Shopping is a painful task, especially when you have to calculate everything so as not to exceed the budget. Luckily, there is a simple solution: choose the right day, and the right time, to take advantage of the best deals at the supermarket.
Shopping is a real chore for most of us. In addition to having to think about preparing all the meals of the week, for the whole family, the time to go to the supermarket has become a real budgetary headache: with inflation and therefore the drop in purchasing power, the French have no other choice but to transform themselves into expert accountants so as not to blow the bill at the checkout. Price per kilo, promotions, bulk purchases… Consumers’ eyes are everywhere, looking for any opportunity to save money. But, without going through all these strategies, there is a simple way to pay less for your shopping: do them at the right time.
We are not talking here about avoiding crowds to be quieter, but about choosing the ideal day and time to reduce costs at the supermarket. Because yes, you will not necessarily pay the same amount if you do your shopping on a Monday at 4 p.m., a Wednesday at 7 p.m. or a Saturday at 11 a.m. for example. There is in fact a specific moment when prices are the most attractive in most major retail brands.
Due to a working week, most French people are used to doing their shopping on Saturdays. Although it is a good idea to pay less, it is not the best day. In order to sell perishable products before the weekend, many stores offer “one buy = one free” discounts at this time of the week. But it’s actually on Wednesday that it’s best to go to the supermarket. According to Boursorama, it is on this day that a majority of major brands such as Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Intermarché renew their promotional offers. Offers which are often sold out by the end of the week, and which you must therefore jump on as quickly as possible.
In addition to the best day, there is a specific time when it is best to do your shopping to save as much as possible on products: the evening slots. “To find the best deals, try to do your shopping at the end of the day. The ideal is to go there about an hour before closing“, advises the Save The Student site, an expert in financial advice and good deals. This is in fact at this time that most supermarkets display promotions on products whose use-by date is close. Many even offer a corner dedicated to these items, which will therefore be better stocked at the end of the day. But this rule does not only concern products that are soon to expire, it is also valid for those whose packaging is damaged or which have other slight defects for example. Boursorama notes Moreover, at Lidl in particular, discounts are applied every day on short-date products, around 4 p.m. or 5 p.m. The ideal opportunity to save money.
You will have understood, it is better to do your shopping at the end of the day, a little before the stores close. But the cream of the crop? Combine the two tips: go to the supermarket on Wednesday evening, or Saturday evening. In addition, these are also the times when the crowds are lowest! Something to soothe his mind as much as his wallet.
