A bargain-savvy mother-of-one has revealed how she manages to feed her family for less than one pound per head for each meal – thanks to yellow-sticker shopping.
Claire Oliver, 37, from Flintshire, Wales, said she refuses to pay anything more than £2 for meats when shopping and keeping her spend low is a godsend, after not working since March 2020 due to furlough and maternity leave.
The bargain hunter can always sniff out a good deal to ensure her meals cost no more than £1 each and even admitted that searching for deals can be ‘addictive’.
Claire Oliver, 37, from Flintshire, Wales, has revealed how she manages to feed her family for less than one pound per head – thanks to yellow-sticker shopping. Pictured: With her partner Phil Williams, 37, and son Theodore, eight months
Her tips for snapping up yellow-sticker items include shopping after 5pm and she said Morrisons supermarket has best deals as they reduce items by 90%. Pictured: Reduced meat costing less than £2 per pack
Claire, who is a senior service advisor, said: ‘Yellow-sticker shopping is very addictive.
‘I never pay more than £2 for meat. If there aren’t any deals on, I will just go to a different shop and look in the reduced section.
‘I don’t see the point in paying full price when I can it for much cheaper!
‘Prices are never the same, but meals mostly work out to be less than a pound per head.
The bargain-savvy mother-of-one is always on the hunt for yellow-sticker items, which she admitted can be ‘addictive’. Pictured: Ingredients for a stir-fry that cost 70p per person. Claire bought stir fry vegetables for 36p, noodles for 45p, chicken for 70p and full-price sauce cost 60p
‘I cook for myself, partner Phil Williams, 37, and our son Theodore, who is eight-months-old.
‘It is best to food shop from 5pm onwards. Morrisons has the best deals because they reduce their items by 90 per cent.
‘I batch cook and freeze everything to ensure there is no wastage.
‘Usually, the most expensive part of a dish is the meat so I am slashing the bill in half by getting reduced.
‘Organic chicken can be anything from 70p to £1.50 and it’s the same with beef and lamb too.
‘I recently cooked a sweet chilli and ginger stir fry for three people which worked out at 70p per person.
‘The stir fry vegetables 36p, noodles 45p, the chicken was 70p and I paid full price for the sauce which was 60p.
‘I also buy bacon and sausages for less than 60p.’
Vegetables and salad range from 10p to 50p.
The most expensive item on Claire’s shopping list is milk for eight-month-old Theodore.
But she always keeps her eye open for him too.
She said: ‘I am always looking online for where has reduced items.
‘I always stock up when baby brands have a sale on as they may be reduced as they only have one month left.
‘I purchased 16 packets of Ella’s organic food pouches for 10p per pack.
‘I’ve also managed to grab two tins of baby milk reduced from £13 to £4.50 from Boots too.’
She said buying yellow-stickered items shouldn’t be stigmatized as it’s a great way to save money and reduce waste – and once used it to save for a holiday
Claire hasn’t worked since March 2020 due to furlough and maternity leave.
Yellow sticker shopping has allowed her to make some savings to go towards Theodore’s furniture and clothing.
However, Claire feels her money-savvy ways are stigmatised due to the fluorescent sticker.
She said: ‘Sometimes, I do feel like I am being judged when shopping.
‘But there shouldn’t be anything embarrassing about it as it’s great to save money and reduce waste.
‘I’ve not worked for a while and I have to buy a lot for Theodore. It is good to make the savings where I can.
‘A couple of years ago, Phil and I managed to save for a holiday through yellow sticker shopping.
‘I think people associate the yellow stickers with being poor but it’s not the case at all.’