Photo by Steven Cordes on Unsplash
Moving to a new city to study can be daunting, and trying to navigate your new surroundings can be a stressful endeavour. Shopping for basic food necessities can be even more stressful, especially if you do not know where to go or find the best deals.
It is no secret that food prices are high, and some students struggle to find and afford nutritional food items. For this reason, we have compiled a list of tips and advice from students when it comes to shopping for groceries:
1. Download Flipp
Flipp is an app that updates its users on deals available in stores during the week. It can be downloaded through the Apple Store and the Google Play Store and available online through a browser.
Users can open Flipp and select which stores they shop at most often, and then the app updates weekly to inform users of current deals and upcoming ones. Stores listed in the app include Sobeys, Walmart, Shoppers Drug Mart, and more!
This tool can be useful to plan your next grocery shopping trip as it includes a feature where you can create shopping lists!
2. Use the Grocery Shuttle offered by the MUNSU
Did you know that the MUNSU has a bus to Sobeys on Kelsey Drive on Tuesdays? Kelsey Drive is also home to other shops such as Canadian Tire, Staples, Walmart, and many more!
In collaboration with Sobeys, GSU, and MUNSU, the Grocery Shuttle offers a free shuttle service every Tuesday evening during the fall and winter semesters.
This service provides a safe and convenient way for students to shop for necessities that they might not be able to get on campus. An additional bonus is that students do not have to worry about transportation like they would if they were to take public transport, which would take about 60 minutes or a taxi, which is costly.
Note: The availability of this service is subject to the state of the pandemic. It has recently started to operate again but check out their webpage for the latest updates.
3. 10% off at Sobeys (only on Tuesdays) and Lawtons Drugs
Sobeys and Lawtons Drugs stores each have student discounts of up to 10% off if you have a valid student ID.
Both stores carry necessities and food items, though Sobeys has more produce and Lawtons Drugs has more variety in pharmaceutical items. Students can get the best of both by splitting their shopping lists between the two to get maximum discounted prices.
4. Bulk Barn for spices, nuts, and lentils – plus 10% off every Wednesday
If you need spices, fresh nuts, or some lentils, then Bulk Barn will be your best friend. The chances are that you do not need 500 grams to 2kg packages of any of these items, but that is how you will usually find them in most stores. Not only are they heavy to carry around, but they will also take up a significant portion of your already tight budget.
Instead, you can grab as much as you need for that week for a much smaller price tag, and if you shop at Bulk Barn on a Wednesday and provide a valid school ID, then you can also take advantage of the 10% off!
Bulk Barn has also recently restarted their “Bring Your Own Container” program, an initiative intended to reduce plastic waste. This can help students save money on buying bags while also contributing to a cleaner environment.
5. Bring your own bags when shopping
Most grocery stores have adopted the policy of removing plastic bags from their stores and replacing them with reusable ones. Purchasing these reusable ones can become an unnecessary expense over time.
Bringing your bags can remove that expense and give you a few extra dollars to spend on other items you may need.
6. Dollarama for snacks
Dollarama has a variety of food items that are generally cheaper than what one might find at other outlets, but the snacks are where students can save the most money in this store.
The wide assortment of snacks available at this store include chips, pretzels, cookies, chocolate, soft drinks, and more that can cost up to 50% less than what you may find at other places!
7. Meal Planning and Prep
Finally, one of the best ways to ensure that you do not overspend is to plan for all the meals you intend to cook and eat until the next time that you must shop.
This way, you know exactly what to buy, how much to buy, and have an idea of what amount of money you may be spending when you shop. Proper meal planning and prepping can help prevent students from overspending.
This list is not exhaustive, but hopefully, it can give new students some ways to save and shop on a more budget-friendly basis.