MoneySaver

Shopping at the markets: save money and enjoy yourself
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13 May 2009

Aren’t supermarkets slightly depressing? I know mine is, though my supermarket is rather notorious for the presence of tipsy and/or drug-affected loiterers conducting punch-ups for the benefit of nervous passers-by and curious tram passengers. Perhaps your supermarket experience is more soothing and harmonious than mine. (I love Collingwood.)

Either way, I do derive a certain amount of enjoyment from shopping at the produce market on the weekend, and it’s not just for the jovial atmosphere, the purple-haired grannies running over my toes with their shopping baskets, and the delicious straight-from-the-farm vegies. It’s the prices – they are so much cheaper than generic supermarkets!

Head to the meat section of the Queen Vic market at the right time on a Sunday and you’ll get premium beef mince for $5 a kilo. Compare that to supermarket prices of $12-15 per kilo and that’s a huge saving for meat that is generally of a higher quality anyway.

And what about fruit, such as raspberries? At the supermarket you’d have to be a millionaire to be able to buy raspberries for around $7 for a 250g punnet. But at the market a couple of weeks ago I picked up a punnet of delicious ripe raspberries for $3!

But it’s not just markets in the city that are worth a visit. Smaller farmers’ markets in the suburbs can herald even better bargains and even fresher food. To find a farmers’ market near you, head to www.farmersmarkets.org.au and click on ‘Find a Farmers’ Market’ in your state. They are generally held outdoors, such as at the Abbotsford Convent, and you can meet the food growers and try new delicacies like spice mixes and specialty cheeses. (What’s more, I have found that buying specialty cheese direct from the growers costs no more than buying generic block cheddar from the supermarkets.)

So rebel against linoleum and cheap music! Discard the depressing supermarket shopping trolley and the overpriced hard avocados! Rise up in favour of fresh air and noisy fruit spruikers! Say yes to cheap and delicious food, straight from the farmers! People power! (Is that too much?)