The Statistics Office has told us that food inflation is back down to 3 percent. That doesn’t mean our food bills are lower – it just means they are rising less than before.

Price increases over the past two years have added hundreds of dollars a week to the average family’s bills, leaving Australians desperate to find new ways to save. And one of them may be right under our noses.

If you go to Bunnings or Chemist Warehouse every two weeks or once a month to buy household goods and medicines, you may be able to save money by buying your cleaning and toiletries there too.

I did a quick comparison of some products sold at both Coles and Bunnings/Chemist Warehouse and was surprised to find that the supermarket products were almost always more expensive.

The few exceptions were some supermarkets with 50 percent discounts, but even then the prices in that supermarket often ended up at about the same price as in the other two – and went back to full price after a week.

Here’s what I learned:

Can I save money at Bunnings?

Although Bunnings does not offer such large weekly discounts as supermarkets, everyday cleaning products are usually cheaper and the range is wider because the company is aimed at the professional cleaning market.

The caveat is that you have to buy larger pack sizes.

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For example, Sard Wonder Soaker costs $11 for 900g at Coles, while a container twice that size costs $10 at Bunnings.

A 52-pack of Fairy Platinum dishwasher tablets, in my opinion one of the most overpriced items in the supermarket, costs $46 – or $23 when they’re on sale for half price. But at Bunnings they’re always $24.

And I certainly don’t have to remind anyone that there are often sausages sizzling out there.

Can I save money when shopping at Chemist Warehouse?

Chemist Warehouse, like the supermarkets, offers some great half price specials and so follows the same ‘yo-yo discounting’ model, which can be a way to save but can also be annoying.

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The difference is that the catalogue is published every two weeks, so the 50% discount is valid for at least two weeks and sometimes longer.

For example, I found dental floss for almost half the supermarket price and electric toothbrush heads for about two-thirds the supermarket price.

Vitamin prices in the supermarket fluctuate almost weekly, as this fantastic plug-in for Google Chrome shows.

Chemist Warehouse also offers many discounts – but the discounts are valid for longer.

For example, 150 tablets of Blackmores Bio C 1000mg cost $49 at Coles and $24.50 on special offer – but at Chemist Warehouse you can get 180 tablets for just $20.

There are also some larger pack sizes than you would find in the supermarket, such as 100 Panadol for $15, which can help you save.

Coles vs Bunnings vs Chemist Warehouse: Direct Price Check

Aldi, Costco, Reject Shop: Save with supermarket alternatives

This is just the latest example of alternatives to the two major supermarkets.

Many thrifty shoppers already buy fruit and vegetables at markets or through “vegetable box” apps such as Box Divvy and Farmers Pick.

Another place where you can get cleaning products and toiletries at discounted prices is the “Reject Shop”.

Costco and Aldi are often cheaper than the big stores, and Amazon and Catch also offer some groceries.

Ultimately, it’s about the price of convenience: if you do all your shopping in one place or need goods delivered urgently, you’ll pay extra for the privilege.

Joel Gibson is the author of EASY MONEY and a regular guest on Yahoo Finance, TODAY, 2GB, 4BC and ABC Radio. He writes about saving money on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram