Spending too much on food delivery? Here are 4 tips to save money
If you've found yourself spending more money on food delivery during the pandemic, you're not alone.
According to information from Nubank, this type of expense increased by 94% during the period of social isolation.
After all, staying at home every day and still not being able to eat anything tasty is really painful, isn't it?
The problem with food delivery is when it goes beyond its limits and ends up taking up a large part of the monthly budget, which will later be needed for another purpose.
We know it's hard to resist the temptation to buy a snack or meal, but we've put together some tips to help you.
If you want to reduce your food delivery expenses, check out the guidelines we have set out for you below:
1. Set a monthly amount for food delivery order expenses.
Often, our credit card is already registered on the food delivery platform and, as a result, we don't really pay attention to the expenses we make. The Santander Free Card is an international card option that offers free annual fees when monthly expenses of at least R$$100 are recorded. In addition, approval for new accounts is fast and it is not necessary to have a checking account.
To avoid falling into this trap, set aside a portion of your budget to spend on food orders. This way, there will be no surprises at the end of the month and you will also be able to make more informed choices, considering whether or not it is worth spending your budget on that particular snack.
2. Organize your meals for the week at home
Often, the urge to order food from outside comes from disorganization and lack of planning. Did you not take anything out of the freezer to prepare? Did you forget to go to the supermarket? Did you not think about dinner? All of these problems can probably be solved with food delivery.
But as we know, it's not healthy for your wallet or your body to eat out every day. To keep things in order, including your expenses, establish a meal plan. If you prefer, you can even create a weekly menu: we guarantee that preparing things at home (even snacks and treats) is much more cost-effective than buying them.
3. Take advantage of coupons and other app benefits
Now that you understand that you can't just give in to every urge to order a snack to save money, we can talk about something very interesting: discounts. If you're already a regular customer of delivery apps, you probably know that it's common to receive coupons and perks.
Whenever possible, take advantage of this opportunity to save money. But be careful! Some establishments offer interesting discounts, but charge very high shipping fees to make up for it. It’s not worth it, right?
If you share a house with other people, an interesting alternative is to use your coupon to invite new users to the delivery platform. This way, you and the other person will get benefits for future purchases.
4. Compare prices
Before making a purchase, compare prices on different apps and even directly with the store. In many cases, the same restaurant is available on different apps and, depending on the rates applied in each of them, the prices may also vary.
Also, look for the restaurant on social media, such as Instagram and Facebook. Many establishments prepare exclusive promotions for their own customer service channels. This way, you can get good discounts.
Now that you've read the entire article, it should be clear that to save money on food delivery orders, you need to have control, planning, and, of course, price research. By following all the steps mentioned, it will be much easier to avoid debt.
