<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cath Armstrong is not a fan of grocery shopping, so the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/victoria" rel="" target="_blank" title="Victorian"><span>Victorian</span></a><span> mum uses a method that allows her to do it as little as possible.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Each year between December 27 and 30, the founder of the popular </span><a href="https://www.cheapskatesclub.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Cheapskates Club"><span>Cheapskates Club</span></a><span> dedicates a few days to a yearly shop to save her "time, grey hairs, frustration and stress".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I loathe grocery shopping," Armstrong said.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/hannah-bought-her-first-home-on-her-own-at-25-all-thanks-to-being-a-cheapskate/907d41fe-335a-4e14-83c0-824c4bd01efe" rel="" target="_blank" title="Hannah bought her first home at 25, thanks to being a 'cheapskate' "><strong><span>Hannah bought her first home at 25, thanks to being a 'cheapskate'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/cost-of-living-how-one-melbourne-couple-keep-their-grocery-bill-to-just-3750-a-week/4e750e2a-f066-4208-bc6a-f518622c8dd2" rel="" target="_blank" title="How one couple keeps their grocery bill to just $37.50 a week"><strong><span>How one couple keeps their grocery bill to just $37.50 a week</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"People wander up and down, they park their trolleys, they stop in the middle of the aisles, it nearly sends me spare."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Armstrong switched from a weekly shop to a monthly shop years ago to avoid the chore but had to rethink her approach when life became busier with work and family.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-save-money-on-groceries-cheapskates-club-cath-pantry-tips-meal-planning/c47f6860-7e1d-43d3-b4e0-0b5311240dfd" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I stretched it out to three months, then I thought, 'Well, I can do this for six months'," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"When I hit shopping once every six months, it was just bliss.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It took a full day but then it was just one day and for six months I didn't have to go back.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Then I thought 'I'm going to try this for a whole year'."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-bar-italia-owner-only-accepting-cash-fighting-to-keep-institution-old-school/211f432a-bd68-490e-ac20-95e786f4625f" rel="" target="_blank" title="Restaurant owner only accepts cash in fight to keep institution 'old school'"><strong><span>Restaurant owner only accepts cash in fight to keep institution 'old school'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/cash-mandate-australia-what-is-it--explained/26e04d51-c6fd-4e47-8ade-4a802a97bbc0" rel="" target="_blank" title="How will Australia's new cash mandate work?"><strong><span>How will Australia's new cash mandate work?</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Armstrong now buys most of her non-perishable items once a year and does smaller fresh food shops every couple of weeks.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The annual shop costs about $1200 and consists of enough staples for her family for the year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"All I simply did was look back over what I'd been buying and multiplied everything so it equaled a year's worth," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Armstrong finds her calculations are "pretty accurate", which helps her avoid food waste.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>During the yearly shop, she buys mostly generic brands from Aldi, Coles and Woolworths.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It doesn't take up a lot of space, I've got one shelf unit in my laundry and that's about it," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/social-security-payments-increasing-indexation/ce15dab9-fa66-4ea6-aea7-cb5a637468ba" rel="" target="_blank" title="Cash boost for more than a million Australians"><strong><span>Cash boost for more than a million Australians</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/treasurer-jim-chalmers-confirms-energy-bill-rebate-wont-continue-in-2026/51421c51-ba76-4107-bea7-3dd9c8bb3421" rel="" target="_blank" title="Government calls time on $300 energy bill relief for Aussie households"><strong><span>Government calls time on $300 energy bill relief for Aussie households</span></strong></a><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/treasurer-jim-chalmers-confirms-energy-bill-rebate-wont-continue-in-2026/51421c51-ba76-4107-bea7-3dd9c8bb3421" rel="" target="" title="Treasurer calls time on $300 energy bill relief for Aussie households"><strong><span></span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Armstrong also comes up with an annual meal plan, which follows a similar pattern every week.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>During a typical week, the family will have a roast dinner on Sunday, meat and vegetables on Monday, pasta on Tuesday, meat and vegetables on Wednesday, homemade pizza on Thursday, fish on Friday and Mexican food on Saturday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She then shares dinner ideas with thousands of Cheapskates Club followers to help them slash their grocery bills and navigate meal times with ease.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Food is one of the biggest household expenses for Australian families but making small changes to the way you shop can have a big impact on your budget in the new year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Armstrong emphasises people don't necessarily need to go shopping once a year to reap the benefits.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I try to tell people just because I do something doesn't mean it's right for you," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Pick the things that work for you and keep doing them."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Australian grocery shopping habits have changed</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>When you enter a supermarket, every product is competing for your hard-earned cash.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>From the essentials to the treats on the end-of-aisle displays, shop layouts are designed to get you to spend more, according to University of Sydney retail expert Lisa Asher.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"All of these key ingredients that we would normally buy, they're all so far apart that you have to cross the store often," Asher said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That causes you to go down the back aisle or go down the front aisle.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You're seeing these end displays, which prompt impulse purchases.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They're designed to make you buy and they're very effective."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/ghostwriter-side-hustle-sydney-mum-cost-of-living-exclusive/d3c1d722-66b9-46f1-8a3e-e4ed20a7c1f7" rel="" target="_blank" title="Sydney mum made bank writing books she's never allowed to talk about"><strong><span>Sydney mum made bank writing books she's never allowed to talk about</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/aussies-starting-side-hustles-out-of-financial-necessity-exclusive/dc008c47-a5b4-4a4b-a8d2-57e686e7e2b6" rel="" target="_blank" title="Cassie had to start selling her clothes to 'make quick cash when times are tough'"><strong><span>Cassie had to start selling her clothes to 'make quick cash when times are tough</span></strong><span>'</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Another factor that contributes to impulse spending is the current economic climate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The use of promotions has become more prevalent and people, through the cost-of-living crisis, have become more deal-prone," Asher said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We've shifted from everyday low pricing, although there are everyday low products, but you've really got to look for them.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This shift to half price, it hasn't always been like this."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Grocery shopping habits have also changed in Australia, which has increased the likelihood of impulse buying.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It used to be that people might do one big shop a week or once a fortnight," Asher said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The more frequently people are going now, the more there's temptation."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Simple ways to save</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Armstrong has shared her money-saving tips with thousands of Australians for decades to help them live "debt-free, cashed up and laughing".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For Australians who want to reset their budgets in the new year, she offers a few simple suggestions to kick-start the journey.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Her first tip is to take a look at your utility bills and see if there is a better deal.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Don't be afraid to swap, it's really easy, it's painless," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Her second tip is to adjust your grocery shopping habits as necessary.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If you shop weekly, think about moving to fortnightly or monthly," Armstrong said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If you don't try it, you'll never know."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Her third tip is to write a shopping list, take it to the supermarket and stick to it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If you've forgotten something, add it to the list for next time and make do," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The less money you spend in the shops, the more money you're going to keep in your purse."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial advice. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>