5 Simple Tips For Grocery Shopping On A Budget

In today’s economy, many people are being forced to go grocery shopping on a budget. And I’m no stranger to this practice either. In fact, for many years I was on a very tight budget in order to make sure my kids had everything they needed.

So today I wanted to share some of the tips I learned during my journey. In hopes that it can help another mother who might be going through the same thing.

Why You Might Need A Grocery Budget (With Examples)

First things first, let’s talk about why you should try to stick to a grocery budget! Because I believe that everyone should have one, even if they don’t “need” it. Simply because it can…

• Help you avoid excess, as well as food waste
• Assist you in saving money for your future, or even for large purchases you want to make in the future
• And give you more structure when it comes to your finances, so you know what to expect every month.

With all that said, the average grocery budgets for families are as follows (in the US)…

• Family Of Three – $287-764 per month
• Family Of Four – $567-1,296 per month
• Family Of Five – $922-1,488 per month
• Family Of Six – $1,126-1,546 per month

These are just the average amounts that families are spending on groceries at the moment, so of course, your budget could look a lot different. But I just thought I’d share those numbers for context and inspiration, if you are just now creating a budget in the first place.

Tips For Grocery Shopping On A Budget

#1 – Buy In Bulk When You Can

My first tip for grocery shopping on a budget is to buy in bulk whenever it’s possible. As long as the item you’re purchasing isn’t perishable, because the last thing you want is to waste food. So examples of things you could buy in bulk would be toilet paper, canned foods, meat (you’d need to freeze this), and even cleaning supplies!

And for those that are probably wondering how buying a lot of something could possibly help them save money… When I say “buy in bulk”, I’m mostly referring to choosing larger packages of something.

So with the toilet paper example… instead of buying a six-pack, you could buy a twelve pack and save money in the long run. Because although the twelve pack will cost more than the six pack in the moment, when you break the cost down per unit of toilet paper, you’d find that you’re getting a better deal.

#2 – Avoid Expensive Brands And Stores

Secondly, when grocery shopping on a budget, it’s usually beneficial to opt for stores that are known for having good deals. Such as Trader Joe’s, ALDI, Walmart, and Costco; rather than store chains like Erewhon Market.

And while you’re at it, it’s probably best to avoid name brand products and opt for store brands instead. At Walmart an example of this would be to choose Great Value potato chips instead of a bag of Lays.

In most cases the cheaper products will have roughly the same quality as the more expensive ones, and you don’t want to throw away good money just for a name. Especially if you don’t have a lot to spare at the moment.

#3 – Plan Ahead

The next tip can be implemented before you even go shopping, and it is to meal plan as much as you can. As this allows you really think through how much each meal is going to cost, and adjust your plans from the comfort of your own home if it seems like it’s going to be too expensive.

Back when I first starting meal planning it was a lot harder than it is now, because I had to estimate (and try to remember) approximately how much everything cost. But nowadays, you can easily go online and search for the prices of various items to confirm how much everything is going to cost.

And one final note that I have in terms of meal planning is that meals that can provide you with leftovers will be a massive help. Large pots of soup, casseroles, and roasts are a good example of this. Obviously the larger your family is, the less likely you’ll be to have leftovers. But even if you could squeeze a dinner and a lunch out of one dish, it’s a success.

#4 – Always Have A List

This tip is an extension of the last one, and it is to always head to the store with a list in hand. Because trust me, not only will it make the process of grocery shopping a lot easier… but it will also help you avoid grabbing extra ingredients and spending money you didn’t budget for.

Plus, if you bring your kids along when grocery shopping, having a list can be a failsafe to keep them from wanting a package of Oreos or some fun-looking fruit punch. Since you can dismiss it (and teach them a small lesson about budgeting) with “that’s not on the list”.

#5 – Try Using Coupons, Rewards, And Discounts

And my last tip for grocery shopping on a budget is to use coupons, find discounts, and cash-in rewards as often as you can.

Discounts are potentially the most straightforward of all these options. As, in many cases, you can notice discounts in the store while you’re shopping. And if you do get lucky and find a sale, refer back to the first tip I gave you and consider if you should buy in bulk.

Coupons can be found in many places if you know where to look, but one simple way to find them is to look on brand’s websites. Sometimes they’ll have coupons or discount codes listed there for you, and it doesn’t hurt to check.

Finally, a lot of grocery store chains actually have reward programs that you can use to save money over time. Some are free, and operate under a system where you buy a certain amount of things and earn a certain amount of points to redeem rewards with. And some come in the form of paid memberships that give you access to unique coupons and discounts.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this article, and learned a little something about shopping on a budget. And if you’d like to read more about parenting, taking care of a home, or managing family finances then please consider reading some of my other articles. Such as this one on creating a kids shopping list and using it to teach your child to grocery shop.