Best Tips on Buying Food on Budget
Spending money on food should not be pushing your finances down. Even if you are trying to purchase Healthier and more expensive products it is not impossible to budget on those items either. Unfortunately, it starts with lack of awareness and a few tricks that we sometimes do not try because trying to make time to buy your groceries is hard enough. Saving money on groceries, such as monthly shopping is one of the best ways to start your savings. Try these steps next time you are ready to start budgeting.
- Make a list of things that you need before heading out to the store. Whether it be on paper or an APP.
- Try and pick out items that you know you can buy in bulk. With those items see what stores provide the best prices.
- When you are at the store, try and look for some non-perishable items, that you think you can cook on those lazy days. For example, I sure do love me some tomato soup, I try and get about 4 cans of soup or the best.
- Buying less non-packaged, easy-to-use, ready-to-eat items, and instead, have containers at home. Using them for storage helps save a lot of money, regularly.
- On the beginning of the week or if you like to purchase your items that day, look for items that are on sale, and cook around that. Sometimes it is okay to go to one store for your produce and another store for your meats.
- Using online shopping can benefit you with certain promos, and the convenience of not having to waste your time trying to pick out your groceries. Many stores will have a supported gas station where if you spend xxx amount in the store you can save up to $1 a gallon of gas.
The above tips are always useful if you are a small or medium household. For saving on food for bigger parties like offices and other organizations, they have a completely different mechanism of purchase. Something known as ‘Wholesale’ it is usually practiced in those cases, and they do not apply for personal savings.
Making Healthy Choices
Many think that healthy food costs more, and this is a myth that should go away. In the US, Journal of American Dietetic Association, researchers found that families who opted for a healthy diet plan, saved money on their food monthly expenses. They say by following a diet plan you already know what you are going to eat and what you need for the x amount of days. During that time, you will not be spending money on fast food or at restaurants. Instead of buying organic food, one can eat as per diets, and regular exercises help a lot.
Planning Ahead of Time
One thing that we mention again and again is planning your purchase ahead of time. In the past decades of shopping either at the mall or big markets, people just go shopping, without a lists and you end up leaving spending over hundred dollars more then you had originally planned. You only needed 3 items, but you see that candy bar and those awesome chips that are on sale and you leave with a big bag full of stuff. Unfortunately, this is human nature, and each visit you make it adds up quickly. I started to call Wal-Mart the $100 store because no matter what I go in there to get I always leave with spending $100 or more. So, planning can help you save significantly, but remember it comes down to discipline. Now it is okay to treat yourself every now and then but try not to do it every time.
Buy Seasonal Produce
There are several food items that are available only during certain times of the year. Such seasonal produce has reasonable prices, and basing your meals based on them can save you a lot of money. For example, buying corn in the summer months can cost you 10 cents an ear, while during other months it can cost 10 times more expensive. Seasonal vegetables, fruits can save you a lot on your meals, and hence in the monthly budget.
Coupons & Sales
The last thing as mentioned before; try is using coupons, discounts, offers, and stuff. However sometimes that product that you need is not on sale, you just must bite the bullet and take it at regular price. This is where planning ahead and keeping an eye on these offers, then you can make some savings. That is, you have to always be attentive, and keep looking. When the sales and coupons arrive keep them in a safe place or go that day to the respective store and buy it. It can happen at any time of the week, of the month. I highly suggest checking on the store website or use classified ads from the Sunday’s paper.
Summary
To sum it all up, saving on food is one of the best ways to keep your finances in the positive. Remember it is not that difficult, you have just got to have that want to motivation. We threw multiple different ideas your way however some might suit you better than the others. Give them all a try, starting with the fundamental ones first. That is, planning ahead of time, and buying exactly what you need.