average, and that we are still waiting on a few tax returns, Bec. So that's okay. So you'll have to take this figure as somewhat of a placeholder. We also have the census that has just happened. So we're waiting for the data of that to come back. And this works out to be $ 1, 197 take-home pay per week into your back pocket, which is nice, I guess. But currently, and we said before that inflation 10 years ago was between 1.2 and 1.5%, inflation is now 4%. And according to Finder, Australians are spending on average $ 204 per week on groceries and.

12:15Speaker 3:That's insane.

12:16Speaker 1:Which is 17% of our weekly earnings.

12:18Speaker 3:That's insane.

12:19Speaker 1:So it's gone from 9% to 17%. And so I've put in these percentages because I think it helps to, in my head, illustrate what that difference actually looks like. Because you would go, oh, well, I don't really know the difference between that $ 48, 000 income and $ 78, 000. If things are more expensive, surely that works out. So I feel like percentages... help drive home that of all the money that you're taking home back, you used to have to spend 9% of that bucket on your groceries. Now you're needing to find 17% of that bucket.

12:50Speaker 3:That's almost a quarter.

12:51Speaker 1:That's crazy, right? That is crazy. A dozen eggs these days, about $ 7.

12:57Speaker 4:20.

12:57Speaker 2:Okay.

12:57Speaker 1:Bet you the Prime Minister wouldn't know how to answer that one.

13:02Speaker 3:No, totally.

13:03Speaker 1:Two litres of milk is $ 3. 80 and a loaf of bread now costs $ 3. 80 on average.

13:09Speaker 3:Yep. Okay. So it's not like the supermarket chain's kind of gone wild.

13:14Speaker 1:No, they haven't gone crazy.

13:15Speaker 3:No. It's like things are more expensive and our money is losing its value faster than it was before. Absolutely.

13:20Speaker 1:And I mean, there's a whole other conversation, I think, Bec, about the way that supermarkets are at the moment. In my humble opinion, which is not that humble, they're taking the mickey. I think that there's a lot that they can be held accountable for, but unfortunately- wages and growth and inflation. That's not them. They didn't do this to us. This is just our economy. And essentially, wages are not growing as quickly as inflation. Because in a perfect world, yes, I would have said oh, we're earning 78,000 as a median now, Bec. And you would have said, oh, great.

13:56Speaker 1:And we're still spending 9% of our income on groceries. That's what we want to see.

14:01Speaker 3:Totally.

14:01Speaker 1:Like we want to see the same percentage of our income being allocated, even though it's more expensive. Like it just means that the cost of living hasn't changed and lifestyle creep can be accounted for. Does that make sense? Like you've still got the same amount of cashola to spend on your luxuries. But our annual wage growth for the 2025-2026 years, it's at around 3.3%. So our money is worth less and less every year because inflation is higher than 3.3% and we are earning slightly less every single year. And other things like housing and bills and petrol, they're also eating up more of our weekly budget. So it makes sense that we are feeling like everything is fruitless and we can save less even though we're earning more, you are not wrong. That is absolutely what is happening here.

14:50Speaker 1:And if you think about the impact of rising energy costs alone over the last few years you can understand why it costs more to make the things that we need right because making equals energy so for example let's talk about eggs again if uh egg farmers bills so his power bills and his petrol and his like animal feed those costs are increasing then they've got to recover those costs somewhere right otherwise he's like paying you to take his eggs. And that's not what's going to go on.

15:25Speaker 1:And naturally, a lot of those costs are then passed on to us, the consumer, because he does his maths and he's probably got a really good spreadsheet and he's put all of, you know, it costs me X, Y, Z to produce an egg. He puts all those costs in. Then he says, well, to put food on my table, I have to sell an egg for X instead of Y. Like I can no longer charge four bucks a carton. It's going to have to go up to close to seven. Like, because otherwise my business is going to go under. Like I'm not going to have the ability to put food on my table at all. So it's not people taking the mickey. It's that being in business is more expensive and things like the global pandemic or fuel pressures or bird flu disrupt your supply chain and your logistics, it adds even more pressure to keep delivering their goods for the same price every single year. So I guess my point here is that you are not alone if everything feels more expensive because it actually is more expensive and we have less disposable income than we did in 2016. Yeah. Yeah.

16:26Speaker 3:Okay. God, it's so scary.

16:28Speaker 2:All right.

16:28Speaker 3:So what are we going to do about it? Between ourselves and the community, surely we can find smarter ways to spend on things we need. Absolutely.

16:35Speaker 1:And our community are geniuses. Like if we put all of our brains together, we can change the world.

16:42Speaker 3:God, yeah, I reckon.

16:43Speaker 1:And I think we are, slowly, slowly. But let's just say we've been paying really close attention. That's me, snooping. Like it's saying, oh, I'm paying really close attention to you, borderline stalker vibes, but I'm checking out everything that's happening in our Facebook group, in our DMs. Like I'm watching you in a good way. You're lucky it's me, though, because like other people with the same powers might not use them for good. But we've gathered some of our most practical tips for saving at the checkout. And I'm not just talking about, I guess, the hypotheticals, because that doesn't help anybody. I mean, things that members of our own She's On The Money community are actively doing to curb the cost of their grocery run. Now, I'm excited to get into it. But to help keep things focused, I'm going to break it up into things to consider as part of your shop as well as things to avoid or watch out for along the way.

17:34Speaker 3:Okay. I'm eager to hear what everyone's tips are and if there are any glaringly obvious things that I could be doing too.

17:40Speaker 1:Oh, I've made this with you in mind. Don't you worry. I was like, I wonder what Becky's going to think of this. But this whole batch of tips sits right in the planning phase.

17:49Speaker 3:Cool.

17:50Speaker 1:And I know that's something you don't like doing, but if you want to save money, sometimes we have to get... stuff together and do a bit of planning. And I'm not just talking about, you know, making sure you've got bags in your car so you don't spend 25 cents on a paper one, whatever. I'm not even talking about making sure that you have a dollar in your wallet so that you can get like a trolley token.

