Grocery days usually equated to high stress days for me. It was so easy for me to overspend on groceries, and food in general, if I didn’t start with a plan. Grocery bills can add up rather quickly. The usual recommendation for a food budget is 10-15% of your monthly take home pay. I recently read that the average cost of food per person per month is $165 to $345. I’m pretty sure many of us go over that.
There are many ways to cut down the cost of your groceries without actually cutting down how much you eat.
Make a List
I always start with a shopping list. I gradually add items to my list, over the course of the week: things I’m running low on, things I need (and a few that I really, really want..like ice cream).
Take Stock
It is so easy to to forget what you have at the back of your cupboard or pantry and then you end up with multiples of the same thing. I try to avoid that by taking stock of what I already have. It may seem like a daunting task, but I figured if I feel like the items are too many for me to log then it means I have too many items.
Be sure to regularly check the expiry dates of your non-perishables. I do a monthly check especially of the “emergency” stock of canned goods.
Discounts
If you do your shopping in grocery stores, check to see if they have apps. Many of them have deals and coupons you could look up while preparing your grocery list. A few also have rewards programs (not credit card based) where you build up points and get discounts based on those points.
I have found that buying local and in season produce is cheaper than buying out of season or imported. I’m sure it is a no-brainer for many but it was something I had to get used to. For many expats whose favorite fruits and vegetables are imported, there may be some adjustments to be made., leading to discovering and growing to like some new foods in the process.
I occasionally treat myself when I budget for it.
Meal Prep
I am a huge proponent of meal prepping for many reasons, one of them being that it is a huge money saver. I usually shop with the meals I’m going to prep for the week in mind. So it is easy to not overspend or end up with items I don’t use.
I also find it easier to cook some of my meals in bulk, like soups and stews, and freeze them in weekly batches. I love to cook but I do not enjoy cooking all the time. Having food that can be ready in minutes prevents me from ordering out all the time. After all it would be quicker (and obviously cheaper) to just warm something up instead of waiting 30 minutes to an hour for food to be delivered.
Find what works best for you, and don’t stress too much about being perfect. Start with a budget and move from there.
What other tips do you use to save time, money and your sanity when grocery shopping?
I do zero grocery shopping. Normally if I want specific foods, I just buy the meal to satisfy my craving and I’m done. Otherwise, we cut out most meat and have saved a lot.
You’re right Sherry. A huge part of my grocery budget goes towards meat, even though I look for deals and discounts. I’m going to try to incorporate more vegetarian dishes.
A Diva and her Budget this is a great read! Super helpful tips on how to win with the grocery list. I now make a line item list of 1-8 grocery items what I need for the next 15days (each pay period) and give myself grace for 2 additional grocery items; totaling 10 items on my grocery list. When I list my 8 grocery items and 2 additional I give myself a sense sporadic surprise to purchase only 2 more items that was not on my list but within the budget. It’s a routine with a little room to splurge on only 2 items while staying on budget. Ha!lol
I love this ! 🙂