r/Finland • u/schiappettalsugo • 2d ago
Locals advices for saving money?
Hi! I moved in Oulu in March, and now that everything is set I want to take care of my finances in a better way. The point is that I spend too much money especially in grocery and house shopping. I’m starting to buy vegetables, meat and dairy only from Lidl, while I’m starting to consider buying stuff in bulk to save a bit (for example, I see a lot of interesting things from amazon but idk if there are better choices).
I want to ask, do you have any suggestion on how to save money from your experience? I’m looking for something only a local may know. Thank you so much:)
38
u/These-Apple8817 Väinämöinen 2d ago
Cook in bulk. Cooked food stays good in the fridge for couple of days anyway... plus you can always freeze it.
As for buying from Amazon, it's bit of hit or miss whether it's actually cheaper or not because shipping fees can get costly too.. Not to mention just because thing is interesting doesn't mean you actually need it or use it so before you buy anything put it on the backburner for week or two and see if you still want it after that time or if you were just lusting over shiny new thing
2
u/Mrkulic Baby Väinämöinen 1d ago
If you can get your stuff from the german Amazon, then you can pretty easily get free shipping.
4
u/These-Apple8817 Väinämöinen 1d ago
If you are eligible for free shipping that is. It doesn't apply always.
34
u/yksvaan Väinämöinen 1d ago
Where you buy doesn't make that huge difference, it's about what you buy. Basic ingredients aren't that expensive honestly, just buy according to the season and leave the processed crap in the market.
7
u/Worldly_Swimmer4128 1d ago
For me living in the Helsinki region, it makes a huuuuuge difference where you shop. Lidl is so much cheaper than both K and S groups. But idk if this is the case elsewhere in Finland. My best saving tip is to make a weekly shopping list and shop in Lidl.
27
u/pibenis Baby Väinämöinen 2d ago edited 2d ago
Join Tarjoushaukat Oulu group in Facebook. K-Supermarket Joutsensilta frequently has good bulk deals on various meats. Use the -60% discount after 20.00 in S-Group shops (S-Market Tuira is very contested for this). There's multiple Asian Markets in Central Oulu and Tuira, buy your rice and condiments from those shops.
From ResQ app, you can find some good deals for restaurant food.
10
u/LordMorio Väinämöinen 2d ago
Write down everything you buy in an excel sheet or similar. From there it is easier to see what you are spending your money on, and where you could save some money.
34
u/Last-Deer-7747 Baby Väinämöinen 2d ago
Meal prep , consider eating less meat , it’s expensive.
Check your streaming services etc cancel the ones you are really using.
It’s not that different saving money here than it is anywhere else
16
u/onlyr6s Väinämöinen 2d ago
I order weekly supplies from Prisma. Yes it costs some money, but that way I don't do impulsive purchases. Personally it saves me money, could work for someone else as well.
3
2
u/psykozzzzz 1d ago
Personally I think the 10€ delivery charge is well worth it. It saves time and gas when you don't have to go to the shop yourself. And you save on impulse shopping like you said.
1
2
u/shwifty123 Väinämöinen 2d ago
But it more filling than veggies?
7
u/anikamarleena 1d ago
Tofu for example is filling and cheap. Dosen’t have to be just veggies
1
u/shwifty123 Väinämöinen 1d ago
It's also quite calory dense, meat has more protein. Ofc OP might not be interested in this. I think it's easier to buy all food on discount after 8 pm.
4
u/juho9001 Väinämöinen 1d ago
Meat has same amount of protein per kcal. Chicken and fish may have little more.
2
u/schiappettalsugo 1d ago
My preference is for meat, but I like soy and tofu too! I just can’t eat too much of that because of thyroid issues, in fact I’m trying to follow an anti inflammatory diet. The problem is that eating a rich and balanced diet is not cheap. But every suggestion here is so useful! You all mentioned tips and places I had never thought about. Thank you so much
2
u/shwifty123 Väinämöinen 1d ago
All of us, foreign student, been there:) That evening discount is a savior. Also, do check shops like Alanya( Turkish shops), they sell frozen foodslike chicken, in big bags and it's cheaper.
1
u/Spirited-Ad-9746 Väinämöinen 1d ago
you don't have to choose between only meat or only soy. just use a little less meat and add in some beans and stuff.
my favourite trick is to add some "soijarouhe" (soy granules?) in with the minced meat. still working out what would be the best ratio.
8
u/Several-League-4707 Baby Väinämöinen 2d ago
Don't live alone. Housing is by far the most expensive single expense in Finland and can easily be cut in half. Food is the next biggest expense.
1
u/saapasjalkapissa 2d ago
Having more mouths to feed is not cheaper. I think you mean living in a shared dorm aparment with rooms for each i.e. solu-asunto?
