Learn to be a Savvy Shopper and test your food smarts with our 'Higher or Lower?' Quiz. Can you identify the cost of a loaf from the butter you spread on it? And how much is a pint of milk?
Before you start at uni it's important that you gen up on the price of essentials to avoid the pitfalls of overspending; a little grocery planning can go a very long way. Simply click the 'Continue' button below to begin our quiz, and when you're done read on to challenge yourself some more:
Before you start at uni it's important that you gen up on the price of essentials to avoid the pitfalls of overspending; a little grocery planning can go a very long way. Simply click the 'Continue' button below to begin our quiz, and when you're done read on to challenge yourself some more:
Now that you've skilled up your shopping IQ you're ready for the next challenge, right?
Your mission, should you choose to accept it (!), is to try out the Downshift Challenge for a week. 'What's the Downshift Challenge?' we hear you cry. The Downshift Challenge is a concept invented by our money mentor, and Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis. Just as it says on the tin (sorry - bad grocery joke!), the challenge involves shifting your normal shopping brands down a gear. So if you typically buy the supermarket's 'Finest' range try out their regular, mid-priced stuff; if you normally buy their mid-priced goods, try downshifting to the basics - you get the drift.
Check out the video below for some top tips, to see how much money you could save, and psych yourself up for your very own Downshift Challenge:
Your mission, should you choose to accept it (!), is to try out the Downshift Challenge for a week. 'What's the Downshift Challenge?' we hear you cry. The Downshift Challenge is a concept invented by our money mentor, and Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis. Just as it says on the tin (sorry - bad grocery joke!), the challenge involves shifting your normal shopping brands down a gear. So if you typically buy the supermarket's 'Finest' range try out their regular, mid-priced stuff; if you normally buy their mid-priced goods, try downshifting to the basics - you get the drift.
Check out the video below for some top tips, to see how much money you could save, and psych yourself up for your very own Downshift Challenge:
We're all guilty of brand loyalty, and in some cases brand snobbery when it comes to our shopping choices - why buy the basic ketchup when Heinz is just 50p more right?
Advertising has convinced us that there is comfort in continuity, and it's common knowledge that we're driven by our emotional responses, such as familiarity, when we go food shopping. But the fact of the matter is that, if blindfolded, many of us would struggle to identify the premium brand from its cheaper counterpart.
Many of us simply get used to buying goods without actually considering how good they taste, and if they are in fact worth our hard earned cash. And it's perfectly normal to do so; Perhaps you've been living off the bank of Mum & Dad, and have gotten used to them buying your fave premium brands, or maybe you've been working full time before starting uni so you can afford your favourite soft drinks and pricey takeaways on the weekend.
But uni life means budgeting for life, so try out these simple steps and see how much you can save at the supermarket:
* Challenge yourself to downshift for a week. When you pop to the supermarket make a conscious decision to opt for cheaper choices, and make sure keep your receipt so that you can compare what savings you've made to the following week.
* Survived the above without starvation? Power up to the next level and give the week on/ week off method a go. This is where you extend your challenge to take place over 4 weeks, downshifting on alternate weeks. It will allow for a better assessment of savings made, as you'll have twice the amount of data to compare.
* Extend your challenge. The Downshift Challenge is not just limited to groceries. Now that you're a downshift pro try extending your savings by challenging yourself to downgrade on other essential items. Spending too much on your mobile phone contract, gym membership, utility bills or insurance premiums? Switch them up! See our Managing Your Bills section for further info.
Advertising has convinced us that there is comfort in continuity, and it's common knowledge that we're driven by our emotional responses, such as familiarity, when we go food shopping. But the fact of the matter is that, if blindfolded, many of us would struggle to identify the premium brand from its cheaper counterpart.
Many of us simply get used to buying goods without actually considering how good they taste, and if they are in fact worth our hard earned cash. And it's perfectly normal to do so; Perhaps you've been living off the bank of Mum & Dad, and have gotten used to them buying your fave premium brands, or maybe you've been working full time before starting uni so you can afford your favourite soft drinks and pricey takeaways on the weekend.
But uni life means budgeting for life, so try out these simple steps and see how much you can save at the supermarket:
* Challenge yourself to downshift for a week. When you pop to the supermarket make a conscious decision to opt for cheaper choices, and make sure keep your receipt so that you can compare what savings you've made to the following week.
* Survived the above without starvation? Power up to the next level and give the week on/ week off method a go. This is where you extend your challenge to take place over 4 weeks, downshifting on alternate weeks. It will allow for a better assessment of savings made, as you'll have twice the amount of data to compare.
* Extend your challenge. The Downshift Challenge is not just limited to groceries. Now that you're a downshift pro try extending your savings by challenging yourself to downgrade on other essential items. Spending too much on your mobile phone contract, gym membership, utility bills or insurance premiums? Switch them up! See our Managing Your Bills section for further info.
Well done, you've completed the challenge. As your mission is accomplished you may now move on to the next section:
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