Ever wondered which is the cheapest grocery store in South Africa? You are not the only one.
Numerous South Africans face the daily challenge of coping with increasing expenses related to everyday life, and this has brought about many conversations on social media regarding which is the cheapest grocery store right now.
Starting the conversation on TikTok was Donalbain Machabaphala (@iam.donalbain), who recently took to the video-sharing app to show app users the difference in prices of certain items at Woolworths, Checkers and Pick n Pay.
Machabaphala first noted the prices of a 2.5kg packet of sugar from each store: at Woolworths, it cost R53.99 (on special); at Pick n Pay, it cost R68.99; and, at Checkers, it was between R64.99 and R69.99.
Next, he looked at Lucky Star's tinned pilchards. At Woolworths, it cost R50 for two (the original price was R27.99); at Pick n Pay, it cost R54 for two; and, at Checkers, it was R50 for two when using the Xtra Savings Rewards card, with one tin costing R27.99.
Donalbain also looked at six cartons of 1 litres of milk. This time, he did not go to Pick n Pay, but at Woolworths a six-pack was R99.99 (on special) and, at Checkers, it was R99.99.
He captioned the post, “Now I wonder who told us that Woolworths is expensive?”
South Africans had a lot to say in the comment section.
@iam.donalbain Now I wonder who told us that Woolwoths is expensive 😭😭😭 #foryou #foryoupage #fyp #viral #viralvideo #viraltiktok #explore #explorepage ♬ original sound - Donalbain Machabaphala
Tsholofelo Sithole wrote: “Milk, cooking oil, toilet rolls, most of the time you get them at the lowest price at Woolworths. Meat is the most expensive there”.
Lauryn wrote: “Spar is where the danger is. Those prices are insane.”
YibaJay commented: “I did a study on this in my final year, and Woolworths is actually cheaper than Pick n Pay, with Spar being the most expensive.”
Mkhonzeni Mdluli wrote: “Month-end shopping is a nightmare. You literally need to sit with pamphlets from each retailer and know what you’re getting from where.”
If you are looking to save money on groceries, below are a few hacks.
Save fresh herbs for later
Does a packet of fresh herbs ever get used before it goes past its best date? Almost never, right? But they can be frozen to flavour your food in the future.
Use an ice cube tray, chop them up, and mix with water or stock – then you can simply pop one in the pot the next time you see fit.
Generate leftovers
I always try to make more of an evening meal, and I cook in the hope that there will be leftovers for lunch the next day. Pasta, noodles or rice dishes are all good for making in excess and will save you from having to buy lunch the following day.
Shred and slice your own cheese
Cheese is expensive, and the price only goes up when it is sliced and grated for you. Instead of paying more for the extra processing, do the work yourself. Buy a large block of cheese, grate what you need, and slice the rest.
Freeze any you do not plan to use right away and you will have sliced and shredded cheese at your fingertips for less money (and packaging) than buying it pre-cut
Forget takeaways and make your own
If there is one thing we love in South Africa, it is a takeaway. But if you are trying to save money, why not learn how to make them yourself rather than buying an expensive meal?
Freeze sandwiches
Keep bread and sandwich fillings from going to waste by pre-making and freezing sandwiches using ingredients from your cupboard and fridge.
This helps you to use up food before it goes bad and means you have accessible lunches or snacks in the freezer at all times.