Behind this pseudonym is Minke van Kuijen (38), who has been sharing her best savings tips for the supermarket for years and has made it her profession. She also wrote a book, Get the most out of your money , which will be in stores from Wednesday. “My friends called me Stingy Gerda when I pointed out where detergent is the cheapest. Since 2017 I also share the tips via social media.”
Until last summer, she often received laughable reactions, she says. “For example, when I wrote that people should really check their receipts, many people ridiculed that. Who has time for that now? But that has changed since the summer. Groceries have become expensive, so many more people want to save money.”
Price per gram
Van Kuijen himself approaches this quite mathematically. “I always look at the price per piece, gram or liter to calculate what something really costs. For example, it is no longer always the case that the private label is the cheapest. An A-brand on offer is now often cheaper. Same with supermarkets. Aldi is still known as a cheap supermarket, but from my tests they often come out as one of the most expensive. Also, not every offer is a good one, and value packs are not always really cheap.”
For example, an offer such as 1+2 free sounds like a very good deal, but it is not always that, says Van Kuijen. “Keep calculating, and look beyond just the supermarket. It is good for food, but for personal care products it is usually better to go to the drugstore, even if there is a promotion that seems very good.”
Very occasionally there are even promotions that give you money, or free products. “For example, you get a voucher of 5 euros for a webshop when you buy two promotional products. If you choose two cheap toothbrushes, for example, you even save money. But in the brochure there are of course expensive products with such a promotion, so you really have to pay attention.”
But if there are good offers, then it’s time to strike, says Van Kuijen, who herself has calculated rock-bottom prices for her favorite products. Those who pay attention can make huge savings, she says. “Recently I saw a woman in the supermarket buying two packs of Lassie rice, without an offer. I really don’t get that. Fine if you absolutely want Lassie, but buy it next week when the second pack is free. Even if I were a millionaire, I wouldn’t pay full price for premium brands.”
They are often routines that cost you dearly. “Always buy De Ruijter sprinkles, for example. Fine if you really like it better, but maybe the house brand tastes just as good.” And pay attention to the season when it comes to fruit and vegetables, she advises. “People were very angry in the winter because the cucumbers cost 1.19 euros, but they were the same in previous winters. It’s just not cucumber time yet! In the summer they will really be 50 cents again, or maybe 30.”
Dining out
What Van Kuijen does not save on is going out for a nice meal. “Eating in a cheaper place can also be very nice, but often I have the idea that I can make it myself. I can really enjoy eating in a good restaurant, so that may also cost something.” After all, it is not about always spending as little money as possible, she says. “Spend money on things that make you happy, and save on the rest.”