One easy way to save $900+ per month

The number of Aussies using food delivery services has been growing at a rapid pace. Providers such as Menulog, Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Foodora seem to offer an irresistibly convenient service. Staying at home in your dressing gown and having whatever cuisine you desire delivered straight to your front door saves you the time and effort of dining out or cooking and preparing a meal yourself.

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However, indulging in these services too often won’t do your finances any favours. In fact, new research from finder.com.au reveals that Australians are spending a whopping $2.6 billion every year on having food and drinks delivered to their doors. Australian households are spending an average of $37.50 per order, with 7,000 orders being made every hour across the country. This makes the price of convenience quite high.

Here are some tips that you can use to help you cut back on your food delivery spending.

Have a weekly/monthly food budget:

Eating out and having food delivered means you can quickly lose track of how much you’re spending on food each week, and this can be dangerous territory if you’re trying to stick to a tight budget. Putting a limit on how much you spend will make it easier to control this spending. Try to be realistic in setting your overall food budget and also the amount you’ll allocate to food delivery services. For instance, set yourself a food delivery budget of $30 per person and try to save it for special occasions!

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Use finance apps to help you stay on track:

Budgeting apps such as Pocketbook or TrackMySPEND can help you visualise how much you are spending on food each week/month. Try to do one supermarket shop per week and make sure you stick to your allocated food budget. If you go over your budget one month, then consider how you can cut back the following month so you can get back on track.

Make the most of “meal prep”:

You can easily replicate the convenience that food delivery services offer by planning your meals ahead of time. Before you do your weekly shop, decide what you will have for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. Try doing all of your cooking for the week on a Sunday night and portion it out to last you the whole week. This will save you the money that you would normally spend on eating out or ordering in and it will save you time as you don’t need to cook dinner every night. Plus, you’ll be less inclined to splurge on food delivery as you won’t want to waste food!

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Write out an itemised shopping list:

Writing out a list of exactly what you need for your meal plans will stop you from making impulse purchases. Sticking to this list will also help you keep within your food budget. Take advantage of any supermarket specials and buy in bulk when things are cheaper so you can trim your grocery bill. Shopping alone and on a full stomach can also help you avoid unnecessary spending!

You’re always going to have those nights when you’ll feel tempted to have some delicious food delivered straight to your door (your only human!). However, using food delivery services as an occasional luxury rather than a daily habit is the key to cutting back on your spending in this area and ensuring that you can realise your financial goals.

Bessie Hassan is a money expert at finder.com.au.