It’s no secret that food costs can add up quickly. Whether you’re feeding yourself or a family, the grocery bill can take a big chunk out of your budget. But it doesn’t have to be that way! With a little bit of planning and effort, you can easily reduce your food costs without making any major changes to the way you eat. Here’s how:
Choose Your Starting Day and What is Included
Before you can stick to your budget, you need to know exactly how much you have to spend, and for what length of time. This is when it helps to choose what day it starts and ends. When do you usually grocery shop? If it is on Sunday, decide if your weeks start on Sundays, so that you know if you buy groceries today, it counts towards your food budget for this next week through Saturday.
What is included in your food budget? Is it just groceries or does it include ordering takeout and delivery as well? Are you including coffee you buy at Starbucks during the week or snacks you get at the gas station?
Track Every Dollar You Spend
Every single dollar you spend on food should be tracked. In fact, if you haven’t created your food budget yet, this is a good place to start. It is really easy to spend more than you intended to on food, especially with impulse purchases while shopping for other things.
It is important to keep track of everything you buy as far as food and groceries go, and tweak your budget if you need to based on this information. You may find that you need to adjust how much you’re allocating for food each week based on your actual spending habits.
Meal Plan with Food You Already Have
To save money and spend less within your food budget, always start by building meals with ingredients you already have. Check your canned food and determine if it goes with any healthy meals you can make, check your seasonings cabinet, and look at what is in your freezer that is still good.
Additionally, you should make an inventory of what you have before leaving for the store. This will help you to avoid duplicates and save money. A simple idea of what you have on hand can help to guide your meal planning and reduce what you spend at the store.
Consider Food That Stretches Farther
Some foods tend to stretch a little farther than others, being used for multiple meals. These are the foods to consider adding to the rotation. For example, a bag of potatoes is inexpensive and goes a long way. Potatoes can be cooked in dozens of different ways and used for so many meals. Plus, they last a few weeks before going bad, so it is a great ingredient to purchase for healthy, inexpensive meals.
Another great example is rice. A single bag of rice can be used for stir-fries, as a side dish, or in soups. Beans are also very versatile and can easily be added to a number of different dishes throughout the week.
Never Go Grocery Shopping Hungry
If you want to stick to your food budget, it is important that you never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry. It is one of the worst things you can do if you’re trying to save money. When you’re hungry, everything looks good and you’re more likely to make impulse purchases.
If you can, eat a healthy snack or meal before heading to the store. This will help to keep you from buying things you don’t need. If you do get hungry while shopping, resist the temptation to buy something on a whim and wait until you get home to eat.
Make a List and Stick to It
In order to stick to your food budget, you need to make a list of everything you need before leaving for the store, and then stick to it. It is so easy to go off course when grocery shopping, especially if you’re tired or hungry. Having a list helps to keep you on track and only buy what you need and avoid impulsive purchases.
If you can’t stick to your list, it may be time to reevaluate your budget and see where you can cut back. It is also a good idea to shop at different stores to find the best deals on the items you need. Compare prices and don’t be afraid to switch up where you usually shop if it means saving money.
Have No-Spend Days or Weekends
An easy way to cut back on spending is to have no-spend days or entire weekends. Choose a day of the week where you won’t spend any money, except on necessities. For example, you may choose to spend Sundays at home and not go out to eat or buy anything.
You can make your no-spend days or weekends as strict or relaxed as you want. Just be sure that you’re not overindulging the rest of the week to make up for it. If you find that you’re spending too much money during the week, consider making every other day or weekend a no-spend day.
Conclusion
During those times when you need to stick to a food budget, these tips can help. Meal planning, knowing what you have on hand, and avoiding grocery store trips when you’re hungry are all key. Additionally, consider foods that will stretch further and make a list before heading to the store. Finally, have no-spend days or weekends to cut back on spending even more!
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