How to Do Monthly Grocery with $100 Budget
Vegetables in a grocery store, Paris, France. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A lot of people struggle to earn a living for their family. The cost of living today is getting more and more expensive with each passing day. That is why budgeting has become a priority to many households.
Grocery bill is one of the many expenses you should budget to save money for other necessities. Reducing the cost of grocery might sound difficult, considering that it is all about food and other essential household supplies. What if you can only allot $100 for your grocery for the entire month? How are you going to do your grocery for $100 without sacrificing the needs of your family? Maybe it sounds challenging. But, there are simple tips you can do with a limited grocery budget.
- Make a grocery list – Before going to the supermarket, list down the grocery items you need. Take a look at your food storage, including refrigerator and cabinets, to check what you still have in-stock and what you should buy. For instance, you still have frozen meat in your freezer, try to estimate if it can last for the month or if you should buy smaller add-on. Be sure to include in your list how much/many of the items you need.
- Check out local sale and coupons – Be watchful on scheduled supermarket sales. You can do your grocery during sale days to take advantage of discounted and lower prices. This allows you to save money, or at times you can even enjoy free goods. The only thing you should endure during store sale is – lots and lots of people.
- Set a grocery day – There are many days in a month; but, most people do their grocery during weekends. Do you a day-off? Pick a day for your grocery shopping. On that day, buy all the things needed for the entire month. Make sure you have everything in your list to avoid going back to the store. Visiting the grocery store usually lead to impulse purchases. So, you should stick to your set day.
- Set a budget for perishable items – From your $100 budget, set aside a certain amount for goods that can last only for a few days. A month’s worth of perishable products cannot be purchased at once. You should never store food, such as ripe fruits, fresh vegetables, bread, fresh meat and milk longer since they will spoil easily. Divide your budget for perishable items into two or four, depending on how often you plan to buy these goods for the entire month. You can buy these items every week or every other week.
- Purchase items in bulk – A clever way to economize is by purchasing products in bulk or in large volume. Buy items that you always need in large amounts, such as rice, pasta, noodles and condiments. For household supplies, like tissue, shampoo and detergent soap, you can find them in pack. Purchasing in large amounts enables you to save a few dollars as compared to buying them in smaller quantity.
- Compare brands – Do not be afraid to compare prices from different brands. Get at least three brands of the items you need and check out which is cheaper. Look for local brands instead of imported brands. Local-made products are a lot cheaper than imported goods. However, you should check carefully the items with cheap prices to avoid substandard quality.
Budgeting the grocery bill is really a big challenge. That is why many people opt to look for reliable loan and other financial aids to help them in their monetary aspect. But, you can squeeze a $100 budget just to fit for the entire month. With most prices going up, being wise is a-must for every person and family to survive.
Ashley O’connor enjoys writing topics related to financial aspect. She loves to share simple ideas and tips about frugal living, saving money, financial assistance and budgeting to help people survive financial crisis. Follow her on Twitter at @AshleyOconnor82, Google+ or add her on Facebook.
Category: Budget