18:07Speaker 2:True.

18:08Speaker 1:Because like, in fact, if you don't give me a trolley, I think I save more at the supermarket as well.

18:14Speaker 3:Yes, I agree.

18:15Speaker 1:Like just carry your basket around because I guarantee you'll be thinking, I can't carry this. I'm not going to be carrying this.

18:22Speaker 3:And then you don't need it all of a sudden.

18:24Speaker 1:But here are some things that you can work on before you've even left the house back. So first things first, I don't think it's going to surprise you, but the first cab off the rank, budget.

18:36Speaker 3:That makes sense. That makes sense.

18:37Speaker 2:Sorry.

18:37Speaker 1:If you don't already have a budget, it might be time to sit down and work out how much you can actually afford to be spending on your groceries. This might mean that you have to figure out how often you shop and whether you can buy in bulk or if buying these things as you need them is actually more realistic. Because I don't want you to think that I'm going to do this episode and go, Bec, buy in bulk. And you go, V, I don't have the budget to be buying groceries. the 20 kilos of rice.

19:04Speaker 1:Like I just can't, I can only afford to do it week to week. And that's okay. If you don't have a budget, maybe it is time for you to set one. I'm so sorry. For example, can you spend less than $ 204 a week on groceries, which is less than the average Australian?

19:22Speaker 2:Okay.

19:23Speaker 1:Can you spend less on maybe sweet treats because you've decided to make your own? Budgeting can also help you work out where you currently stand on all of your grocery expenses, because I can almost guarantee if you're popping into the shops on the way home from work, that stuff adds up.

19:39Speaker 3:I know.

19:40Speaker 1:And it's really rude when somebody adds that number up and says, did you know, Bec, that popping to the shops after work actually is costing you an extra like $ 200 a month?

19:48Speaker 3:You'll be like.

19:50Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely not. It's not. And then I'll show you the numbers and you'll be like, wow, it actually is. Maybe you'll find that you're spending too much on maybe a particular store or like things that you don't need in the nicest possible way. Maybe you're more susceptible to like a little impulse purchase.

20:07Speaker 2:Yeah.

20:08Speaker 1:Like what do you mean, Bec? The other day, packets of Tim Tams were two packets for $ 4.

20:12Speaker 3:That's pretty good.

20:14Speaker 1:I couldn't go past it.

20:15Speaker 3:You actually can't.

20:16Speaker 1:I did not go past it. But did I need that? Well, the answer, Bec, when it comes to budgeting is absolutely not because that was $ 4 that I didn't need to spend and I did not plan to spend when I went to the supermarket.

20:30Speaker 3:True.

20:30Speaker 1:And I totally understand why I did. And I'm not sorry. I regret nothing. But it's those little decisions that we're making. while we're in the grocery shop that sometimes blow things out completely.

20:42Speaker 3:Yes, so fair. I mean, if you're going to like a shopping centre, like the Woolworths bottom level of Westfields. You're like, well, I'll pop in a JB Hi-Fi while I'm here.

20:52Speaker 1:Rude not to have.

20:53Speaker 3:A little peruse. Exactly.

20:54Speaker 1:I've got to enjoy the journey as well. So that might lead really well into actually planning your route and avoiding JB Hi-Fi if that is bad for you. But how often have you started a grocery shop and then called it early because the fruit and veg place is just a little bit out of the way and you've run out of steam and you can't be bothered. So you go for the more expensive option and the pre-chopped pumpkin. Planning your actual route can make all the difference in time and money saved. If you can get everything you need in one go or even in one suburb. you're less likely to stray from the grocery list and bail early or forget things only to have to grab them later in the week. And this is where you might go, V, that doesn't make sense. And, like, there are a few apps out there that compare grocery costs and, oh, this is cheapest at Aldi and then this is cheapest at Coles and this is cheapest at Woolies and you have every intention to just buy it at the cheapest places, right?

21:52Speaker 4:Mm-hmm.

21:53Speaker 1:Maybe it won't work out. Maybe we just stick to like an Audi shop in general. And even though you might be paying a few cents more on a few items, it actually works out better because you're not driving to Woolies and spending money on petrol. And also time is a commodity as well. Like how much time is this taking you?

22:11Speaker 3:Totally.

22:12Speaker 1:Because we best believe. Now I have kids. I'm like, why did no one tell me? Why did no one tell me that that is actually an impossible task? Think about the kinds of things that you need and the places you shop the most. Then look for, I guess, hubs that offer, I guess, a helpful amount of stores in the one go. Like for me, my closest supermarket, great, it's a Coles. But if I drive another five minutes, I get to like one of those shopping centers that has an Asian grocer. And an Audi and a Coles all in one spot and there's parking out the front.

22:45Speaker 1:So it actually doesn't make sense for me to go to the closest Coles. It makes sense for me to drive the extra five minutes.

22:51Speaker 2:True.

22:52Speaker 1:Because I'm going to save a lot more and get all of my stuff done at once.

22:55Speaker 3:Yeah.

22:56Speaker 1:I don't like going there as much. It's not as chic because the Coles near me is one of those fancy Coles local.

23:01Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah.

23:02Speaker 1:And that's like a fun experience.

23:04Speaker 3:Totally.

23:04Speaker 1:I'm not going to lie.

23:05Speaker 3:Yeah.

23:06Speaker 1:But I need to do the responsible adult thing and go to the place with the Asian grocer because like everybody knows all the stuff there is one better, but two cheaper.

23:13Speaker 3:That is so true. That's such a great idea.

23:15Speaker 1:Okay.

23:16Speaker 3:What do we got next?

23:17Speaker 1:This one is not for the ADHD girlies, but we're going to try our best, right? We are not going to leave the house without a list. So even if it is mentally like up here, please try and get into the habit of of making a list and checking it twice before we go to the supermarket. Not only does this prevent, I guess, missing items and having to pop back to the shops because you forgot to get flour and oh my goodness, I was going to crumb something. It means that it actually helps you figure out what you actually need and what you might be able to substitute for something cheaper if items are more expensive along the way. And this can be handwritten. I always use my notes app in my phone. In fact, did you know you can share if you have an Apple phone?

