admin The grocery budget is one of the largest expenses in any family. Creating a grocery budget is key to keep your finances on track, and is something you can control. Budgeting on groceries is an art that can be learnt as long as there is willingness and commitment.
I myself sometimes struggle with the grocery budget, and there are times that I do go over budget. However, I don’t give up and continue working on improving. In today’s blog post am sharing some tips on how to budget for groceries and how to reduce your grocery budget.
1. Track how much you are spending
Start off by tracking for a whole month, how much you are currently spending on your groceries. Track everything from baked items to fresh produce to drinks. Once you have determined your current spending, reduce that by at least Eur100. If need be use the cash envelope system i.e. go grocery shopping with cash instead of debit card. You should budget approximately Eur150 per person per month therefore for a family of 4 the budget would be Eur600 per month or Eur150 per week. As you progress try and reduce it further. Currently my budget is Eur500 per month (we are a family of 4).
2. Budget per month
This is a matter of preference – some might prefer to budget per month others per week. Meal planning helps you keep on track of your budget. I meal plan for an entire month, however on a weekly basis I go through my menu and reassess accordingly. If you are buying your groceries for a month, then make sure you have a detailed grocery list, to avoid having to go back to grocery store – because that means spending more money.
3. Avoid eating out
I limit eating out / take out for once a week, it is not only beneficial for our health but also financially. Leave dining out for special occasions. It is tempting to just because you don’t feel like cooking to order take out or head out for dinner but you have to fight that back. Having quick meals on hand helps.
4. Vary your meals
Some people might be happy with eating the same thing day in day out, but honestly my family barely eats leftovers, let alone having the same thing everyday. Try and find budget friendly recipes, that your family loves and rotate accordingly. Add some variations to simple recipes, upgrade a boring sandwiches by adding some innovative ingredients. Check out my March meal plan for inspiration.
5. Know thy fridge and thy panty
Know what’s inside your fridge and pantry, so nothing goes wasted. Keep a list of what you are running low on, so when you go grocery shopping you have a complete list and avoid having to go again.
6. Stock up when the price is good
Whilst grocery shopping check out whether there are any offers and stock up on those. Notwithstanding, check other items not on sale, because sometimes they can have a better price. Be mindful of the expiry dates, as you don’t want to overstock and waste food. Stocking up, helps you extend your next shopping trip.
7. Shop within the store
Uh?!!! We all know that grocery stores have different brands, so make sure to check out the prices of all brands. It is likely that the store’s brand would be cheaper in price. Sometimes, we tend to stick to the same brand because we are used to it and not because we truly love the product.
Stores put at eye level those products that they want to promote. So look at the lower shelves, you might find some surprises. Cheaper in price does not necessarily mean cheaper in quality – check expiry dates, check ingredients, check quantity – if all is equal then go for the cheaper price. Give it a chance, if you don’t like it then revert to your old brand.
8. Enjoy your leftovers
Although my family does really enjoy leftovers, however on Monday night it’s normally a leftovers night. Sunday, I normally cook something that either will leave me with leftovers or else can be repurposed. For example whenever I make slowcooker stew, I always have extra sauce left, which then I use on Monday with some pasta.
Hope this blog post helps you to cut down on your grocery budget and put the money aside for something you love.
Love
Strugglingmum xxx
