Savvy shopper saves £744 on her groceries thanks to nifty trick, and it will come in so handy over the school holidays
THE cost of living is making the weekly shop an unaffordable and daunting task especially over the summer holidays.
But one savvy mum has revealed how she has saved a whopping £744 in less than a year and a half.
Szidonia Stoia, 36, a mum-of-one and customer representative in a call centre, has revealed how using the Too Good To Go app has saved her hundreds.
Szidonia, who lives in Leicester, uses the app regularly to save money on groceries at her local Aldi, as well as getting treats from Greggs and Yo Sushi.
Too Good To Go allows customers to pick up food that would otherwise go in the bin at highly reduced prices.
“I found out about Too Good To Go from a friend who also volunteers for Olio,” Szidonia told moneysaving community LatestDeals.co.uk.
“I usually buy two bags a week as a top up for my weekly groceries.
“I normally buy them from Aldi, but occasionally buy a bag from Greggs or Yo Sushi as a treat.
“I usually save at least £30 on my weekly groceries.
“It is worth checking out individual stores in your area – ratings are helpful as well.
“The app will tell you what time they are posting bags and it’s good to set a reminder on your phone to not miss out on a bag, as they sell quickly.”
Szidonia says that using the app has allowed her to branch out when it comes to dinners.
“I have tried different types of food I wouldn’t have bought otherwise, like expensive beef and tuna steaks and it is fun to experiment and cook a variety of different dishes,” she says.
“I love cooking and I post my food pictures on social media regularly.
“I get really excited if I get a nice surprise box.”
The mum says the app has allowed her to cook healthier meals.
“Food is expensive and we try to eat as healthily as possible,” she says.
“I usually receive a lot of fruit and vegetables and my seven year old is always happy and excited to try different snacks and fruit.
“I’ve made spaghetti bolognese or chilli con carne with beef mince, sushi with smoked salmon, Sunday dinners, chicken kebabs, stir fry, katsu curry and the list goes on.”
“I usually buy the surprise boxes from Aldi at £3.30 each.”
“The original value varies, but it is usually worth between £12 or £20 and sometimes even more.
“I get a great variety of food, including bread and bakery items, meat, fruit and veg.
“You could get a few bags of salad or multiple boxes of fruit, so I end up making homemade strawberry jam or pesto, so nothing gets wasted.
“Most of the items last longer than the date on them, especially vegetables, and meat and fish can be frozen as well.
“I end up cooking more so I use up all the ingredients, or freeze some of the veg for pasta sauces or soups.
“I have been using the app since May 2023 and I’ve definitely saved up money.
“I am also learning to be more savvy and learning new cooking skills, like making homemade butter out of clotted cream I got once in one of the bags.
“I am also donating food to friends and family members, and even other Too Good To Go members that live near me, so nothing gets wasted.
“I’ve bought a total of 111 bags so far.
“It is really helpful, because grocery prices have risen substantially and having a child means spending a lot more on healthy foods, like fruit and veg, which are really expensive.
“Saving money on groceries also means paying towards a utility bill or treating my son to a new toy or day out somewhere.”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, comments: “Too Good To Go is such a win-win app: less food gets wasted, which is better for the environment, plus consumers can pick up amazing deals for huge bundles of food.
“I’ve long been a fan of it – just look at Szidonia’s amazing Too Good To Go balance, saving over £700 since May 2023.
“Szidonia shows that if you use the app diligently, setting reminders on your phone, and getting creative with recipes, you can really make a big saving on your weekly shop.”