24:00Speaker 1:You can share notes nowadays.

24:02Speaker 3:That's really cool.

24:02Speaker 1:So my husband and I have like a rolling grocery list.

24:05Speaker 3:Yeah, cool.

24:05Speaker 1:And we both add to it because we're trying to cut back on just popping to the shops every night after work. We are adding to it.

24:14Speaker 3:And then when the.

24:14Speaker 1:List gets to a substantial amount, my husband will go tick them all off. I'll come home and be like, wow. It also updates me and says, oh, Steve's ticked things off the list. Oh, that's so good.

24:25Speaker 3:That's so wholesome too.

24:26Speaker 1:It is very wholesome.

24:27Speaker 3:Very cute.

24:28Speaker 1:But- have your list and check it twice. And if your plans change and you can't do the shop yourself, you can easily turn it into like a list for an online shopping order for delivery, which I guess from my perspective, because I'm a little bit like, oh, Tim Tams, it does curb any overspending habits in real life.

24:45Speaker 3:That is very, very true. You don't accidentally happen upon them.

24:49Speaker 1:Yeah. And so many of these places now have free delivery or they have like programs like the Woolies program where if you sign up, it's like, a few dollars per month and you might go, oh, that doesn't make sense. But you get free delivery and, you know, 10% off a shop per month. Like this stuff adds up.

25:05Speaker 3:True.

25:05Speaker 1:Like it makes sense. And then track sale cycles. So sales don't just happen randomly. They are literally on a cycle. And this is a big one among our community members. It really pays to track what things go on sale and when. Because as much as you might not like the planning of it, if you purchase, let's say, rice and you go, oh, I know I purchase rice every week because I love rice-based dishes. But every three weeks, rice goes on sale. Maybe every three weeks, we're picking up a second bag.

25:38Speaker 2:Yes.

25:38Speaker 1:And we're really making the most and having a good idea of what we need so that in the future, future you benefits.

25:47Speaker 3:That's genius.

25:47Speaker 1:Because like then we go to those shops next week and it's not on sale and you go, damn, I really need rice. I'm completely out. Well, then we're not being stuck having to pay full price for something that we arguably need in that moment. But it does take planning and that kind of sucks.

26:03Speaker 3:I did not know that.

26:03Speaker 1:But yes, sales are on cycles. And so what I would be doing. is signing up for those catalogs or those emails, particularly at supermarkets, not at your favorite fashion location, or keeping a reminder in your calendar of when things might go on sale. So you don't have to do the maths here. I have gone and found all of the apps for you.

26:24Speaker 3:Thank you. I was going to ask.

26:25Speaker 1:Yeah, there are websites and trackers. So a few of the ones that are most popular in our community are Kugo, GroceryWise, ShopHop, And Pinch, and I'm sure that there are way more out there. So please, if you're on Spotify, comment on this episode so that, you know, our community can scroll through and see what's benefiting you. In fact, if you have any grocery tips and tricks, chuck them in the comments for us because the craftier the better, honestly, but there are going to be more out there depending on your needs and preferences. Like for me, I love planning on my computer. I don't love just like looking on my phone.

26:59Speaker 3:For sure.

26:59Speaker 1:Whereas there are apps and stuff, but it's crazy. it will compare the price until you wear it's cheapest and when it goes on sale. And like, that's so helpful. Genius.

27:08Speaker 3:It's genius. Exactly. Okay.

27:10Speaker 1:And now times have changed, obviously, but I am not a meal prepper, but it's something that I'm now looking at and going, even though I don't super enjoy this, I do need to plan my meals. And I know that traditional meal planning, it's not for everybody. And what I mean by that is Not everybody wants to, and I know I don't want to, so I can't expect you to do something that I wouldn't even do myself, right? But not everyone wants to buy and cook and eat chicken and rice seven nights a week.

27:40Speaker 3:No, I know.

27:41Speaker 1:And like, I get it. And in theory, you go, that's so cost efficient. And there are people who are really happy with that. And I applaud you. Like, I am genuinely envious because the mental load that that would take off is immeasurable. Yeah. But there are so many ways that you could do this really effectively and You've just got to find a way that sticks for you. So this might mean planning five or seven meals around a particular protein or key ingredient, then having, I guess, some flexibility around how those meals are rolled out. So for example, burgers one night, then stir fry the next and a pasta dish that incorporates that same protein so that you can buy it in a bit more bulk with portions and leftovers. That way you've got a bit of variation without introducing too many ingredients. Meal planning might mean, and some people don't like using AI and I get it, but AI can be so helpful for saving you money.

28:36Speaker 1:But meal planning might mean asking AI to help you create meals from what you've already got in the pantry.

28:41Speaker 3:Yeah.

28:42Speaker 1:I've done it a few times and I'm always so pleasantly surprised with what it comes up with because not only does it feel a little bit creative- I didn't have to think, I didn't have to Google six million things. It's done it for me.

28:54Speaker 3:Exactly.

28:55Speaker 1:Just make sure you include things like obviously your dietary preferences because they might be like, oh, and you said you have all these spices, let's use them. And you're like, Actually, I have all those spices because I don't like eating them and they're just in my pantry.

29:07Speaker 3:Yes, yes, very true.

29:09Speaker 1:And planning might actually be dictated by your budget. So maybe it's worth finding a week's worth of meals that are under a certain amount. You could even challenge yourself to see if you can buy the bare minimum to create those dishes and gamify it a little bit. Our friend Chelsea has a whole heap of content in her Facebook group of $ 10 Meals Australia and And just, she's phenomenal. They are so crafty. Like, I think my favorite hack that she's had, just because I'm shocked at how cheap it is. is buying like a whole chicken not cooked but like a whole chicken and then portioning it off and roasting some of it and like chopping some of it up for a stir fry like she's like Victoria you can get like three or four full dinners out of this for two people and a whole chicken is under ten bucks and Like so good.

30:01Speaker 3:Yes.

