Are you trying to save on your grocery shopping in Uganda? Undoubtedly, grocery prices in Uganda are going up, and these prices are likely to keep increasing. Ugandans consistently complain about the high cost of things, and I can personally attest to buying one small onion at UGX 500/- at Nakasero Market Kampala. One would consider this an abomination given our hugely fertile country. But the big question is; Is there a way to figure out how to save money on groceries in Uganda in 2023? Yep, pull up a chair!
Also read; How to Save Money While Shopping Online in Uganda
Where to buy groceries in Uganda?
In Uganda, groceries are found in supermarkets, retail stores and traditional food markets such as Nakasero, Owino, Nateete and Kalerwe. Today, groceries can also be ordered online through online grocery delivery platforms like Minute5, Hello Fresh Uganda, Akatalefresh, Hifreshgo, Bringo Fresh, Le Gourmet Kampala, Ark Organics, and many more.
21 ways to save money on grocery shopping in Uganda
This is an amazing direction to take, considering no one can go without grocery shopping in Uganda, whether you live in the heart of Kampala or its outskirts. Buying groceries is a task that ensures our survival as it caters to our basic needs, such as food and household items we can never do without. Below are 21 money-saving tips while grocery shopping in Uganda:
1. Create a budget
Before you think about making a trip to the grocery store, the first thing you need to do is sit down and create a budget. Think about how much you would like to spend and stick to that.
2. Never go grocery shopping when hungry.
At no point should you ever go grocery shopping when you are hungry; else, you will end up buying more food than what is needed. You would be tempted to buy anything you find appetizing, which you wouldn’t buy if you went on a full stomach.
3. Go with a calculator.
Don’t leave your calculator behind. While at the grocery store, pull it out and add your items as you shop. This will ensure you stop piling things in the cart when you reach your budget limit.
4. Go to farmers’ markets.
Take advantage of farmers’ markets. The best time to get the best deals in farmers’ markets is during the evening or night. Farmers always want to sell off their products and are always willing to let go of the remaining ones at beyi dondolo.
5. Mark the price of each item
While at the supermarket, mark the price of each item. At checkout, look at every item’s price as it is scanned and ensure that prices match. This is because some crooked supermarkets increase the price of some items in the system and display lower prices on the shelf. This happened to me before, as the system charged twice the actual price.
6. Buy foods that freeze.
Buying foods that freeze means, they will last longer when put her refrigeration conditions.
7. Make a list before you go and stick to it.
Before you hit the grocery store, make sure you have made a shopping list to avoid impulse buying. Without a shopping list, you will buy unnecessary things you don’t need that much while forgetting the most important ones.
8. Seasonal buying.
Buy things when they are in their season. Groceries in their season are always in plenty, thus cheaper. This mostly applies to fruits like pineapples, avocados, mangoes, passion fruits and vegetables like cabbage, bbuga, nakati etc.
9. Buy meat from meat markets.
If you are living in Kampala, there are markets in the city specifically for meat. Trust me, and these markets are better than your ordinary butchery.
10. Do not buy pre-peeled foods.
Avoid buying pre-peeled or pre-chopped foods unless it is for that night’s dinner. Usually, you are charged more for anything peeled, and peeled things don’t last long.
11. Shop with cash.
Try to shop with cash. Shopping with your credit/debit card will make you spend more. Cards charge insane processing fees. When shopping, leave your bank card home and disable your mobile banking. This way, you will only have to spend what you carry.
12. Leave kids at home.
If you have kids, leave them home when going grocery shopping. Kids will always try to add unnecessary items to the cart, most of which will be junk and a total waste of money.
13. Pay for necessary items first.
Put the unnecessary items at the end of the checkout counter and move important items to the front. If the total reaches your target amount, leave the rest of the items in the cart and tell the cashier that things are tricky in this pandemic; let me pay for the total so far.
14. Grow some vegetables at home.
If you have space in your compound, grow some vegetable spinach, eggplants, sukuma wiki, dania, onions etc. You can grow these things in sacks filled with soil if you have a balcony.
15. Be loyal to one butcher.
Be loyal to only one butcher, one mama and one grocery store. They will always reward you with things (nyongeza) if you become their regular customer. I have gotten free avocados, extra tomatoes and extra offals because of my loyalty.
16. Leave your extravagant partner behind.
If your partner tends to overspend, leave them home when going grocery shopping. Instead, tell them to write down what they want.
17. Get a store loyalty card.
Get the store’s loyalty card and accumulate points. Use these points to supplement your grocery shopping budget when you are low on cash.
18. Do not rebuy what you won’t eat.
Do not rebuy something you bought before and did not eat. For example, if you ever purchased eggplants and they stayed in the fridge till they went bad, stop buying them.
19. Cook at home
It is much less expensive to cook meals at home than to buy prepared food or frozen dinners.
20. Buy in Bulk.
Buying some groceries in bulk can save you a lot of money. But, always first know your family’s needs before considering buying in bulk. It is important only to buy things you know will get used up.
21. Don’t be too loyal to a brand.
Do not be too loyal to one brand. If you always use Lato milk which is UGX 1500/-and see another milk brand at UGX 1000/-, get the other brand as they will never know; you can do this when your pockets are on the low.
Also read; 13 Reasons to Shop Online in Uganda
Final thoughts…
There you have it. Those are some easy ways to save money on grocery shopping in Uganda. We hope you found helpful tips to save money grocery shopping.
