Clever strategy to save up to 50 per cent off snack foods every time
The end of the year can be an expensive time of the year, and not just from the cost of Christmas food and gifts.
This is also the time of the year when many of us attend end-of-year gatherings at work or with friends.
That means purchasing snacks and drinks for everyone, which can be pricey.
That means purchasing snacks and drinks for everyone, which can be pricey. Nine
Chips in particular aren't all that cheap anymore. The cost of Australia's favourite snacks and confectionary has gone up by approximately 4.3 per cent in the past 12 months alone, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
That coupled with 'shrinkflation' and we're paying way more for all of our favourite nibblies.
Chips used to be the most affordable purchase of all the preferred snack foods, before adding items we expect to be more expensive such as cheeses and dips.
But there is a way to keep the cost of chip purchases down, thanks to the nine.com.au staffer who recently purchased chips for our own end-of-year gathering, Jess.
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The cost of Australia's favourite snacks and confectionary has gone up by approximately 4.3 per cent. Nine
Jess is one of the more savvy grocery shoppers in the office, so it made sense she would be trusted with stretching our end-of-year gathering budget as far as it could go.
And her haul is so impressive we decided to share her strategy with you to help you keep your own costs down.
Here are all the chips Jess purchased for our end-of-year gathering. Nine large packets of chips for us all to share, and the variety she has chosen is so impressive.
Something for everyone.
Here are all the chips Jess purchased for our end-of-year gathering next week. Nine
But it's how she slashed the cost of them all that is the most impressive. Jess used a strategy which meant she paid almost half-price for them all.
Here's how she did it, in her own words.
"I volunteered to buy chips for our end-of-year gathering. With over a month's notice, I knew I'd be able to buy a selection of chips on a budget because my own grocery shopping experience taught me that at any given time a supermarket will have chips on sale.
Jess used a strategy which meant she paid almost half-price for them all. Nine
"The closest supermarket to our office is Coles (it's also my go-to supermarket anyway, but I didn't want to be carting chips from home), so I just started looking up their chips section online to see what was on special.
"I got some Smith's crinkle chips first (two for $6 instead of $5 a pack), then went back for Twisties and Burger Rings later in the week (both half price) as I knew the specials would have switched over.
Jess purchesed the chips over multiple weeks to take advantage of sales prices. Nine
"I was confident I'd be able to get either Kettle or Red Rock Deli chips on sale before the event. When I checked the Coles online catalogue and saw Kettle chips were half-price, I got three packs for $9 and a couple more packs of Smiths at the two-for-$6 deal (needed some Chicken and Cheese and Onion!).
"I spent $23.70 on nine packs of chips thanks to a little forward-planning.
"If I bought them at full price it would have cost $43.40."
'If I bought them at full price it would have cost $43.40.' Nine
Impressive, huh? And the beauty of Jess' strategy is that it can be used all year around for all grocery items.
This same strategy can also be used for soft drinks and all non-alcoholic beverages for end-of-year gatherings.
These too have increased in price, by 5.5 per cent according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Jess' strategy is a reminder that saving on groceries is all about forward planning, doing some research online and taking advantage of weekly sales.
And it is so satisfying to stretch our grocery dollars as far as they can go.
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It is so satisfying to stretch our grocery dollars as far as they can go. Nine
We hope your end-of-year gatherings are as thoughtfully catered as our is with Jess' carefully crafted range of delicious chips. We are particularly impressed with her inclusion of Smith's Cheese & Onion, which is making a comeback of late.
And the sturdier Kettle chips can also be used in place of crackers with dips, a new trend that has also been making its way around gatherings across the country.
I hear rumours of a sausage sizzle as well. If we figure out how to save on the approximately 100 sausages we are looking for, we'll share that too.
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