Cheaper food

[Yvonne]

Here is a tip I found today whilst food shopping at Woolworths ( the grocery shop in Oz! ) They close at 5pm on a Saturday and are closed on a Sunday ( in WA, not sure of the rest of Oz ). At 4.30 they start to drastically reduce the price of fresh food items including breads that will pass their sell by date by Monday. If you wait long enough and it doesn't get sold they reduce it even more. Moral of the story : If you can, buy your fresh fruit and veg between 4:30 - 5 on a Saturday afternoon!

[Ajay]

I was just telling SS about this as well. The same thing happens in Sydney, and it includes the butchery section as well. I trail the poor guy with the yellow stickers around like a stalker, and pounce on anything that has been reduced - the meat is marked down 2 days before the sell by date, and if it's already on the sell-by date, it's marked down further. If you freeze it immediately and use on the day you defrost, it's absolutely perfect. This practice can save you heaps of money - great advice Yvonne!

Cheers

Ajay

[Riekie]

I can just imagine myself knocking everything (and everyone) over with my uncontrollable shopping trolley in my pursuit of the man with the yellow stickers!.... He-He!!!

[Annette]

Yep, very good tip that. Also, here in Adelaide we have the Central Market where you can buy just about anything, but the fruit and vegetables are the main attraction. If you arrive about half an hour before they close (varies on different days), then the stallholders start selling the produce at hugely reduced prices, especially on a Saturday afternoon, because they only open again on Tuesday. Usually, they start on $1 a bag, then a bit later go for 2 bags for a dollar and then just before they close, it goes to 3 bags for a dollar!

[Janneman]

It's interesting to read that stores are closed on a Sunday, or even for longer periods of time. Here in Portland (Oregon) things are slightly different.

Stores are open every single day of the month, unless it is a special holiday, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas or Independance Day. Shopping hours vary, but the majority open very early in the morning and close very late at night.

Some do not close at all! It's only the liquor section that is closed between 02:00 and 07:30 in the morning. Other than that, you have free reign.

The only chance you have of a reduced price (on fresh produce), would be when it reaches it's sell by date - mostly in the butchery section. Fruit and veggies normally go quite quickly. The particular branch of Winco where I do the bulk of our shopping, sells approximately 2 tonnes of bananas per day... Just at one store!

[Willie]

Can anyone tell me what food prices are in Aus? How much Au$ is needed for a family of 4 to survive per month? I found all the other prices I needed but the food one is still eluding me. I compared the furniture and white stuff and the prices compare very well with what I found in SA shops.

[Mara]

Hi Willie

Go to www.coles.com.au where you can do an online shopping basket. You will need a postal code, use 3043 for Tullamarine.

Mara

[Guest Noeks]

Here is a tip I found today whilst food shopping at Woolworths ( in WA, not sure of the rest of Oz ). At 4.30 they start to drastically reduce the price of fresh food items including breads that will pass their sell by date by Monday. If you wait long enough and it doesn't get sold they reduce it even more. Moral of the story : If you can, buy your fresh fruit and veg between 4:30 - 5 on a Saturday afternoon!

Thanks for pointing that out Yvonne! I live in Perth and shall def be pursuing the dude with the yellow stickers on a Sat... very good tip and thanks!

[Willie]

Thanks Mara this was just what I needed I got all the prices I needed. Some Items like Pork seems more expensive but mostly very similar maybe slightly more expensive but still affordable.

[chatterbug]

Hi Willie,

Remember what Mara gave you will give you a good indication. Coles is however by no means the cheapest. Remember if you shop cleverly and shop around there are cheaper options.

There are some stores over here like Aldi which is somewhat cheaper albeit more limited in range.

So I hear, I might add - haven't been in one myself! As a guy I try my best to avoid shops, but sometimes I have to succumb.......you can run but you can't hide! hehe.

Shopping BUG (or BUGged by shopping rather!)

[Guest Larry]

When I lived in Melbourne, I bought a large Esky ("Chully Bun" for the Kiwis). Once a month on a Saturday morning, I would drive into the city and visit the Queen Victoria Market and stock up on meat.

Late on Saturday morning (around 12:00-13:00) is when the bargains start appearing. Then back home, wrap the meat in freezer bags and put it straight into the deep freeze.

[Dreamcatcher]

Can anyone tell me what food prices are in Aus? How much Au$ is needed for a family of 4 to survive per month? I found all the other prices I needed but the food one is still eluding me. I compared the furniture and white stuff and the prices compare very well with what I found in SA shops.

Hi Wilie,

I find that your basic foodstuff is much cheaper than in SA, and your luxury items are a bit more costly, but you still have to "shop around". Most stores have specials on the nice things every now and then. We get the leaflets in the post box every time they come out, and then we "shop" from them. We are a family of 5, which includes one very tall teenage son. We are living comfortably on about $200 per fortnight. That includes the chips and coke's, and a few more nice things like biccies, as well as some meat, usually chicken and mince. We also buy things like plastic containers, kitchenware, blankets, socks and anything else when we buy groceries. Must admit I am a Woolies-aholic.

Greetings,

Dreamy

[Riekie]

Processed foods, ready-made & frozen meals are expensive (anything which would involve labour to prepare). It is much cheaper to buy the ingredients and make it yourself.