The 8 simple secrets to saving on your grocery shopping.

There is an Aldi right next door to my office but believe it or not, I had never been inside – until yesterday.

I bought all my staples; bread, milk, yoghurt, fruit, vegetables, among other things. And I now might be a fully fledged Aldi convert! I was impressed by the price at the time, and when I got home (just for fun!) I plugged in those same items into the Coles online shop…

Guess what – Aldi was $30 cheaper! The same items were $115 at Coles vs $84 at Aldi.

And it get’s better!

If I was to save $30 a week on my groceries, that’s $1,560 a year. And if I put that into my mortgage (assuming we are at the beginning of a 30 year mortgage, $320k, at 4.8% interest) that would save me a whopping $47,000 in interest and shave 4 years off my mortgage!

And if interest rates were at the 8% mark (which they eventually will be) that is a saving of $110k in interest!

How is that for motivation to find your nearest Aldi!?

The good news is, if there is no Aldi near you I have some other great tips to help you cut down your weekly grocery spend – and your mortgage!

Watch: David and Libby Koch share some advice on how to manage your money.

How to save on your weekly shop:

1. Skip packaged salads.

They’re generally more expensive than buying a whole lettuce or loose leaves instead.

Work clockwise around the supermarket. A Choice report on supermarket tricks of the trade said US research found shoppers who travel in an anti-clockwise direction will spend, on average, $2 more per trip than clockwise shoppers. Interesting!

2. Go meat free.

We all know meat is more expensive than vegetables, so go vegetarian once a week – its good for you and good for your wallet!

3. Empty out your fridge and cupboards.

Look for items that are hiding up the back and challenge yourself to make a meal out of it – it can be fun!

4. Check the price per 100g.

Often “sale” items are still more expensive than other brands that aren’t on sale.

5. Go online.

Some supermarkets offer free delivery on certain days, or you can click and collect free of charge, that way you won’t fall victim to impulse purchases which means you will definitely save cash. And you can basically re-order your last grocery shop each week, saving you time and making it less likely you have to rely on take-away dinners.

6. Go to your local markets late, not early.

You’ll often find discounts on fruit and veg later in the day when shopkeepers are keen to offload all of their fresh produce!

7. Cut back the sugar.

Sweets, chips and soft drinks are expensive. You don’t have to buy much to be spending $5 a day which easily adds up to over $1,800 a year! (Your waistline will thank you, too).

8. Join the Women with Cents Facebook group.

We share all kinds of tips and tricks for saving money – and we’d love to hear yours!

This post originally appeared on Women with Cents. To see more from Women with Cents click here.