Buy Your Groceries Online and Save Money

Tips for saving money on your online food shopping

By Kelly Henderson (follow Kelly on Twitter @kellythekiwi)

I love going to the supermarket to do my shopping. I actually enjoy wandering around the aisles, looking for new and exciting products and trying to get the best bargain. But there are plenty of us that would rather avoid the crowded aisles and checkout queues. If you’re one of the people who love doing your supermarket shopping online then have a read of these handy hints to save money.

#1 Buy an annual delivery pass

If you always buy your groceries from the same supermarket and have them delivered every week then you should purchase an annual delivery pass. You can choose between anytime slots or midweek deliveries and you could potentially save over £100.

#2 Be a first time shopper

First time shoppers get some great deals when ordering online. At the time of writing, new shoppers can get:

Waitrose: £40 gift card to spend in John Lewis or Waitrose when you complete your first two £100 online shops at Waitrose – First Shop Code: AQ3GCD1 – Second Shop Code: AQ3GCD2

Ocado:£20 off your first order at Ocado, for orders over £80 (use the promo code: VOU4515131)

Sainsbury’s: Save up to £60 on your first 5 online grocery shops (click here and use the codes that you will find on that page)

#3 Book weekend deliveries well in advance

If you need to have your groceries delivered on a Saturday or Sunday morning then book these well in advance. These are the most popular slots so the price is cheaper the further ahead you book. It doesn’t matter if you need to change your order – you can normally edit it the night before.

#4 Take advantage of cheap delivery slots

If you are able to stay home one day during the week, or you don’t have any plans for your weekend evenings then you could get a really cheap delivery slot. This could be for as little as £1 – perfect for shift workers like me!

#5 Don’t settle for substandard products

If you order something that then becomes out of stock, make sure that you are getting a decent substitution. Also, check the expiry dates – if there is not a reasonable enough time left on your products, complain and get a refund.

#6 Compare your basket across different supermarkets

The Latest Deals app  allows you to compare prices on products sold at Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose and Iceland. You will be able to search for any product, save deals and vouchers for later. The app is free on Apple iOS and Google Android.

#7 Order through a cashback website

The main competitors are Top CashBack and Quidco but they work in slightly different ways. TopCashback allows you to choose the retailer and then browse what offers there are. Some of the ones online at the moment are £5.25 cashback for new customers to Waitrose or £10.50 cashback if you spend £50 or more on your first online shop at Asda. Quidco let you search through the products and then see which supermarkets will give you cashback for it. Some of the offers include buy 1 get 50p cashback on Kettle chips at Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Waitrose, Ocado and Morrison’s or Buy 1 get 85p cashback on Ocado roast chicken in a bag. Find out more about cashback websites.

#8 Be a loyal shopper

If you shop at the same supermarket all the time, it is worth getting one of their loyalty cards. The Tesco clubcard allows you to exchange your points for money off your shopping. Plus, you can earn vouchers for money off your shopping by being a regular shopper. myWaitrose is giving cardholders the opportunity to choose their own offers to save 20% on their choice of 10 products every time you shop, free tea or coffee whenever you shop at Waitrose and a lot more.

#9 Save money on your food shopping with Approved Food

Approved Food is a great website that was launched in 2009 and is now the largest online retailer for short dated food and drinks in the UK. It helps you save up to 70% off your weekly shopping. Find out more about the site and how it works here.

These tips will help you save money if you are shopping online but, if you would still rather go and fill your own trolleys have a read of our tips for shopping at the supermarket.

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You may also want to find more money saving tips via our money saving category.