Single mum saves $2500 a year by not buying supermarket staples

Frugal Aussie mum, Jacinta, found a way around the crazy prices on items in her weekly grocery shop. And it's even a healthier option. 

By now you're probably well aware of how expensive things are at your local supermarket. 

Thanks to the current cost of living crisis, it's not unusual to have to fork out ten bucks for a jar of vegemite or close to it for a block of cheese.

Things are expensive right now and families are certainly feeling the pinch. 

But one Aussie mum has found a way around spending a fortune at the checkout. And it actually involves ditching a lot of the basic fridge and pantry staples we need each week. 

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Jacinta says she has saved thousands by cooking in her Thermomix. Image: Supplied

I save $2500 a year by making my own staples

Jacinta Fiegert is a single mum from Wattle Grove in Western Australia. She has a daughter, Anaya, who is almost three. While there are just two people in their household, the mum has been feeling the financial stress of providing for her little one for some time. 

"I have definitely felt the impact of the cost of living. Being a single parent means funds are tight and sometimes choices need to be made about what I can afford for my family," she tells Kidspot. 

"The rising cost of living has forced me to be resourceful where I can be, but I still want to eat delicious and healthy meals."

After hearing all the positive things about the Thermomix, Jacinta decided to invest in one to not only make healthy meals from scratch but to also try and save herself from buying costly fridge and pantry staples each week. 

"When my daughter was small, I used the Thermomix to make my own baby food. As other parents know, supermarket baby food can be expensive," she shares. 

"Now my daughter is a toddler and I use it to cook the meals we share. I can set the controls and leave the machine to cook us delicious meals from scratch, saving money and giving me time back in the day to spend with my daughter.

"By making my own I was able to save $2,500 a year," the clever mum adds. 

It's time to cook! Images: Supplied

A money-saver AND healthier option

But it's not just the cost that had Jacinta sold on the appliance. The mum also loves knowing what her child is eating and knowing that there are no hidden ingredients she didn't know about. 

"I also know exactly what is in the food Anaya is eating which gives me peace of mind," she says. 

"I used to make puree mixes made from her favourite fruits and vegetables such as pumpkin, apple and carrot, and broccoli and sweet potato.

"Now I make all our pasta and curry sauces, soups and baked goods myself. Food like bread, muffins and cakes are so much cheaper when you make them yourself and they are free from additives and extra sugar."

Jacinta has also stopped buying other staples like stock. 

"Instead of buying vegetable stock, I make my own with ‘ageing’ vegetables which I always have in the fridge and forms the basis of most recipes," she says. 

"I make big batches of pasta sauces and soups using vegetables that are on special which is so much cheaper than buying in-store."

And then there are the baked goods - everyone's favourite treat and a popular lunch box filler. 

"I really enjoy baking and sharing the goods I bake with my family and friends. Some of my favourites are muffins, banana bread and brownies," Jacinta shares. 

"I estimate I have saved $2,500 for the year, so more than $200 per month on savings."

Lunch box scrolls and banana bread. Image: Supplied

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Will the Thermomix actually save you money? 

If you've read all of this and commented on the $2579 price tag attached to a Thermomix, I want to assure you that I hear you loud and clear!

I also doubted the savings so decided to give it a red-hot go myself. 

And here's the thing... if you use the machine a lot, you can actually save a decent amount like Jacinta. 

What I found was that you needed to really know exactly how much something costs on the supermarket shelf and weigh up how much the ingredients you need to make it yourself will set you back. 

For example, to make some recipes such as yoghurt and ice cream, you need to buy a packet of milk powder. For starters, I've never bought milk powder and I realised it was a $16 item in my shopping cart I really didn't need.

Yes, it goes far making a lot of servings, but you also need to eat it all in time so it doesn't go off. So that wasn't a winner in my household. 

Another example is making the spices from scratch.

A great idea when you have a machine like this. But buying all of those packets of cumin seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric, cardamom pods, etc added up. It was actually cheaper to just buy a spice mix already done. 

Jacinta is right in saying that you can save a decent amount on the baked goods though.

We've made many loaves of bread as well as lunch box staples like banana bread and scrolls. And by taking those off the weekly shop, we managed to save a little bit each week. 

And if you're bad at maths, the Thermomix website has a tool that calculates the savings for you.

Here are a few ways we saved according to their calculations: 

You can check out your savings online. Image: Supplied

RELATED: Shoppers take desperate measures to save money on groceries

Money well spent elsewhere

Not having to worry about running out of bread or popular snacks does take a load off for parents. It's the reason why many other parents have recommended investing in the appliance in many budget-focused Facebook groups. 

Back in October, Kidspot put the spotlight on mums around the country who were sharing their various ways of saving money around the home. Making your own food and staples was high up on the list for many parents. 

For Jacinta, the money saved at the supermarket checkout meant she was able to buy things she needed for her little family. 

"With this extra money I upgraded my old car to a safer second-hand car," she shares. 

"Also, with the money I save, I can spoil my daughter with a new toy or clothes without feeling guilty about deciding between that and food."

Every penny counts, right? 

Originally published as Single mum saves $2500 a year by not buying supermarket staples