READER’S DIGEST
June• 2019 | 97the shop, making it easy to buy more.
I always have a shopping list on the
fridge which I take with me when
I go shopping. Whenever I run out
of something, I write it down. I also
add the ingredients that I will need
for cooking that week, based on the
meal plan. Online shopping can also
reduce impulse buying by forcing you
to focus more critically on your list.
BUY LESS MEAT (AND CHEAPER
CUTS OF MEAT) Eating less meat
can save you money and, if you in-
clude more vegetables and legumes,
it also can be healthier for you. If
I’m making a bolognaise sauce I add
red lentils, carrot puree or shredded
zucchini to make it go further. Rather
than eat a whole steak, I’ll often stir-
fry beef strips with vegetables. Or
slow cook meat such as lamb chops
with wine and pearl barley. I also use
cheaper cuts of meat which are deli-
cious if slow cooked or marinated.
CHOOSE YOUR SUPERMARKET
CAREFULLY Where you shop is almost
as important as what you buy. You can
buy the same item at one store for a
fraction of the price that you would
pay at another. Do a price comparison
of your own and work out where it is
best to shop.
DITCH THE SHOPPING TROLLEY
A shopping trolley is one of the big-
gest disruptions that hit the grocery
market last century. It’s so easy to
lose perspective of how much you
are buying because you don’t have
to physically carry it in the shop. The
best way to avoid idling (and spend-
ing) in the supermarket is to carry
what you buy, so you get a sense of
how much you are actually buying.
Unless you need to do a large shop,
try to ditch the trolley next time you
are out shopping, and see what a dif-
ference it makes.
TRY URBAN FORAGING You c a n
find some amazing food growing
for free in your own neighbourhood.
Urban foraging is local and sus-
tainable. It also connects you with
seasons. In my neighbourhood I
forage for blackberries, dandelions,
purslane, fennel, plums, rosehips,
rosemary, olives, mint and even
wild apples. If you’re in doubt about
the safety of any wild foods, leave
them alone.
REDUCE ALCOHOL Have you ever
added up exactly how much you
spend on alcohol? Think about how
often and how much you drink, and
what you would save if you gave up,
reduced or even halved the amount
that you drink, including when
you go out.This is an
edited extract
from The Joyful
Frugalista by
Serina Bird,
© 2019.
Published by
Murdoch Books.
Available online
and in
bookstores.