Purchasing food is a necessary expense but it can get out of hand if you don’t stick to a budget. While dining out is expensive, buying groceries can be almost just as pricey.
About two years ago, I got serious about budgeting and decided to stop dining out as much, start bringing my lunch to work, and cut my grocery bill. It was interesting to make so many changes, because I couldn’t fall back on buying pricey food at the grocery store just because I committed to dining out less (which would have defeated the purpose actually).
I got my grocery budget down to $300 per month and this included food for work lunches. Once you lower your grocery bill, you can do so much more with your money. Here’s how I pulled it off and stuck to it for 2 years and counting.
Make a Grocery List and Meal Plan
Lowering your grocery bill starts with simple steps like planning out your meals and the food you’ll eat. We usually rotate between our favorite meals and snacks every two weeks and I never go shopping without a list.
When I used to go shopping without a list, it took me twice as long to find what I was looking for in the store and I was tempted to purchase more/pricier food because I didn’t have any guidance.
I am always looking at new recipes online and I love Buzzfeed’s Tasty videos for inspiration. I try to plan out dinners for most nights and grab some of our favorite foods for breakfast and lunch.
Shop Less
My family only heads to the grocery store twice a month meaning we shop for two weeks. We like it this way because no one likes grocery shopping and it’s less temptation for us to go off budget.
Since we only go to the store every other week, we only have to deal with the risk of making impulse purchases twice a month so it’s very manageable.
Shop Sales
It’s important to know which stores have certain sales so you can take advantage of them. I look through sales ads that come in the mail to see what items are being promoted before I plan a shopping trip.
I also know which stores have regular sales like the 10 cent produce sale at a local grocery store. I don’t buy everything that’s on sale because sometimes it’s not the best quality but I do shop enough sales for it to keep my grocery budget under control.
Cook Fresh and Whole Food
Being able to cook your own food is a must if you want to lower your grocery bill. It’s important to buy fresh and whole food not only for your health but for your budget as well because it’s often more affordable than processed food or already prepared dinners.
Like I said, I wasn’t always the best cook, but I enjoy watching recipe videos online and try my hand and cooking different types of food regularly. My cooking skills have been progressing as a result and my family enjoys the variety.
If you enforce these other tips, you might even have enough wiggle room in your budget to purchase organic produce and food if that’s what you want.
I’m all about maintaining quality while lowering expenses.
What does your grocery budget look like? How do you keep food expenses manageable?
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