ABC’s of Budgeting for Groceries
About two weeks ago, I got wind that a grocery store in my area was closing. I was incredibly excited about this, and didn’t run out to the store once, but three times. Everything in the store was half off, and every time I went, I found more stuff that I needed for my pantry or my freezer. It was my month for a “big grocery trip,” and this fit in perfectly. I spent around $100 and got $200+ in groceries. I think I made out pretty well, don’t you?
Budgeting for groceries can be a pain, but if you follow these simple ABC’s, your food budget won’t take a huge bite out of your bank account.
As always, find an average. Let me tell you, when I started living alone, food was the most difficult part of my budget to set up. I’ve lived alone for almost 2 years now, and I’ve finally got a foothold on about how much I need. I now spend around $50 a month on groceries, and every 3-4 months I do a $100+ trip to restock on essentials.
Buy stuff on sale. One of the things I was most excited to find on my trip to the grocery store that was shutting down was taco seasoning. I make Tex-Mex dishes a lot, and to find two of the canisters of taco seasoning for half price made me incredibly excited. If you have the space to keep some extra, buy extra! I now have enough taco seasoning to last me a long, long while. And, along with this, keep an eye out for coupons. Those crazy couponers have a point in what they do; they save thousands of dollars a year by taking the time to dig out coupons and sales.
Compare prices. Many grocery stores have their fliers available online for you to look at. I will sit and look at the fliers for three stores near my home. I still go to Giant most often, but sometimes there will be an awesome deal at one of the other stores that I just can’t beat, so I’ll run out there just for that item. It sounds crazy, but I’ve saved a lot of money this way.
Don’t be an impulse buyer. Always have a list. If I don’t have a list, I end up buying things that I never intended on buying in the first place. Now, don’t be like me and make a list, then proceed to leave the list on a desk. Sadly, I do this a lot, and the purpose of the list has been defeated. Make a list, take a list, follow the list and you’ll come out with what you needed and nothing more. This is also why you should look for sales beforehand; then you aren’t caught offguard when you see one of your favorite items on sale and have to buy it at that price.
So, that’s it. Some handy ABC’s for you to create and stick to a grocery budget. Have a great weekend, and as always, spend smart, save smart!
