How to save money on your groceries by avoiding self-sabotage.
Grocery shopping is one of the best ways to save money on food. It's hard when you can have food from basically anywhere delivered to your doorstep. However, those fees add up and the money you save by making food at home is so worth the effort. Even if you grocery shop regularly to improve the amount of money you save, you're likely still self-sabotaging with some of these Weekly Grocery Budget problems that may affect you.
Here are 7 Ways You're Self-Sabotaging Your Weekly Grocery Budget:
- You buy too much
- You don't meal plan
- You ignore weekly deals and coupons
- You buy impulsively
- You forget your values
- You don't check the pantry
- You don't write it down
Keep reading for the details…
You Buy Too Much
One of the biggest struggles in grocery shopping is getting better value. More often than not you can buy items in greater quantities for less money. Sometimes it makes sense to go off of that cost per unit and try to get it as low as possible. However, in most cases, that's really not true. If you plan on using up your groceries before they expire, you should seriously consider whether there is any value to buying in bulk. Unless you have a very large family or tend to eat large quantities of the same thing for long stretches, bulk buying has a higher upfront cost without much benefit. You will likely throw some of it away.
You Don't Meal Plan
Meal planning is essential to have a workable budget. The more used to it you become the more effective you will be at keeping your grocery costs down and managing an efficient and workable budget. Meal planning gives you the tools to know what ingredients you need to buy for each meal during the week. It gives you an accurate view of what will get used before your next grocery run. A very good meal plan will keep the cost down to only a few dollars per meal for a couple or family. Meal Planning based on what you already have is an even better way to save money and avoid waste.
Pro tip: Click here to get the Meal Plan Printables Bundle
You Ignore the Weekly Deals and Coupons
Don't just grab a cart and start filling it. long before you get to the store you should incorporate your store's deals and promotions into your meal plan. Grocery stores usually have a weekly circular with special deals for the week. You can also gather up coupons in advance and make informed meal plans that take advantage of these offerings. Know what deals to go for and pounce when they arrive.
You Buy Impulsively
Stores like to tempt you with products on their end caps. They will even make it look like you are getting a deal. Another trick stores use is moving things around so you have to look for them again. The next time you go to the grocery store and the aisles are all rearranged, it's because they want to disorient you and cause you to look around so you are exposed to other products. Stay focused and don't get distracted with fun sounding treats, or unnecessary add-ons.
You Forget Your Values
Another way you are most likely self-sabotaging your grocery budget is by not making yourself aware of what things should cost. Make a note each time you shop of what the things you buy typically cost and why. You need to know when you see a price for something whether it is a bargain. If you don't know your values you won't know when is a good time to stock up on a product or when to pass on it altogether.
You Don't Check the Pantry
One more major way you might be sabotaging your weekly grocery budget is by failing to check the pantry or the refrigerator. Don't make the mistake of buying anything that you already have. It's crucial to check your existing groceries so that you don't let anything go to waste. It's also important to factor those things into your weekly meal plan. If you aren't checking what you have in your pantry, you are most likely wasting money twice: on the old stuff you'll have to throw out, and on the new stuff you wouldn't have needed to buy.
You Don't Write it Down
I'm shocked how often I go grocery shopping and not a single person has a list they are using. Writing down your shopping list is essential to staying on track to avoid spending more money on unnecessary things. If you have a list that you can stick to, especially if it takes advantage of the weekly deals, you will save a lot of money and finally stop sabotaging your weekly grocery budget.
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