Various promotions and discounts in German supermarkets are common
Those who come to Germany for an internship or study have to save money. How can you eat well – and not just pasta? To save on groceries in Germany, you need to know where and what to buy, and when you can get food for free. Deutsche Welle has gathered some healthy tips on how to eat cheaply.
Supermarkets: which one to go to?
Find out where the nearest supermarkets are located. In big cities, they are often open until 10:00 PM, but in small towns they close at 8:00 or even 7:00 PM. On Sundays, only gas stations, kiosks, and 24-hour Spätshop are open, where you can buy drinks, sweets, sandwiches, and essentials at higher prices. Be careful: stores are also closed on holidays. Because of this, shelves can be half-empty on Saturday and pre-holiday evenings.
The supermarket system looks like this: discounters Aldi, Lidl, budget-friendly Penny and Netto, and slightly more expensive Kaufland, Rewe. Next come Real, Edeka, and organic specialists Alnatura, Basic, denn's Biomarkt. The higher the supermarket class, the higher not only the price but also the selection. Don't forget to fill out a bonus card application, like Payback, to collect points and get discounts.
How to choose inexpensive products
Most supermarkets have their own inexpensive brands: Ja, Gut&Günstig, TiP, K-Classic, REWE Beste Wahl, and others. Organic products, on the other hand, cost more than regular ones – but their quality meets specific "bio" criteria.
Don't be lazy about looking for discounted items on promotion or with expiring shelf life: they are usually marked with an orange or yellow price tag. Hard peaches on sale will sit for one evening and become just like fruit twice as expensive.
Beer and wine are best bought locally: you'll try regional products and save a decent amount. For example, a liter of local apple or pear wine in Bavaria costs just over 1 euro and is sold in regular supermarkets.
Where, if not at the supermarket?
Fruits, vegetables, and spices are best bought not at regular supermarkets but at markets (Wochenmarkt): not only are they cheaper, but also tastier. The price is lower if you buy several kilograms at once. If you come to the market closer to closing time, prices will be one and a half to two times lower.
Useful habits
Buying food only once a week saves both money and time. Pay attention to the price per 100 grams or 1 kilogram – it is indicated on labels in supermarkets in smaller print: an initially attractive purchase may turn out to be unprofitable.
For those who are still not well oriented in prices, it is useful to record expenses: what you bought in the first week and how much it all cost. This will help plan expenses.
Eat at the cafeteria
The cafeteria is an important place for socializing. In student cafeterias (Mensa), prices are very affordable, and in some company cafeterias (Casino), interns get discounts. You can choose lunch for any budget, from 60 cents for a bowl of soup to 5-6 euros for a set of soup+salad+main course+drink.
If you bring your own food, no one will kick you out. Cafeterias have microwaves: heat up your own – and join colleagues.
Return bottles and get money for them
The cost of a bottle of water, cola, or beer almost always includes a deposit (Pfand) that can be refunded if you return the bottle to a special machine at the supermarket – for recycling. For one empty can or bottle, you can get from 8 to 25 cents (depending on material and shape), and the bottle will have "Mehrwegflasche" or "Einwegpfand" written on it. The same system often applies in bars – so don't forget to return your glass.
And what to cook in?
What if the dormitory doesn't have shared dishes? Spending on pots and pans is pointless if the trip is short, so it's better to borrow them from neighbors. Look for inexpensive plates and cutlery at Ikea, online, or at Saturday and Sunday flea markets (Flohmarkt). If you have many moves ahead, choose plastic dishes. Find the cheapest lunch boxes at discounters. Or you can even replace them with a plastic yogurt container.
How to get food for free
"Food savers" who collect edible but unsold products from stores, cafes, and bakeries have their own website – Foodsharing.de. After registration, you can get food for free that participants of the movement post on the online platform: food savers themselves and ordinary citizens who share unused products. Follow the offers on the map and find the ones closest to you. You can join the project and become a food saver yourself by passing a test on the rules (if you fail three attempts, the fourth is only after a month) and "saving food" three times under the guidance of a curator.
Free apples, cherries, chestnuts, or nuts are easy to find on the online map Mundraub.org: it marks publicly accessible places with fruit trees.