At this point in your life, it’s probably not a bad idea to pick up some tips for planning a grocery budget. Unless money is no object to you, it’s safe to assume that you at least juggle the notion of a grocery shopping budget in your head constantly. You try to save at the grocery store. You keep a rough estimate in your head of how much you would ultimately like to spend.
Unfortunately, each and every month, you find yourself spending way more than you’re comfortable with. The only solution is to take the subject of a budget seriously. To that end, you’re going to want to develop an actionable plan. Thankfully, this is easier to implement than you probably suspect.
How to Plan a Grocery Budget
Grocery shopping is a weird mix of science and art. You have to be vigilant, and you have to savvy. Here are some things you can do to create a grocery budget you can actually rely on:
- Track what you spend for the month: Before you build a budget, you need to know what you’re dealing with. Break down everything with an itemized list (drinks, produce, meats, and so forth), and include how much you spend on eating out, drinks on the run, and everything else you think might be relevant.
- Budget for a month, but plan for the week: Create a grocery budget that’s designed to last for the month. At the same time, create a meal plan for the week.
- Come up with a list of essentials: Build this list with the understanding that if you get one thing, then you can’t get another thing. When you know what’s essential, you know what you can realistically cut from your shopping list, as your budget gets tighter towards the end of the month.
- Stop eating out: Save it for special occasions. Do not eat out as an excuse to avoid cooking.
- Build your budget around variety: A good way to avoid the temptation to eat out is to create a grocery budget that emphasizes variety.
- Put a list on the fridge: When you run out of or get low on something, jot it down on the fridge. This can help you to develop a great sense of essentials.
- Enjoy leftovers: Build meals that will leave you wanting the leftovers.
- Only use coupons you need: Stick to coupons that reflect your budget.
These are easy grocery budget tips you can keep in mind.