Do you spend more than you want to at the grocery store each week? Is your budget completely blown?
Last week, I shared the top 15 ways to blow your grocery budget in my journey to a grocery budget of $60 a week for our family of 4. Thankfully, I have learned many tips to make this happen.
- Make a list. Track items you need as you run out of them.
- Set limits. Follow a grocery budget based on your family size and needs.
- Shop with cash. Shopping with cash prevents you from going over budget.
- Question sale and clearance prices. Look at the regular price to see how much of a discount you’re getting.
- Think about whether you need the item. Ask yourself if it is due to go on sale again before you’ll run out.
- Consider where you could get it cheaper. Shopping at more than one store is how you get the best prices on everything.
- Research and prepare beforehand. There are so many internet resources available with deal match-ups for every store.
- Eat before shopping. Hungry shoppers buy more than they came for, so eat a snack or meal before shopping.
- Leave the kids at home or be prepared to keep them occupied. Keep snacks, toys, and books on hand.
- Consider your options as you go through the store. Consider unit prices, brand options, or shelf positioning.
- Bring your coupons with you. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve saved inserts, clipped coupons, and LEFT THEM AT HOME!
- Compare brands, store location, or alternative products. Don’t grab the first option you see. Let me tell you that mayonnaise in the Hispanic aisle is more expensive than mayonnaise in the condiments aisle!
- Make a menu plan. Preparing a list of meals allows you to only shop for things to supplement what’s already in your pantry.
- Buy enough to last until the next sale. There has been a lot said about sales cycles, which usually last 6-12 weeks.
- Limit trips. This will allow you to be creative and see if you can do without something you think you need until your next grocery run.
These are good tips! I find it really hard to stay in my budget. Everything just looks so good when I’m at the store!
Great tips!! Yeah, I still have a hard time staying in my budget even though I use a cash system. I plan out my meals 2 weeks at a time, but often I’m trying new recipes and not using/looking what I already have at home. When I run out of cash near the end of the month, I will subtract that much from next month’s budget. It slow me down some, but I still go over a little…
any advice?
Betsy,
Thanks for your comment and encouragement. I would suggest that you change the way you make your grocery list. Take some time to make a list of everything you have in your cupboards, pantry, refrigerator, freezer, etc. What meals could you make? If you see some possibilities where you have 3 of the 4 items you would need to make something, just add the 4th item to your grocery list. Begin only purchasing the best deals each week and staples that you run out of. If you consistently do this every week (or every 2 weeks), you will find that you are spending less at the grocery store, because instead of buying 4 items for every recipe you want to make, you are only buying 1 (using the example I gave). In addition, you gain control over the prices you pay for items because you buy them when they are at their lowest. See these excellent resources:
http://lifeasmom.com/2011/06/eat-from-your-pantry-to-save-money.html
http://www.southernsavers.com/learn/#sales-cycle
http://www.livingwellspendingless.com/tag/thursday-shopping/
http://www.livingwellspendingless.com/tag/beginners-guide-to-coupons/
Happy Shopping & Saving!
Hi Raki!
Great tips! I just found your website and laughed so hard at your tips for NOT staying within you budget! I’m so bad at budgeting but I LOVE a good sale! How can that make sense! haha!
I’m looking forward to learning more tips from you! Keep em coming!
Thank YOU!
Mary