30:01Speaker 1:But it does include work, but like, how do we gamify that and make it a little bit fun? Yeah. For me, it's making sure that we understand the flip side. Like if I'm going to do this, great. I'll have a little bit more budget for something bougier because we all want the merit of the scoats cheese, right?

30:15Speaker 3:For sure.

30:15Speaker 1:But like, we're going to have to strip that out of our budget, but like, maybe we could keep that in the budget if we're crafty somewhere else.

30:22Speaker 4:Right.

30:22Speaker 1:Like, and I think that that's where compromise comes into it because there has to be some level of compromise. Now I mentioned the Woolies app before and how good it is. The other thing I want to talk about is stacking your rewards, points and perks. So it's now pivoted or I'm seeing the points conversations really pivot from Beck, get all your points because you can get flights to We're not doing that anymore.

30:48Speaker 3:No.

30:48Speaker 1:Get all your points so we can spend them on groceries. So are you a point stacker or rewards program chaser? If so, plan your grocery shop accordingly. So many people in our community, including us, only shop with the majors when things are on special or when bonus points are involved. We've also read that so many of you are buying groceries Coles and Woolies vouchers when they're five or 10% off so that then your whole shop is cheaper.

31:15Speaker 3:That's so good.

31:16Speaker 1:You know you're going to have to spend the $ 50 anyway. So buy the $ 50 card on sale. You've already saved some money and then use it at the checkout like cash.

31:24Speaker 3:Yeah.

31:25Speaker 1:And we know that so many banks and lenders in general offer perks based on who they've affiliated with. So suss out what rewards come with your bank or your mortgage provider or your insurance company or your super. It might actually really surprise you.

31:40Speaker 3:Yeah.

31:41Speaker 1:And you've heard me talk about them a million times, but apps like Shopback are free to join and offer you cash back on everyday purchases with major and online retailers. This is not sponsored by them.

31:52Speaker 3:No.

31:53Speaker 1:I wish it was.

31:54Speaker 2:Yes.

31:54Speaker 1:Shopback, call me.

31:55Speaker 3:I love Shopback.

31:56Speaker 1:I love Shopback. I would love to work with you guys again. But this is just a free shout out because they're just so damn good. They've even introduced a receipt feature where you can upload receipts and be rewarded with cash back on eligible purchases because if you make it in store, you shouldn't be missing out, right?

32:12Speaker 3:Money win.

32:12Speaker 1:Got it.

32:13Speaker 3:Okay. So there's a lot we could be doing even before we've brought anything.

32:16Speaker 1:Literally before we've even gotten to the shops, we need to be planning. And I know that's not what you want to hear.

32:21Speaker 3:No, it's like all good in theory, but in practice, like once you're under those fluorescent lights and you're In the aisles, it kind of goes out the window. What do you do then?

32:30Speaker 1:You just eat all of the Tim Tams that you just bought.

32:33Speaker 3:Yes, I see.

32:34Speaker 1:No, no, that's not it. But, like, let's be for real. If the supermarket environment is overstimulating for you, you might actually want to plan your visits when it's not as busy or you might want to opt for places that aren't as over the top when it comes to lights and signage and, like, you know, being overwhelmed. And secondly, if you simply can't shop because of time, or maybe you've got kids and so the supermarket is an absolute nightmare, know the delivery options out there. They're actually pretty good and pretty competitive nowadays, and they are a great way to prevent overspending or impulse buying. And I don't know.

33:09Speaker 1:I really like seeing the number at the bottom of the screen, knowing exactly as I'm adding individual things, exactly what the tally is. And to be honest, even if you're spending $ 10 on delivery, Bec, if you're doing your big weekly shop, I would argue that by being able to sit in front of a computer and pull things in and do the comparison each time, you're probably going to save more than $ 10 as well. I completely agree. So maybe just having that and going, maybe I'm spending this and you're right, it might feel like a waste of money. it saves you more on the flip side because you're like, I'm being more thoughtful and more purposeful about these decisions that I'm making. And you might go, oh, but I don't want to give my self permission to spend that because it's waste, right? 10 bucks on delivery, so dumb. But like at the same time, I know I'm saving more when I'm being really thoughtful about what I'm putting in my cart. Exactly. And it doesn't feel as good adding Tim Tams to your cart when you know that it's not immediate. Like you're removing that sense of instant gratification because like I know by putting the

34:08Speaker 1:Tim Tams in my cart, I don't get them in my hot little hands to open on the car ride home.

34:13Speaker 3:Yes, exactly.

34:14Speaker 1:You know, like it's just a bit different. Exactly. I mean, let's try and sell this. You don't need to lug your bags to the car. We've all had a paper bag break. And you can also click and collect at a bunch of places too. So if you want more of a hybrid model, and I mean, technically you could do what one of my girlfriends does, Bec. You could organize your click and collect. You could not tell your partner that you do click and collect and you could say, I'm going to the supermarket. And then you can do your hot girl walk and have a coffee and listen to a podcast. And the kids are at home with your partner. And then you can do click and collect.

34:46Speaker 1:It was like you just went to the shops.

34:47Speaker 4:Exactly.

34:48Speaker 1:We don't have to tell them.

34:49Speaker 3:No.

34:50Speaker 1:What they don't know is not going to hurt them.

34:52Speaker 3:Speeding around those aisles.

34:53Speaker 1:You're crazy. That's amazing. You did such an efficient shop there. And obviously, again, you can, if we're forward planning, you can look for free delivery slots or cheaper delivery slots. And you might want to even like suss out if you live in an apartment complex and you have to pay delivery like and you've got a mate, maybe you could go in together and have a delivery done on the same day at the same time.

35:16Speaker 3:That's a great idea.

35:17Speaker 1:We're going back to the perishable conversation because you know how I said when something's on sale, maybe we're forward planning and buying it early, whether it's like your tinned lentils or it's laundry powder. By the way, you will never catch me spending full price on laundry powder.

35:34Speaker 3:Yeah.

35:34Speaker 1:No chance. No chance. Any cleaning products, I never spend full price.

35:38Speaker 3:Don't need to.

