I get it. It’s so hard to walk into a grocery store and stick to your shopping list. It is so much easier to meander from isle to isle and grab what looks good off the shelf. But don’t do that! You will have so many regrets! Especially if you are shopping on a budget.
Here are tips to follow while grocery shopping… especially when shopping on a budget:
- Make a list. Making a list before you go shopping will save you a ton of time and stress. Go to the store knowing what you need, then get in and get out.
- Make coupons your best friend. I think coupons have been dumped by our generation. Use them… they are your friend. (Tip: do you shop at Target? They have an awesome Cartwheel app!)
- Don’t eat out. Think of what you would order if you went out, and buy those items to eat at home when you are craving them. It’s so much more expensive to eat out for every meal instead of meal prep and eat at your own house. Seriously, ordering pizza and going to the Chinese restaurant adds up! You can buy a pizza and bake it at your house much cheaper than ordering it. (And that doesn’t even count the delivery fee!)
- Plan your meals for the week before you shop. Don’t just buy random foods. You will almost always be missing a key ingredient when you go to cook something. Sit down and plan out what you are going to eat, and what snacks you want for the week before shopping.
- Shop smart. When shopping for items that aren’t food, (detergent, trash bags, deodorant), shop at a discount store! You will save money, I promise.
Extra Tip for after shopping: keep a list on your fridge of what foods you have available to eat. This will ensure that the food you bought won’t go to waste!