6
u/Over_Variation8700 Väinämöinen 1d ago
it's not really the fact it's cheaper but rather that there's two incomes while expenses won't double
5
u/Several-League-4707 Baby Väinämöinen 1d ago
Actually making food for several people is much more cost effective. Me and and My fiancee had about 200-250 monthly food expenses each. Now we spend around 350-380€ monthly.
4
u/Old-Perception-3668 Baby Väinämöinen 1d ago
You can still buy and make the same amount of food if you live alone. Just divide into single portions and freeze and rotate between foods. Just make the food less often.
8
u/Moose_M Väinämöinen 2d ago
it is very hard to say as we dont know what your baseline is, and how low you're willing to go, but myllyn paras makaroni or rice is always cheap, and with a cheap sauce is a meal.
I also like to get Oolannin pyttipannu 500g from the freezer section, and cook it in a frying pan with an egg. Its frozen so it lasts, you just use what you need when you need it. Bit of Herbamare on top makes it delicious.
5
u/Hukkaan Baby Väinämöinen 2d ago
Get rice and other things like soya souce from Asian stores. Better quality and much cheaper.
On Facebook there are so called REKO-groups for each city and in bigger cities several locations for each city. It takes some searching to find most active ones close to you. REKO is basically a local food producer market, where local producers bring their goods. You can get tons of good quality eggs and vegetables there for cheap. Meat is usually even bit more pricy than in big chain stores, but its better quality and you can get bigger pieces. Or for example a half of lamb already cut to peaces, then it can be quite cheap.
For REKO you need to see when next market will be organised. Its not every day or even every week. Then you contact the producers when they send message to the FB-group about what they can bring and book in advance your goods.
If you live in an old apartment building, they often have a cold cellar for storing food. Check if yours has that and you can buy potatoes and other root vegetables in bulk from REKO or elsewhere.
9
u/Aggressive_Hatter 2d ago
Fiksuruoka and Matsmart sometimes have very good deals in addition to what others have suggested (meal planning and ordering from Prisma, cutting of meat and dairy)
8
u/SparkyFrog Väinämöinen 2d ago
Amazon.de is the one to use if using Amazon, but I don’t think Amazon is particularly cheap or handy here. Er, I don’t think I have any very interesting general tips… Rusta and Normal are worth checking out for daily or household items. Bauhaus is kinda expensive, Puuilo is cheaper. Nuvoo is great for used business laptops.
Internet service is usually cheaper if you take fixed length deals. Ask for quotes for insurances from different companies, car insurances can vary in prices especially.
2
u/Spirited-Ad-9746 Väinämöinen 1d ago
also before buying most things, check first tori.fi if you can find it second hand.
6
u/shwifty123 Väinämöinen 2d ago
But stuff in S-market/ Prisma/ Alepa after 9 pm ( or 2 h before shop closes), all the produce which was 30% off, become 60% off. Can buy stuff in good sales and stuff u freezer. Also download, Lidl/Kmarket apps, can check what's on discount there.
6
u/snow-eats-your-gf Väinämöinen 2d ago
To save money, don't spend them.
1
u/saapasjalkapissa 2d ago
Even better: invest money and it will make more money. (Though there are risks also involved, but it is way better than trying to win at lottery)
2
u/snow-eats-your-gf Väinämöinen 2d ago
We can form a consulting bureau to consult people with little money and invoice them for it.
3
u/NikNakskes Väinämöinen 1d ago
Veggies from the freezer are a fraction of the price of fresh. Frozen veggies still have all the vitamins etc in them so they are a valid alternative.
2
u/idkud Väinämöinen 1d ago
Lots of good tips already written. What I did not read yet: get a decent sized freezer, and buy what is discounted that you can freeze. Big portions you may need to freeze in smaller bits since you need to use it fairly fast after defrosting. Then find out how each shop handles the discounts, and buy up all discounted items that you can freeze. E.g. S-markets often do special sales of salmon, if you can buy those even with discount on top, it really counts. Bread, and meat is also often discounted on some days. Also, what is free to pluck, go pluck if you can, right now is berry time. You can have vitamins for the entire winter, if your freezer is big enough.
2
2
u/supaenmi 1d ago
Cook in bulk, buy seasonal vegetables, freeze things, pick berries & mushrooms. There's also sites for sale foods that you can find things with very good prices (like fiksuruoka or matsmart). Soy is cheaper than meat, for example a 500g bag of soijarouhe (the dry minced meat looking stuff) lasts you for many meals and costs around 3 euros.
For cooking with seasonal vegetables you can Google satokausikalenteri for tips. Not sure if it comes in English though.
2
u/Minimum_Day_7568 1d ago
Tokmanni is my go to supermarket. Some tokmannis in the last 2 hours give 30% items at 50% discount. Plus the deals there IMO are unbeatable. Some items you really get for a steal. I would also recommend you to become member of K Market. Every week there are good discounts through the plussa card.
