How can i stop going over my grocery budget every two weeks?

Question

we get $360 dollars every two weeks for groceries for a family of 4 but i am always running out........and i need some tips......

i am vegan but my husband and two sons are not... one son leaves for college today so that should help some....

i do probably buy too much processed food instead of cooking enough.. i hate cooking meat......but sometimes i have to....

my kids are older so i can actually leave them at home...but they still ask for things like toaster strudels etc.....

so many great answers...i think i'll let the voters decide... thank you all!

Answer 1

I spend less than that in a month for a family of 6. I am talking about FOOD ONLY though. When I shop for food I don't try to get cleaning supplies, paper products, or anything else, just FOOD. Make out a menu for 14 meals(supper/dinner) What other meals do you need. are you cooking lunch and breakfast everyday?
After you decide what you are going to cook for those 2 weeks go to your cabinet/pantry/freezer and see what you allready have there for this menu.
Make a list of everything else you need for this 2 weeks. Don't get anything not on your list. Also, don't go shopping everyday do all of your shopping all on one day. If you go everyday you will spend more. Don't buy bulk unless you will use it before it spoils. If you are throwing it away even in bulk it's not a good buy. Use coupons, but only if it's for things you allready use. Watch the sale papers, buy what's on sale.
Shopping frugally does take time. I usually take about a week to make my lists and see what I have on hand to help. You just have to make lists and stick to...also as said before try to go shopping alone. This will save you a ton of money. I hope it helps.

Answer 2

First of all, it will make a HUGE difference in your bill if you stop buying prepared foods and buy just the ingredients for food you make from scratch. Try to cook from scratch more. There really is nothing to it.

Also, as someone already said, it's much easier to shop when you're full. And it's much easier to skip the highly adverti$ed marketed-to-kid$ $ugar foods when you don't have your kids with you begging for it. Leave them with a sitter.

Don't shop as frequently either. Meal plan and do your shopping once a week. Meal by meal or daily shopping or even every other day shopping will kill your budget.

Finally, where are you shopping? The corner market may offer the most convenience, but not the best prices. Go to a discount grocery for your big weekly trips and save the nearby store for the emergencies. Pick up a flyer at the front of the store and stock up on sale items with a long shelf life. You have a good sized budget. Making a few changes should maximize your buying power.

Answer 3

this is both persons and our dogs, Bud. I spend round $seventy 5 a week. some weeks a touch extra and some weeks really a lot less. I usually continuously purchase provided that an merchandise is on sale or if I have a chit. I end attempting fancy new products years in the past and stick with products i understand we can use. i do not purchase so a ways ahead on sparkling products purely so that they could flow to waste or freeze an excellent type of meat because we do purely not like maximum meat after this is been frozen. i look on the commercials of our community grocery shops yet all of them except Meijer require an additional force so I in ordinary words save there. this is extra accessible also in view that I artwork there section time. we've respectable expenses, good meat on the butcher counter, and the great produce round. Groceries and kinfolk products at the on the spot are not our significant precedence so a ways as what we may over spend in view that we both take diverse prescriptions. we've respectable RX coverage yet our co pay has gone up really plenty the most suitable few years and we ought to funds for that as well. We decrease back on getting into and out ordinary words do it once in awhile or for a particular day.

Answer 4

Stop buying junk food. Give each kid $10 and tell them that has to last 2 weeks for toaster strudels or candy or whatever. STICK TO IT. They whine, walk away. Stop buying the premium name brand stuff and buy the store brand instead. Stores don't make anything, they pay the premium brand guys to make it and slap the store's label on for them. Stock up on canned and dried goods on 1/2 price sales. Only buy the "sale items" in the store each week. No $10 a pound steaks, premade chicken, etc. Look for the orange "Manager's Special" stickers. The food is still good, just has to be sold in a day or two. So you save half and have to cook it by tomorrow...more money in your wallet..Figure out what you buy that gets thrown out and buy less or don't buy it unless it is requested. Get a slowcooker or pressure cooker. You can make cheaper cuts of meat or veggies into delicious soups and stews very economically. Stop eating out or buying take-out. You can eat all day on the price of a take-out dinner. Good luck!

Answer 5

1) make a list
2) dont shop when you're hungry
3) Make a price list. It is very helpful. Check out this link for printable price book http://organizedhome.com/content-73.html
This website has great tools.
4) shop for items in season.

Keep in mind that whole grains (such as brown rice and whole wheat pasta) is about the same price than preocessed grains (white rice) and is filled with much more nutrients and will feed/fill you better.

IWhen I do my groceries (about every 2 weeks) I go to 4 different stores, and save about $60 this way. Example: store #1 has a great deal on diapers, household paper products,and meat. Store #2 has a great deal on organic apple juice, cheese, and olives. And so on. The trick is to plan.

I also plan a menu for 2 weeks, so I know what to put on my grocery list, and I can use 1/2 a broccoli one day in a meal, and (for example) plan to use the second 1/2 the next day in another meal (instead of that other 1/2 getting waisted).

Answer 6

Cut out all soda, chips and prepared junk. This includes cookies, frozen waffles and kid stuff. My mother didn't buy junk food, but when I wanted a sugar fix I would mix a batch of cookies. I love being in the kitchen now.
Buy fresh veggies and fruit every 4-5 days. Wash and cut up raw veggies for the kids to snack on. Eat less meat and more bean and cheese based dishes. Pay attention to what you throw away. I keep buying $3 loaves of bread and always end up tossing half. Learn to make bread pudding...

Answer 7

well , if you arn't eating meat that is a start to reduce the shopping bill. dairy products are also expensive so consider vegan if you are not already. there are so many things that you buy that get eaten just after you get home, mabye it is better to reduce these. for examples treats are completly unnessary all the time. plan carefully what you will use, mabye find a better store, however be carefull for low quality products.
I think that it is very inportant to buget but mabye sometimes you must ajjust as the products get more expensive.
Also you could try to reduce eating junk foon(especially chocolate) it may seem cheap but it all adds up.

Good luck

Answer 8

That's not a lot.

-buy store brands on stuff as much as possible

-use store cards if they are offered by your store

-buy larger quantities of stuff you use all the time

-coupons. Yeah, I know--it is so 1950's. But you can really save money

-eliminate as much "convenience" food as possible. If you have pizza twice a week (for instance) go down to once a week. Or less!

-look online for frugal meal ideas. Spend the time to make up larger meals to freeze for later.

Good luck!

Answer 9

wow, there's lots of good advice here. I was going to say, don't buy boxed cereal, get oatmeal for porridge. Eggs are a cheap source of protien and if you can get them from the farmer, that's better. If you have a garden, you can grow zucchini and tomatoes and beans. That's what my sister lived on one summer when both of them were out of a job. You can make lemon juice from concentrate instead of buying orange juice, and buy hamburger instead of steaks. Buy chicken whole, not cut up.

Answer 10

yeah i knw how it is difficult to manage this. 1st prep list of the most imp things u hv buy , than list dwn other thngs which can be bought latter on n do note down other names which will be needed but in future. keep good eye in ur kitchen shelfs n fridge so than u knw exactly what is needed everytime. so next time when u go out for buying anything u'll be buying exactly the nec thngs only. try to prep good recipes home which ur kids love . inthis way u can save atleast few bucks. try this it works.......