When shopping for regular household items and groceries there are a few important things to keep in mind:
- buy healthy food
- buy quality over quantity
- buy what you need, not what you want
- stay within your budget
Here are some shopping guidelines I follow to help keep my spending in check.
- Make of list of groceries you will need for the week from the meal plan.
- Click here for tips on how to build a meal plan.
Monthly Meal Plan
- Click here for tips on how to build a meal plan.
- Shop your cupboards first and only put items you don’t have on hand on your grocery list. A friend of mine recently told me she saves over $100 per week since she started doing this. She buys for a family of four.
- Keep a “shopping list in progress” in your kitchen, maybe on the fridge. When you or someone in your family takes the last of something or you run out of an item during the week, put it on the list to pick up next week.
- Check the flyers for any of the items on your grocery list that are on sale. Depending on how much time you have, you may want to go to the store that has the most items from you list on sale, or you may want to go to a few stores to get the best prices.
- Caution – do not add things to your list that you don’t need just because they are on sale if it means you will go over your budget. “Nothing is cheap that we do not want.” – The American Frugal Housewife
- If your budget allows, stock up on non-perishables when they are on sale.
- Whenever possible, make food from scratch. Food made from scratch is almost always cheaper and more nutritious than food already prepared.
- Avoid processed food and freezer meals whenever possible. Although convenient, these are often high in salt and sugar content and they cost more. When it is necessary to purchase pre-made meals, be sure to check the nutritional labels so you can choose the most healthy option for your family.
- Save time and money by getting all your groceries for the week in one trip.
- Don’t go grocery shopping when you’re hungry or thirsty.
- Instead of buying pre-cut vegetables (carrots, broccoli, etc), wash and cut them yourself when you get home.
- Buy produce that is in season and on sale.
- Shop off your grocery list. Don’t impulse buy.
- Shop the perimeter of the store first – this is where you will find the healthier food choices – produce, bakery, meat, dairy. The processed foods are typically in the aisles.
- Only go down the aisles that have something you need.
- Resist the temptation to browse through the aisles – this will certainly fill up your cart and put you over budget.
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