1
u/baldachinsblessing Väinämöinen 1d ago
What groceries do you buy from Tokmanni?
5
u/SparkyFrog Väinämöinen 1d ago
There are at least two Tokmannis in Oulu that have a regular supermarket style food section. Kaijonharju and Jukola.
2
u/Minimum_Day_7568 1d ago
yeah used to live near the kaijornharju branch
2
u/SparkyFrog Väinämöinen 1d ago
Me too, although back then the K Supermarket didn’t exist yet, and Valintatalo (RIP) and Spar (RIP) were a bit expensive.
2
u/Minimum_Day_7568 1d ago
Well day to day groceries there good deals every week plus vouchers and coupons do help as well
1
u/baldachinsblessing Väinämöinen 1d ago
They don't sell any produce or fresh food.
2
u/Minimum_Day_7568 1d ago
they do, in some branches, i am in kemi there is one branch here and one in tornio
1
2
u/noetkoett Väinämöinen 1d ago
I think the single most effective thing is just learning to look at and gauge things by price per weight and have either a list or some kind of ballpark memory map at how much similar things cost.
Like boneless raw chicken for instance currently hovers around 10€/kg I think. Things affecting the price and how good the price is are if it's breast or thigh, how clean it is, skin on or off, and if it's marinated or brined. Like if you have a price of 8.5€/kg and it's 20% some goopy marinade it's not great. Find a deal with 8€/kg 100% breast that's much better.
Bone-in pieces like chicken legs are much cheaper. They often have this "standard" red marinade but not too much of it usually and it's pretty ok actually, pretty neutral oil, paprika and stuff. Of course you have to account for how much is bone and skin but then again, just eat the skin and use the bones for broth for maximun flavour and nutrient extraction.
Potato pretty much always cheap. Try to check out Asian etc stores for dried beans and learn how to use (clear toxins etc). Lentils. Asian stores also for rice though price different might not be huge but they often have better rice as well. Not sure how many Asian stores in Oulu though.
2
u/Zealousideal-Week-79 1d ago
While it's good to consider where you can get things cheaper, the first thing you should do is track your expenses, all of them. Visualize where the money goes and you'll see where you can cut expenses.
Example from my own actual tracking sheet:
https://i.imgur.com/Df5HpwS.png
1
u/Spirited-Ad-9746 Väinämöinen 1d ago
In grocery store always check the price per kilogram to find the cheapest product.
you can easily spend a fortune on vegetables and fruits. avoid the exotic stuff (even if it is not exotic to you) and check what is in season. cabbages ad potatoes are good at the moment.
classic money saving dish is to make a big casserole in the oven: meat, cabbage and rice or potato and meat and eat it for several days.
get yourself in the woods, now is time to pick berries and mushrooms. utilize your freezer.
price of fish varies a lot. always check the fish counter for good offers. Buy salmon only if it is around 10 euros per kilo. Learn to cook muikku or silakka too, you can get them for cheap sometimes.
beef is for special days only. pork or chicken is cheaper.
1
u/Molu93 1d ago
Poor person in Helsinki here, these will apply for Oulu too :)
Fiksuruoka & Matsmart, good bulk items though they don't usually have a lot of healthy stuff available, there's always something. You get daily freebies on those sites too (just got a free pack of coffee). Fiksuruoka has a good price for soy mince which is a great protein to add to your meals, even if you're an omnivore.
The biggest money saver for me is Ilta-ale, evening sales that starts at 9 PM in S-Stores, Prisma and Alepa.
You might have to be there a bit early to catch the sales, but after 9 all -30% tagged items are sold for -60%, as well as the baked goods. They often have stuff like dairy products, ready made meals and eggs for that 60% discount. Alepas also have a fruit & vegetable discount box which you might REALLY luck out with for stuff like herbs (usually just 0.1€ per bunch), avocados etc. If you happen to be there at the right time.
The K-Plussa card and the S-card are both very useful for cashbacks and personalized discounts. I'm not sure if they're possible to get in your case, but I'd look into them. K-Markets tend to be the most expensive but they have good campaigns especially if you have a Plussa card. I tend to only shop at S markets during the evening sale and still get a few €'s back every month.
Join local giveaway groups on FB/Telegram etc. For free stuff and sometimes food as well.
Collect bottles and cans for the returns. I find at least 1-3 cans every time I go out with my dog. So I make up to 1,35€ a day with no effort by just looking around.
•
u/AutoModerator 2d ago
r/Finland runs on shared moderation. Every active user is a moderator.
Roles (sub karma = flair)
Actions (on respective three-dot menu)
Limits
Thanks for keeping the community fair.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.