Wow, guys! I was pretty overwhelmed with messages from people when I posted my Grocery Shopping On a Budget image over on Facebook a while ago. It got pretty darn intense in a short period of time. It turns out that, a lot of people think that my ability to eat healthily and eat plenty on a budget of $110.00 a week for a family of four is impossible – or dangerous.
I swear it is possible to grocery shop on a budget… even a super tight budget. I promisde it is not that difficult, and I am here to share with your how I manage it!
In case you missed it, this is the image I shared on Facebook. *Make sure you are following along with me over there!*
NOW! Before I dive into it – let me explain. This is for people who are ON THE EDGE FINANCIALLY! Yes! This is a tight budget. YES! You can still eat well. You just have to be very intentional with your meals – and you don’t always get to eat whatever you want. *Show the sails and not your desires*
If you are not living paycheck to paycheck or you are not having to decide between the electric bill and the water bill – you can add more to your grocery budget. I am not saying EVERYONE needs to adhere to this. *Full disclosure* Now years after writing this initial post our grocery budget is larger – but not by much. I have no desire to buy more than we really need. I have ZERO desire to toss out rotten food that we let go to waste.
Yes, you read that right. For our family of four, for 4 weeks we spend $440 or $110 every week. You can do it too! Last week I was able to buy a week’s worth of groceries for only $89.35!!
Grocery Budget: Basics.
Step 1.
Realize that you are not starting from zero every week. I bet if you go to your pantry, refrigerator, freezer at this very moment, you have food. There fillers, condiments, add-ons, and a lot more. So remember that you do not have to “stock” your house every week! Does this not cut it for you? Check out this post for more detailed information on how I make it work: Grocery Budget 101 – How much should your grocery budget be?
Step 2.
MEAL PLAN! Seriously. If you are not meal planning you are throwing money away. If you need help getting started meal planning check out this post: Meal Planning Made Easy! to grab your free meal planning printable. SHOP YOUR PANTRY FIRST! Do not waste any money buying items you already have at home. Every dollar counts here. Another thing to remember that you are not cooking or eating like it is a Sunday dinner at your Grandmas’s house every night of the week. It does not always need to be fancy or have 4 sides! Eat healthily and eat until your full. It can be simple!
Step 3.
Plan your meals around the deals! You cannot just write what you want to buy for the week, and hope to stay in budget. Look at the flyers, and make meals around what is currently on sale!
Limit the amount you buy. A wake-up call for me was limiting the amount of fruit I bought. I was tossing out so much rotten fruit, each week. We simply could not eat it all before it went bad. Remember you only have to buy for 7 days, before you get to buy more. So now I limit to 4 fruits a week. (Apples, Bananas, Grapes, and the fourth is whatever is a great deal, and looks good).
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Grocery Budget: How Do You Pay For It?
Step 4.
CASH! Even though I do no use the cash envelope system. I do, go to the ATM right before I head to the grocery store for the week. I do not take my debit card into the store, so I do not have the option to overspend. I have $110.00 on me, that that is it.
Step 5.
Shop at the best store to snag the best deals. I am an Aldi’s girl. Through and Through. The amount of money I am able to save there is insane. In fact, I thought I would share the specifics of what I was able to buy last week, for only $89.35. *I am not joking!*
Bottom Round Roast 2.5 pounds
Bottle Water
Grapes
Gala Apples
Ham
Chicken Tenderloins (2.68 pounds)
Smoked Sausage
Bacon
String Cheese
Italian Cheese
Butter (3 packs)
Bananas
Yellow Potatoes
Onions
Bread
Blueberries
Baby Wipes
Yogurt Raisins (3 packs)
Gold Fish (3 Packs)
2% Milk (2 Gallons)
Flour
Orange Juice
Pure Olive Oil
Yogurt
Honey Nut Cheerios
Large Eggs (Dozen)
Portabella Mushrooms
Total – $89.35
Grocery Budget: Stop Wasting Your Money!!
Step 6.
If you notice there were little to no items that were not food. That is because I get those for free, or pennies. I use coupons to snag those for next to nothing. I stock up on things like toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, etc. When I can get them for free or less than a dollar. Then when I need them, I go down into my basement and grab what we need. Learn how you can do it too: Couponing – You’re doing it wrong
You’ll also notice, that I did not have any veggies on the list above. That is because we (step 1) Had some leftover from the previous week that were still fresh, and I have a freezer full of vegetables. We have a vegetable with dinner, nearly every night.
It really is simple – and it really is doable! Make sure you check back soon – as I will be going in-depth with how I meal plan, how long it takes, and what I actually cook for our family!
Step 7:
Buy and eat foods that fill you up and give you energy. Stop buying the processed – pre-made – or sugary snacks. By buying food that are good for you 1) you will eat less (Because they actually fill you up) 2) You will feel better HEALTHIER!
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