How much do you spend on groceries?
Do your grocery bills feel significantly higher than just a few years ago? You’re not alone. Like seemingly everything these days, food is getting more expensive. So while professionals advise limiting your monthly grocery bill to $200 per person (so $800 for a family of four), that’s all too often easier said than done.
If you’ve been hoping to shave some dollars off of that monthly expense, consider these tips:
- Meal plan
When you know what your family will be eating ahead of time, it’s easier to buy food that will actually be eaten—and minimize food waste.
- Do smaller (but more frequent) grocery shops, if you can swing it.
While grocery shopping can be a pain, doing small shops more often increases your chances of eating what you buy—and limits the amount of produce destined to rot in your fridge. If time is a valued commodity, you may want to look into online grocery shopping options in your area—simply click on the items you want, and either arrange a time to swing by and pick them up or have them delivered.
- Decrease your meat intake.
This one can be difficult for those meat lovers among us—but you don’t have to go cold turkey (pun intended). Simply introducing a few vegetarian dinners into your weekly plan, or eliminating meat from lunches, can positively impact your grocery bill.
- Get creative.
Too often, we head to the grocery store for a full shop when there is plenty of food still in our fridges! If your pantry and freezer are well-stocked—with beans, lentils, pasta, frozen veggies, etc.—you likely have what you need to squeeze out a few more meals. Similarly, if produce is starting to turn, look up some recipes to use it up.
What cost-saving tips would you add to this list? I’d love to hear!