35:39Speaker 1:Even if I need it, I'm like, oh, at the shops the other day, I needed Windex. I should be Greek, but I'm not. But I love Windex and I use it for everything. In fact, it might be a problem, but I will not buy it full price. Like I needed it. I didn't buy it because I was like, absolutely not. That's a rip off.

35:57Speaker 3:No.

35:57Speaker 1:Like in my head, it costs the sale price.

35:59Speaker 3:That's it.

36:01Speaker 1:But we are only shopping sales cycles for things that can live in a pantry or in a laundry. And better yet, waiting until they're 50% off. Because usually with a sales cycle, Bec, you'll see a particular item, it might go 30% off every two weeks and then every six weeks it's 50% off. So like get to know those cycles so you know when to stock up. because they aren't going to go off anytime soon. They can live in your pantry and you can stock up when they're on sale. And this goes for like double pantry staples, things like your pasta and your tinned tomatoes or your tinned beans or whatever you buy so that you actually have a backup meal in the pantry when you've got nothing in the fridge. Like one of my favorite pantry meals is is vodka pasta or vodka rigatoni.

36:51Speaker 2:Yeah.

36:51Speaker 1:It's my favorite, right? And you might go, but Bea, you need cream and you need like all of these like things you don't because I keep all of my shredded cheese in the freezer because cheese goes off so quickly and like sometimes I don't get through it. And cheese, if it's pre-shredded, Bec, it melts in 0.2 seconds. So like cheese goes in the freezer in my house. I have tomato paste. obviously pantry item, pasta, obviously pantry item. And one of the things that I purchased that I think not niche, but you might think is weird is UHT cream.

37:25Speaker 1:You know how you can get like long life milk?

37:27Speaker 4:Yes.

37:28Speaker 1:They do long life cream.

37:29Speaker 3:Yes. Okay.

37:30Speaker 1:And I buy long life cream. Because it tastes the damn same.

37:34Speaker 3:It does taste the same.

37:35Speaker 1:But it can live in the pantry and then all of a sudden I have a creamy tomato pasta on the table and I would very happily eat that over ordering Uber Eats.

37:45Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely.

37:45Speaker 1:So like for me... your HT cream works really well. It lives in the pantry. And then all of a sudden I have a meal that my husband and I really like, like vodka pasta. So good. The only thing that we laugh about missing when we're doing this as a backup meal is I would love some fresh basil, but beggars can't be choosers.

38:04Speaker 3:Hey, that's okay. You can get the dried basil. You can.

38:06Speaker 1:And we do, but like, as you know, it just never hits the same.

38:10Speaker 3:It doesn't hit the same. I agree.

38:11Speaker 1:So Things like that we are stocking up on because we want to stop the temptation of takeaway. And this also works for things that can be frozen. So I was talking about the cheese, but our community members, they talk about buying meat in bulk when it's on special and then putting into Ziploc bags. So we're not just putting the whole tray of meat into the freezer. We're putting it into Ziploc bags. We're portioning it off so you can just grab what you need for a particular meal because like, girl, I'm not. I'm sorry, but my brain, if I put the whole thing of meat in the freezer, it's never getting unfrozen.

38:46Speaker 3:I know, totally.

38:47Speaker 1:It's not. But if you said, oh, there's two portions of steak in that Ziploc container, I'd be like, wow, that's exactly how much I need and I will defrost it. But if I have to defrost a whole tray of on-sale steaks, what am I going to do with the rest of them? Then I just have anxiety and I'm just not going to do it.

39:02Speaker 3:I know.

39:03Speaker 1:It's just not for me.

39:04Speaker 3:Will I get sick if I put it back? Probably.

39:05Speaker 1:And then you just like- Yeah, can you refreeze it or can I snap it off? Like I just, we do the prep when it gets home.

39:11Speaker 3:Great idea.

39:12Speaker 1:And then obviously you can use like the cuts that you like more because if we're buying it in bulk, they're cheaper. And just make sure you label everything because if you're like me, you'll pull something out of the freezer and you'll be like, what's this though?

39:25Speaker 2:Yeah.

39:26Speaker 1:Like it looks slightly different frozen. Not sure what this is. Also, let's not knock tinned items.

39:33Speaker 3:Love a tinned item.

39:34Speaker 1:I love a tinned item. Some fresh stuff ends up costing more when it's not in season or on sale. So maybe consider going tinned when you can because every dollar actually counts and it can save you heaps.

39:46Speaker 3:That's so true.

39:47Speaker 1:I love also niche again. I love a tinned potato.

39:51Speaker 3:Tinned potato? I haven't tried that.

39:52Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly.

39:53Speaker 3:Okay.

39:53Speaker 1:So niche. But they tin the baby potatoes.

39:57Speaker 4:Yeah.

39:57Speaker 1:And you can like get a whole tin of potatoes, drain it, chuck it on a roasting tray and roast the baby potatoes. And because they're basically already cooked and you're just like reheating them. They're always really fluffy in the middle. Yeah.

40:10Speaker 3:Yum. Okay.

40:12Speaker 1:And also, you didn't have to peel them. You didn't have to organize them. If you've got kids, you can literally tip it out, tip it on the tray, put it in the oven. A little bit of Tuscan seasoning is my go-to for everything. The Tuscan seasoning by Master Foods. That's something I will never buy the home brand version of, that Tuscan seasoning and I. Yeah, hell yeah. But I put that on everything straight in the oven and then you've got an easy side for a dinner. Oh my God.

40:36Speaker 3:Yeah, amazing.

40:37Speaker 1:Please try it. Please try it.

40:38Speaker 3:I will do.

40:39Speaker 1:Also, fresh stuff, we're eating seasonally. So fruit and veg is up there when it comes to grocery costs. I feel like it eats most of my grocery costs as well. But to help save in this section, we are eating seasonally. So like just Google it or ask AI, but what is abundantly growing in your region and then be shopping accordingly. Coming into winter, mandarin season. We're having mandis as our fruit. Like I'm not buying berries for my kids. I know so many people like, oh, but my kids are berry fiends. Same.

