New data from UK credit broker, Little-Loans, surveyed 2,000 nationally representative Brits to investigate how much we’re willing to pay for convenience regarding takeaways.
The research uncovered that the average Brit would walk 14.3 minutes at most to dodge takeaway delivery charges.
Three in four refuse to journey further than just 20 minutes to collect their food, despite the fact this could burn a good 70–100 calories and save around £3 per order.
A quarter of all Brits would only walk up to ten minutes total to avoid incurring delivery fees- that means only 25% of the nation would be willing to walk to a takeaway only five minutes away to save money.
The survey found that even those who were walking the furthest still weren’t walking far. Gen-Z is the most willing to trek for their takeaway, but even then, for an average of 16.6 minutes max.
Londoners are willing to walk the furthest than any other region in the UK, on average for 15.9 minutes, even though central areas of London boast the highest frequency of takeaways.
Commenting on the data, a personal finance expert at Little-Loans, Dan Whittaker, said: ‘It is interesting to see how little Brits are willing to walk to save money. Not only does walking to collect your food benefit your body, but also your bank account. Saving three pounds here and there on delivery can add up, and before you know it, you’ll have saved significantly.’
We all deserve a treat from time to time, but spending a premium on takeaways each week adds up fast. Why not try making your own ‘fakeaway’ at home to cut costs and learn a new recipe?.
Here are some tips on how to save money by making the best possible ‘fakeaway’ at home:
Look for bargain supermarket replicas
Supermarkets know that Brits want to save money on their takeaway dinners but still enjoy the comforts of takeaway food. Nowadays, every leading supermarket chain stocks its versions of takeaway deals meaning that you can still treat yourself to a quick and tasty tea without breaking the bank.
For example, Sainsbury’s offers a Chinese Takeaway Selection where you can get two Chinese takeaway classic dishes and three sides for only £8 when it’s likely that your local would cost triple. Likewise, Asda offers up their version of a Thai feast for only £7.50 with two mains and two sides to share.
Mix and match your fakeaway
Having a fakeaway is fantastic for the money-conscious and the health-conscious, but it may not quite satisfy your desire for a treat. To cut down on spending and prioritise your health, why not base your fakeaway around one real treat from a takeaway and supply the rest yourself? You could buy one main dish from an Indian takeaway and then supply rice, sundries and sauces yourself – keeping in check with your budget and balance.
Presentation is key
If your mind is enjoying your food, so will your mouth. Even if you aren’t buying from a takeaway, there’s no reason your food shouldn’t look like it’s of restaurant quality. For instance, if you were making an ice cream sundae at home, Amazon offers you the chance to present it as restaurant quality by purchasing replica dessert glasses and long spoons, which you can keep and reuse again and again.
Scour the frozen section
Supermarkets don’t just offer replicas of bulk takeaway orders; their frozen sections are always stocked full of cheap and easy cook-at-home party foods- many of which are almost identical to what you can get from a takeaway. The likes of Tesco offer party foods galore, such as tempura prawns, onion rings and mozzarella sticks, with no preparations, needed other than a hot oven.
Look for branded alternatives
Most independent ‘fakeaway’ style brands aim to provide customers with cheap yet delicious replicas of their favourite takeaways that they can make at home. Take Snacksters, for example, and they offer close replicas of McDonald’s style products, which act as a thrifty alternative and are available to buy alongside your weekly food shop from retailers such as Tesco. Likewise, Brew City is stocked in various supermarket chains and offers the experience of ‘bar food’ and takeout snacks as a healthier at-home alternative.
Customise your food
You can add simple touches to your home-cooked meals to give them the feeling and flavour experience of a takeaway. A top tip is to add extra cheese to your standard supermarket pizza, as they can be stingy with their offering, unlike takeaway alternatives such as Domino’s.
Customising your homemade meals with seasonings can transform them into far tastier dishes. Schwartz sells many different spice packages, perfect for replicating world cuisine at home.
Seek out restaurant recipes
Most of your favourite restaurants and places to buy takeout food will have a website, and with the growing popularity of fakeaway hacks, many of them now provide their takes on how to make their food at home.
Notably, Nando’s website has an extensive and detailed page of recipes that show step-by-step how to replicate some of their famous dishes at home.
Little-Loans have conducted the survey data to determine how much Brits are willing to spend on convenience and want to encourage takeaway fans to get moving to save on delivery fees.
