How much are you really spending on beverages?
The SA Rooibos Council has released figures showing how much consumers are currently paying per serving of their favourite drink based on average supermarket prices.
It’s that time of the year when many of us will be consuming lots of beverages to cool our bodies and keep hydrated as temperatures increase.
With December just around the corner, there will also be a lot of parties, get-togethers, and year-end functions. This means there will be lots of feasting and drinking.
Without realising it, we can end up spending hundreds if not thousands of Rands on beverages.
The below table released by SA Rooibos Council shows how much consumers are currently paying per serving of their favourite drink based on average supermarket prices:
Beverage / Price per cup or single serving (can/box/bottle)
Black tea / 20 - 45c
Rooibos tea / 40 - 60c
Kids Rooibos / 60 – 70c
Green tea / 35 - 65c
Earl Grey / 60 - 95c
Flavoured Rooibos/herbal tea / R1.30 – R1.60
Fruit infused tea / R1.20 - R3.30
Pure Instant Coffee / 85c – R1.50
Hot chocolate / R1.35 – R1.50
Bottled water / R5 – R8
Fruit juices / R5 – R10
Kids fruit juices / R7 – R10
Soft drinks / R5 – R13
Ready-to-drink iced tea / R10 – R13
Sports drinks / R10 – R15
Energy drinks / R12 – R15
Based on the figures above, here are smart ways to quench your thirst without spending lots of money this summer.
Tea
Tea is one of the most affordable beverages on the market and it’s full of health benefits.
You can use Rooibos to make iced tea, lollies or even party cocktails.
“All in all, tea is a good segment to explore, especially when your budget is tight, since there are an abundance of flavours on the market with new infusions being introduced every other month. It’s also a big part of South African culture and makes for an experiential affair, which suits everyone’s palates and pockets,” says Joe Swart, spokesperson for the SA Rooibos Council.
The below video shows how you can make Rooibos Lollies and Iced-tea.
Bottled water
Water helps to keep the body hydrated and is also good for digestion and circulation.
You can get purified water at a very low price if you bring your own bottle instead of buying water that’s already bottled. A lot of stores allow customers to bring their own bottles to get purified water and buying empty bottles won’t cost you as much.
You can also bottle water from your tap. This will save you a couple of hundred Rands in the long run.
The below video has great recipes for flavouring water.
Fruit juice
A single serving of fruit juice can cost anything between R5 and R10, and is cheaper and healthier than most fizzy drinks.
If you have a blender at home, you can even stock up on fruits and make your own fruit juice.
The video below has nice recipes for homemade fruit juice.