41:11Speaker 1:If I gave my kid at any stage in the year a punnet of blueberries, he would scoff them. Point two seconds. And then somehow he goes, more? What, you think you're getting two punnets of blueberries, sir?

41:23Speaker 3:So good for his brain.

41:25Speaker 1:Yeah, but you're not getting two punnets of blueberries in this economy. You would give it to him. I know you would.

41:29Speaker 3:I would. You would.

41:30Speaker 1:You'd be like the best aunt ever.

41:32Speaker 3:You'd be like, oh, you want chocolate?

41:33Speaker 1:You can have all of the chocolates. You can have chocolate. If I don't have it in the house, I'm sorry. You're going to have a mandarin and some apple.

41:39Speaker 3:Yeah.

41:39Speaker 1:Like it is what it is.

41:40Speaker 3:Yeah, fair.

41:41Speaker 1:Like I cannot justify that spend. But what you can do as well is stock up and freeze. And you know, you can often freeze stuff like bananas and like blueberries and like strawberries and use them throughout the year.

41:56Speaker 3:Very true.

41:57Speaker 1:I would say we're becoming besties with our freezer actually based on all of the conversation that I've had.

42:02Speaker 3:Yes.

42:02Speaker 1:Besides buying meat in bulk and chucking it in the freezer- Frozen fruit and veggie provides so much nutritional value and many of them are surprisingly comparable, get this, if not better than the fresh fruit in the fresh fruit and veg section. And they are obviously great for bulking out dishes and adding to smoothies or throwing something together when you're on the skint. But frozen veggies nutritionally are a lot of the time better for you because they are snapped frozen that's true the location that they were usually grown and then the fruit and veggies if especially if they're out of season like they've been shipped somewhere they've been stored for ages they're losing their nutritional value and i think that that's a really cool thing my favorite things are not just buying frozen peas and corn i don't know about you but are you triggered from the mix of frozen peas corn and the tiny cubes of carrot yeah yeah like i'm really sorry i get it it's cheap I do. And if you can do that, you do that because that's actually the best.

43:09Speaker 4:Yeah.

43:10Speaker 2:But.

43:11Speaker 1:The frozen stir fry mixes are my favorite when they go on sale because they're usually like, I don't know, got some capsicum in there, got the like nicer beans and stuff that I usually wouldn't buy in the fruit and veg section because like they're the expensive ones.

43:24Speaker 3:For sure.

43:25Speaker 1:But on sale the other day, I got two bags for six bucks and that's at least four meals for me.

43:30Speaker 3:That's so good.

43:31Speaker 1:And it's already like a diversified number of fruits and veggies. Yeah.

43:34Speaker 3:Because I'm a money person.

43:35Speaker 1:I'm like, look at this diversified bag of.

43:37Speaker 3:Fruits and veggies.

43:38Speaker 4:I know.

43:38Speaker 3:No, I'm saying.

43:39Speaker 1:You know what I mean? It's like- Let's get that because I also, I never defrost anything. I tip those veggies in to the fry pan, frozen, and they will unfreeze as they're cooking.

43:51Speaker 4:Yep.

43:52Speaker 3:Yep. I'm the same.

43:54Speaker 1:Just as good. And also, do you know what's really helpful? Niche sidestep, you can buy frozen onion.

44:01Speaker 3:True. Yes, I have seen that.

44:02Speaker 1:It is not necessarily cheaper. So I've done the maths. It is not necessarily cheaper, but it is more accessible because And so having a bag of frozen diced onions means I don't have to think about the fresh side of things. If I want to grab a handful of onions and start a pasta or something, I can. Not only is it accessible, but I'm not throwing away half an onion here and there.

44:23Speaker 3:Exactly.

44:23Speaker 1:So like for like, about the same price. Yep. But I'm also not throwing away half of a yellow onion every couple of weeks.

44:30Speaker 3:It doesn't make you cry.

44:31Speaker 1:It doesn't. No, because someone already chopped it.

44:33Speaker 3:Exactly.

44:33Speaker 1:That is luxury, Bec.

44:35Speaker 3:It really is.

44:36Speaker 1:And this obviously doesn't stop at the supermarket. It keeps going when you're meal prepping. And like something that I really like. is using those larger ice cube trays to freeze meals. So that sounds a little bit niche, but you know, like the bigger ice cube trays you can just get at Kmart?

44:52Speaker 3:Yeah, like the silicon ones.

44:53Speaker 1:Yeah. Leftover pasta in there, pop it out once it's frozen, put it in a Ziploc bag. Not only will it defrost quicker and easier, but like if I have a whole bunch of leftover rice or leftover pasta, freeze it, it's in chunks. I actually have freezer bags in the bottom of my freezer that of leftover veggies, leftover rice, leftover stir fry stuff. I can pick and mix and make up my own meal, chuck it in the microwave. I've got fresh rice, fresh veg, fresh meat.

45:17Speaker 3:That's such a good idea.

45:19Speaker 1:I'm a thinker.

45:19Speaker 3:Yeah, hell yeah.

45:20Speaker 1:When I say I'm a thinker, I mean, I stole that from someone on TikTok. So that was incredible for me. But if you've got leftovers, chuck them in the freezer. Because like how many times do you go, oh, there's a bowl of pasta there. I'll pop it in the fridge. Girl, pop it in the freezer because you and I both know you weren't going to eat that tomorrow.

45:37Speaker 3:No, exactly.

45:38Speaker 2:You weren't.

45:39Speaker 1:But if you're like, oh my God, I'm so hungry and like budget's tight, you'll be grateful. Actually, that pasta was pretty good. I'll defrost that.

45:45Speaker 3:Totally. I think it's a great idea. So it sounds like, you know, besides things like rewards programs and sales cycles, a lot of this is about your mindset around meals and groceries, like preparation seems to be the key to success. Sadly. And then remembering these points as you're in the aisle sounds like it might be the game changer.

