How Much Is The Average Grocery Bill In NZ?

Food and groceries make up a big portion of our monthly budget. So, it's only right to know how much we spend on groceries on average, to help with better budgeting. Hopefully, this will also get us to save more for the long term.

This guide will give you an idea of the average grocery bill in New Zealand.

Here are the average weekly food and grocery costs in NZ ($):

Why is my grocery bill so high?

You might be overspending on your groceries. How little or expensive your grocery bills are may depend on several factors — from the number of people in your household, food price inflation, how often you eat, and the kind of food you eat.

Here are some of them:

You're not keeping track of what you purchase

If you're not keeping track of what you buy whenever you do some grocery shopping, this may cause you to purchase items you don't really need. Making a shopping list and sticking to it helps you buy what you only need and budget your money beforehand.

You shop too often.

Frequently going to the grocery to pick up small items may just cause you to overspend and end up buying things you had no intention of buying in the first place.

How can I reduce my grocery bill?

Apart from electricity bills, mortgage or rent costs, food makes up a large portion of our monthly budget. Here are some great tips to save on your future groceries.

Plan your meals.

Having a weekly or monthly meal plan not only saves you money but also time. The key is buying the necessary ingredients for the plan (or a weekly meal prep) and sticking to that list. Aside from time and money, it can also reduce stress since you already know what you'll be having each day. No more rushing and feeling overwhelmed about what to cook for you and/or your family. Lastly, planning your meals reduces your need to go to the supermarket which saves you gas/transportation money.

Try grocery shopping online.

Shopping for groceries online may add a couple of dollars depending on the supermarket, choice of delivery, and more, as many shoppers have opted to buy online as it saves them time and money. This can also help you prioritize getting only what you need.

Compare prices.

Pricing per supermarket may differ sometimes, so it's a good practice to compare prices, especially when you're shopping online.

Buy in bulk.

Meat makes up a large portion of grocery bills, and you might want to start buying bulk meat, have it cut up into meal-sized portions, and freeze them to save more money. Aside from the meat, other staple products such as dishwashing liquid, laundry powder, etc. are available in bulks and are usually offered at a cheaper price.

Buy seasonal produce.

Buying produce that isn’t in season may cost more, which is why when making a meal plan, make sure that the necessary ingredients needed are in season as they tend to be cheaper (and easier to find).

Raid your pantry first.

Before heading to the grocery, be sure to check your pantry first to see what's left and what to replenish. Aside from that, consider what kind of meals you can do with the ingredients you already have.

Now that you have an idea of how you can save on your food and groceries, start saving on your other bills, too!

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