How Can I Design a Grocery Budget?
With everything that goes into managing a household, arguably one of the most important factors is grocery shopping. Hand in hand with grocery shopping comes the grocery budget. Particularly during tough economic times with food prices constantly rising, designing a grocery budget can feel like a delicate dance between purchasing nourishing food for you and your family and going broke. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2022 saw an increase of 11.4% in the cost of groceries. That is a staggering increase, especially considering the average consumer’s income did not rise proportionately.
This increase, primarily due to inflation, can be especially devastating for low-income shoppers, who typically spend around 30% of their entire income on food. If you are looking for smart and savvy ways to create a grocery budget that works for you and your family, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn about a few simple changes that you can make to your daily routine that will help you stay on track.
Track Trends
One of the first tips out there is to make sure you do your research. By staying abreast of current food trends and prices, you empower yourself to be a smart consumer. Consider using price comparison apps such as Flipp, ShopSavvy, or Grocery Pal. These apps allow you to scan barcodes and compare prices across different stores.
Shop Seasonal Food
In general, seasonal produce is more affordable than buying the same produce during the off-season. Consider investing in a seasonal cookbook, to help give you some yummy ideas for dishes to make that take advantage of seasonal produce. Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons, Kathryn Pauline’s A Dish for All Seasons, and Mary Berg’s Well Seasoned are just a few examples of great titles to explore.
Avoid Eating Out
A parent nagging you, “We have food at home!” is a tale as old as time – and with good reason. Just as the cost of groceries has gone up, fast food prices also increased 6.2% over the past year. This cost is jarring, especially when you consider that when eating out, that cost increase applies per meal. Not only does eating out lead to a higher cost per meal, but if you go to a sit-down restaurant, you will also need to consider service charges and paying tips. In addition, the cost of beverages – especially alcoholic beverages – are much higher at home. If you do want to eat out to celebrate a special occasion, consider having a cocktail at home before eating at a restaurant and drinking water while at the restaurant. Furthermore, restaurants want your business! Those seemingly good weekly specials and pictures of tantalizing food on the menu are not there by accident! When dining out, the temptation for impulse spending is much higher.
Plan your Meals
Oftentimes, consumers do not have the intention of eating out. But after a long day at work, the idea of going home and making dinner can seem daunting. One workaround to this is to stay organized and plan your meals. Making sure you have the ingredients on hand for easy, delicious suppers that you and your family enjoy can make eating at home seem like a treat! In addition, make sure you are utilizing your leftovers! Did you make a chicken dish for dinner Monday night? Make sure you have some tortillas, cheese, and sour cream on hand, and you are well on your way to Taco Tuesday! By cooking main meats and dishes that can be easily repurposed throughout the week, you will find yourself happily eating in your own kitchen!
Keep a Fridge Grocery List
Duplicate purchasing and multiple trips to the grocery store are a slippery slope for your budget! By keeping track of what you need (and, just as importantly- what you don’t need) can be a great way to stay organized in a cost-efficient manner.
Consider Buying in Bulk
Take inventory of the items that you purchase most frequently and consistently. Does your family of five seem to be eating toilet paper for breakfast? Do your kids drink Gatorade like it is going out of style? Consider purchasing these items in bulk! Stores such as Sam’s Club, Walmart, and Costco allow you to purchase items in bulk. Buying in bulk is cheaper per unit. A great example of this comes from an article by U.S. News that states, “If you save 10 cents on something you use daily, that’s $36.50 in savings per year.” Little changes add up to big savings!
Conclusion- There are Plenty of Tips and Tricks for Designing a Grocery Budget
All in all, you have the power to make small changes that can add up! By considering some of these tips and tricks, you will find that designing – and sticking to – a grocery budget can be a breeze! However, if you still can’t get all that you need within your budget, and you’ve applied for assistance and aid to no avail, consider some sort of short term loan, such as title loans, to help you get what you need.