46:02Speaker 1:Absolutely. And I mean, you also have to understand your own habits. So whether that's around spending money or impulse buys or knowing that deep down, you only really want to cook once or twice a week, that can have a really dramatic effect on how much you spend on your groceries. Because how many of us have been like, be the best at budgeting. And you like find maybe like a $ 50 meal plan online. You buy everything and then you cook none of it because you were like never going to do that anyway.

46:29Speaker 3:For sure.

46:30Speaker 1:But we committed to it and we want better.

46:32Speaker 3:Yeah.

46:33Speaker 1:We just need to be realistic at the same time. For sure.

46:35Speaker 3:Right?

46:36Speaker 1:So sure, it's very important to factor in things like calorie intake and getting enough protein and fiber and making sure you have enough energy to do what you want to do, but also understanding your habits and your behaviors. It's actually... The difference between spending a little every day on morning tea and making a week's worth of morning tea for a fraction of the cost, Bec. Like just understanding our own habits is so important and I think so undervalued. And if you know you struggle with the mundanity of meal prep, can you make it fun? Like a few years ago before kids, because like life for me has gotten pretty hectic. One of my besties used to come over. And she'd cook something while I was cooking something and then she'd take home half of each of those things and I'd keep half of each of those things. So I'd get double the amount of food that I was cooking. My bestie and I hung out.

47:28Speaker 1:We definitely opened a glass of red wine. I'm not sure if that counteracts the money saving, but we definitely had a red wine. It was so wholesome and meal prepped. And to be honest, food tastes better when you didn't cook it.

47:41Speaker 3:That's so true.

47:42Speaker 1:So whenever she cooked it and it was in my fridge, I was excited to eat it.

47:44Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly. 10 out of 10.

47:45Speaker 1:10 out of 10 takeout or something.

47:47Speaker 3:Exactly.

47:47Speaker 1:And she said exactly the same thing. So if you struggle with that, could you collaborate on the life admin? Or if you have housemates, could you agree with your housemates to, hey, I'll cook a whole heap of eggs and I'll pop it in the fridge and I'll pop some in your containers.

48:02Speaker 3:And if you do Y, then we'll do a switcheroo. Yeah, that's a great idea, actually.

48:06Speaker 1:And how jealous are you if you're in the office, Bec, and someone, you go, oh, that pasta looks good. And they go, oh, thanks, my housemate made it for me.

48:13Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah.

48:14Speaker 1:That feels good.

48:14Speaker 3:And it's really wholesome. All right.

48:16Speaker 1:So we're all going to meal prep together now, Bec.

48:19Speaker 4:All right.

48:19Speaker 1:After the break, we're going to share some naughty habits that you probably should avoid so that you can sustain those grocery shop savings. Guys, don't go anywhere.

48:31Speaker 3:All right.

48:32Speaker 1:I know everyone has a grocery habit that in itself is pretty innocent, Bec, but might actually be costing more money in the long term, which is not good. And I am talking to myself. We are personally victimizing Victoria and the Tim Tams. I'm talking things like impulse buys. And making purchases with present bias and going to the supermarket when you're hungry, which is just– we all know we shouldn't be doing it. But just because we know better and can do better doesn't mean we do better.

49:00Speaker 3:Yeah, that's very true.

49:02Speaker 1:Bec, do you also find yourselves in the aisles when you're a little bit stressed?

49:06Speaker 3:Oh, yeah. I feel like– because when you're hungry, sometimes– You just want convenience. You don't care. Like, I'm like, I can't even think about cooking toast because waiting for food for a second longer, I'm going to die. And so you do just, you end up in the aisle. like the bakery aisle at Woolworths, like whatever's quick and easy.

49:23Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, I know. And I think why the bakery aisle at Woolworths, like they always have like three pain au chocolat together.

49:30Speaker 4:Yes.

49:31Speaker 1:And then I'm buying three that I didn't need and then eating two that I didn't need.

49:35Speaker 3:Two. Impressive.

49:37Speaker 1:Thank you.

49:37Speaker 3:I mean, three plus.

49:39Speaker 1:Oh, okay. Okay. I can and have been known to demolish an entire packet of caramel crowns in one sitting.

49:46Speaker 3:Oh, she loves a caramel crown.

49:48Speaker 1:Without sharing. Oh, that's fair.

49:49Speaker 3:That's okay.

49:50Speaker 1:If Arnott wants to sponsor our show, you just let me know because I am pretty happy to be paid in caramel crowns and mint slices and the odd Savoy because I do prefer a Savoy over a Jats. That's probably a topical.

50:02Speaker 3:Thing to say. That's crazy.

50:03Speaker 2:Yeah.

50:04Speaker 3:That's crazy.

50:05Speaker 1:Yeah, my husband thinks it's insane as well, but that's okay. Moving on. Moving on. I guess who amongst us has not reached for something sweet after a bad day? Like we can't be the only ones, Bec, and I'm here to remind you We're not alone. We're actually in this together. You are human. And maybe emergency snacks are part of your grocery budget. Like maybe we budgeted in, Bec, instead of being like, oh, we shouldn't do that.

50:28Speaker 3:Yeah, that's a good idea, actually. Let's just do it.

50:30Speaker 1:And the buying these things when they're on sale to support you when you need them might actually be a hack that saves you a lot of money in the long term. Like if you're popping to 7-Eleven and buying a really expensive chocolate bar a couple of times a week because you're just like, oh, my goodness, I need it. why don't we put it into the budget and buy the ones that are on sale for a dollar at the supermarket and keep a stash in your desk? Like, I'm not saying don't do these things. I'm saying let's find a more economical way to do it because I guarantee that little shop under your office is ripping you off.

51:01Speaker 3:That's actually a very good idea.

51:02Speaker 1:They absolutely do. And it's just about thinking about, okay, well, what habits do I have? And let's be honest about them. Another habit to avoid is just the like, Oh, just a few things shop.

51:12Speaker 3:Yeah.

