The average UK household spends over £100 a month on takeaways — and if you're ordering through Deliveroo, Uber Eats, or Just Eat, it's probably more than you think. That Friday night curry or lazy Sunday pizza adds up fast. But this isn't about guilt-tripping you into never ordering again. Takeaways are one of life's small pleasures. The goal is to enjoy them without wrecking your budget. Track your food spending and savings goals with the SYM app.
Track What You're Actually Spending
Most people massively underestimate their takeaway spend. Open your bank statement and add up every Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats, McDonald's, and Domino's transaction from last month. Include the delivery fees and tips. The total will probably shock you. That awareness alone changes behaviour — when you know a £15 order actually costs £21 after fees, service charges, and the sneaky add-ons, you start making different choices. Use the SYM app to categorise and track your food spending automatically.
Set a Takeaway Budget, Not a Ban
Going cold turkey on takeaways rarely works — you'll last two weeks then binge-order £40 worth of Chinese on a bad day. Instead, set a realistic monthly takeaway budget. If you're currently spending £120, try £60 for the first month. That's still one nice takeaway a week or two smaller ones. Put the budget in a separate pot or account on payday. When it's gone, it's gone. You'll naturally start being more intentional about when and what you order.
Order Direct and Skip the Apps
Delivery apps charge restaurants 15-35% commission, and they pass some of that cost to you through higher menu prices. The same meal ordered directly from the restaurant — by phone or their own website — is often 15-20% cheaper. Many local takeaways have their own ordering systems or give discounts for collection. You'll also avoid the £2-4 delivery fee and any surge pricing. Yes, it means picking up the phone or walking five minutes. But saving £5-8 per order adds up to over £200 a year.
- Check if the restaurant has their own website or app
- Call to order — many places offer phone-only deals
- Collect instead of delivery to save £2-4 per order
- Ask about loyalty cards or repeat-order discounts
Master the Fakeaway
A fakeaway is a homemade version of your favourite takeaway meal. A chicken tikka masala from scratch costs about £3-4 for two people vs £20-25 delivered. A homemade pizza with shop-bought dough is £2-3 vs £15+. You don't need to be a chef — YouTube has thousands of easy fakeaway recipes. Make it an event: put on music, cook together, eat on the sofa. You get the same Friday-night feeling at a fraction of the price. Batch cook your favourite fakeaway and freeze portions for nights when you'd normally reach for the app.
Use Deals and Timing to Your Advantage
If you are going to use the apps, be strategic about it. Most apps run rotating offers — 25% off, free delivery, or buy-one-get-one deals. Check the offers section before ordering rather than browsing the full menu. Too Good To Go sells surprise bags from restaurants at the end of service for a third of the price. Many local pizza chains do two-for-Tuesday or midweek deals. And never order during peak surge times (Friday 7-9 PM) when delivery fees spike. A Tuesday takeaway costs significantly less than a Saturday one.
- Check Too Good To Go for discounted restaurant meals
- Order midweek to avoid Friday/Saturday surge pricing
- Use cashback sites (TopCashback, Quidco) for app orders
- Stack discount codes — check HotUKDeals before ordering
- Share larger portions between two meals
The Takeaway Swap Challenge
Try this for a month: every time you want to order a takeaway, check your balance first and transfer half of what you would have spent into savings instead. Then decide if you still want to order. If you'd normally spend £20, move £10 to savings and order a smaller meal — or skip it entirely and save the full £20. Over a month of 4-5 orders, that's £40-100 redirected to your savings goals without any drastic lifestyle change. Track the challenge in the SYM app and watch your savings grow from meals you barely missed.
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