51:13Speaker 1:Like I know that sometimes you need to do a top up shop because you're a mom and you've run out of avocados and yogurt and you literally can't do breakfast time tomorrow without yogurt, without a meltdown. And then all of a sudden your $ 30 shop has suddenly become an $ 80 shop and you're questioning your life choices. I speak from experience. And this is where things like online shopping and delivery might help in that the format kind of forces you to review what's in your basket with a clear view of your total before checkout.

51:42Speaker 3:I really like that.

51:43Speaker 1:For me, it's also about measuring what you're consuming. So like if you're doing your weekly shop and you're like, my family eats yogurt each week.

51:52Speaker 3:Great.

51:52Speaker 1:And you buy one big tub of yogurt and you're like, that should do it. But in reality, every single week you're popping out and buying another one. Let's buy two in our big shop. Like, let's actually understand how quickly those things are being consumed. And again, this is because I have done this and I have a toddler who, if he looks at yogurt, it disappears.

52:14Speaker 3:Yeah.

52:15Speaker 4:Okay.

52:15Speaker 3:Loves yogurt.

52:16Speaker 1:Oh, you've never met a toddler that doesn't love a yogurt. I'm pretty sure that in toddler land, a yogurt pouch is currency.

52:24Speaker 3:Yeah. I love a yogurt pouch.

52:26Speaker 1:I can negotiate. anything with that toddler by saying I'll give you a yogi pouch and he goes okay okay no worry no worry and if he offers you your yogurt pouch in a toddler's culture that's actually them accepting wow that's quite honorable yeah it is but this is where I think you know we need to be quite thoughtful about what we are actually consuming. And also yogurt pouches, sorry, they are a special occasion thing for me. My kid gets yogurt in a bowl. Like I just, I cannot justify it. It costs like $ 2 a pouch.

52:58Speaker 2:I know.

52:58Speaker 1:And that kid could eat six of them if I let him in a row. It is much harder to abandon your cart when the customer service person is standing over your shoulder at their like self-checkout beck. than it is if you are shopping online and putting in things that maybe you don't need.

53:14Speaker 3:Yes, very true.

53:15Speaker 1:Much easier to remove a few things from your cart once you've added it all and been like, oh, that doesn't fit in budget. Maybe I will remove X or Y or Z. Most of us aren't doing that at checkout, even though we probably should because we're just like, oh, that's awkward. And where do you put them? Like if I don't want the Tim Tams anymore, once I'm at the checkout, Where do you put them that's not awkward?

53:35Speaker 3:I know. I know it's impossible. You just have to buy it.

53:37Speaker 1:I'm just going to get it. I'm just going to get it. So I think it's really important to also think about that. Another cheeky habit that can really sneak up on you is buying in bulk because of the perceived value when really you can't afford five kilos of one thing right now. And this is where unit pricing is really, really helpful. So if you're not already familiar, it's when the cost of an item is broken down by its lowest unit of measurement. so that you can compare products properly. So sometimes you'll see, oh, 100 grams of this is $ 2 and 100 grams of that is $ 4, but the $ 4 box actually looks much bigger and you think you're getting a better deal and you'll buy that one because the branding's nicer, but then you're like, oh my God, I didn't realize I was getting screwed. So looking at that is really important. And like, for example- Are you really saving money by buying five kilos of potatoes if the cost per kilo is higher than the loose ones that you were planning on getting in the first place?

54:33Speaker 3:Yeah, well, exactly right. Or like, you know, a big tin of Milo, which seems like a good idea in theory, but how.

54:38Speaker 1:Much Milo do you actually drink? Oh, if it's you, I do.

54:41Speaker 3:Drink a whole tin in a few weeks.

54:43Speaker 1:Yeah, that's probably a bad example for you because you could scoff a tin of Milo.

54:47Speaker 3:I really could. But for everyone else, are you just going to have this big tin looming over you for the next few months? Maybe.

54:53Speaker 2:Maybe. Maybe.

54:54Speaker 3:And that's the thing. Would that money be better off split like between a bunch of things?

54:58Speaker 2:Yeah.

54:58Speaker 1:And then also, this is a personal attack on my love for Rigatoni vodka pasta, buying things with no shelf life.

55:06Speaker 2:Silly.

55:07Speaker 1:I'm here to break it to you. But buying that basil that needs to be used today or it's gone. Yeah. It's gone, my friends. Like the basil never lasts. You are always going to put some of those fresh herbs in the bin. So have a think about like what items are you buying that you have absolutely no business buying until you actually use it? Or can you store it in like a wash bag in the fridge to extend its life or things like that? Or even just like genuinely compromising like Steve and I do. Love vodka pasta.

55:38Speaker 1:Love fresh basil. I'm not buying fresh basil just to put on the top of an item. I'm really sorry. It just makes no financial sense. We compromise. We get dry basil. That's the end of the story. Is it as good, Bec?

55:52Speaker 2:No.

55:53Speaker 1:Full stop, end of story, no. But it doesn't make financial sense to spend $ 4 on a packet of basil that is going to go off when we're going to use such a minute amount of. And the taste difference, yes, it is there. I'm not saying it's perfect. But it's still good.

56:11Speaker 3:Yeah.

56:12Speaker 1:Still good. Still okay. I'm not having people over. I'm not entertaining. I'm not trying to impress people. I'm just trying to get dinner on the table. And I think that some compromises like that are really important to make because they actually do impact the bottom line.

56:26Speaker 3:That's very true. That's very true. So I kind of said what I said.

56:30Speaker 1:And if this episode has inspired you to shop differently, like I really hope it has, or to change up your spending habits or to understand your shopping mindset, please let us know by sending us a DM or or hitting us up in the comments on Spotify. Additionally, if there are any other hacks that you would love to see shared with this community, please sing it from the rooftops. We will take all the tips that we can get. We'll also be sharing any handy references from this episode in our show notes. So thank you, Miss Bex Syed.

56:55Speaker 3:Thank you.

56:56Speaker 1:And thank you to our community for joining us for another deep dive. Please remember to subscribe so that you never miss a beat and to give us a review if you like what you have heard. We will catch you later in the week for another episode of Friday Drinks. Until then, take care of yourselves and of each other.

57:12Speaker 3:Bye, guys.

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