Slash my food budget? Well, a few months ago, this was not an issue for me. It’s not that I struggle to pay for food or that I live on a fixed budget. However, I am humbled knowing that many people (including friends and family members) struggle to feed themselves and their families.
So, what happened to change my mind? Well, I started focusing not just on how I spent my money, but also why I spent more on certain things. In fact, you can call it a financial awakening. Now, it’s more about stewardship, consuming less, and putting value on saving more and spending less. In other words, just because I make it doesn’t mean I have to spend it unwisely.
Fortunately, there were a few areas where I knew I overspend, and my food budget was at the top of the list. So, here are some tips that I recommend if you want to slash your food budget.
Tip 1: Stop Throwing Away Perfectly Good Food
I admit it. I throw away a lot of perfectly good food (long sigh with head hung low). Yes, I can hear you judging me over the internet, and yes, I am ashamed. Well, garbage day is Thursdays, and I hang my head in shame on Wednesday nights. You see, this is when I go through the refrigerator to throw out food that I no longer want, feel like eating, or that has just sat there staring at me every time I open the refrigerator.
Long sigh. I throw out unopened packs of salad greens, baby spinach, kale, cucumber and tomatoes. Why? Well, I really thought I was going to be good and eat more salads or drink more green smoothies. However, I didn’t feel like cutting them up and dragging the high-priced smoothie maker across the countertop. Hmm.
What’s the bottom line? I need to suck it up and stop wasting food. For sure, it can save me a lot of money and guilt.
Tip 2: Cook or Use Up the Food You Already Have at Home
We often decide what to eat based on how we feel. However, going on feelings and boredom are not smart when we’re trying to save money. As I said previously, I often waste perfectly good food because of my mood, feelings, and lack of motivation (i.e. laziness).
So, what’s the solution? Well, I recommend that you cook or use up the food that you already have at home. This will save you more money than you think. For example, I once made a New Year’s resolution to not go to the grocery store until I could see an empty refrigerator or pantry.
And guess what? I got very creative. By the end of the first week, I knew I could do it and had a lot of fun. Not only did I save about $150 that month, but I also lost a few pounds.
Tip 3: Ask Good Questions
First, decide on the week’s menu based on what is already on hand. Next, go through the pantry, cupboards, and refrigerator and ask these questions.
- Are there leftovers from the last day or two? If so, is there enough to make another meal? No? Then, what do you have that can go well with the leftovers?
- What needs to be used up now before it goes bad? For example, if you opened a jug of milk two days ago and there is still some left in the container, then it needs to be used up. So, go ahead and cook it with the oatmeal or porridge for tomorrow’s breakfast.
- Do you have unopened foods that are near the expiration date or a week or two past the “best if used by” date? For example, are there two containers of yogurt that are past the date? Well, there are perfectly good, and you now know that it will part of tomorrow’s lunch or breakfast
- Are there 2 carrots, one potato, and a piece of celery that still look good? Well, hello soup!
As I stated in a previous blog post on eating healthy on a tight budget, “Menu planning may seem awkward the first time but will get easier with time.” So, what is another time and money saver? Well, I recommend typing your menus and saving them on the computer to use again another week.
Tip 4: Decide on a Food Budget and Stick with It
Now, I’m not going to lie. This is a hard one, but it will get easier. It won’t necessarily be fun, but it will get easier with time. The amount of money you decide on will depend on your:
- Income
- Family status (single, married, kids, no kids, etc.)
- Lifestyle (stay-at-home mom, soccer mom, work two jobs mom)
- Cooking ability (cook hot meals everyday woman, order and carry out queen, or microwave princess)
Basically, you need two different food budgets. First, there is the grocery store budget. The grocery store budget includes the staples for meals at home and for making lunch to take to work. This should not include toiletries, cleaning products, etc. That’s a separate list and budget. Second, there is the eating out and take out budget.
You need to budget for groceries as well as eating out.
Now, take a few deep breaths here. If you’re like me, this is often driven by impulse and feelings. For example, “It’s been a long day, I don’t want to go home and cook.” “It’s payday Friday, so I have to treat myself.” So, what’s the solution? Plan which days you will eat out and budget accordingly.
Lack of planning leads to overspending.
Let me share this with you. I knew I had a problem when I took my lunch to work but didn’t eat it because it was Taco Tuesday. Hey, it was Taco Tuesday. But guess what? Every Tuesday is Taco Tuesday. So, I do it once a month instead of every week. With enough money saved, I may have enough to go to Mexico.
Tip 5: Budget for the Movies, Happy Hour, and Coffee
Do we really need to talk about the food we buy at the movies? OK, let’s do this. We spend impulsively on these “treats” and it’s a habit. Well, my new habit is saving money. So, I eat before I go to the movies or sneak a candy bar in my purse. I’m not saying not to treat yourself at the movie. However, include it in your food budget and make the cut somewhere else. I’m just saying.
Oh, and if you drink alcohol or buy coffee every day, then you need a separate happy hour and margarita budget and a coffee budget. It’s OK if these things are your priorities but make the cut in other places.
Tip 6: Always Make a Grocery List
Always make a grocery list. Now, you and I know that the list we carry to the grocery store is the “things-not-to-forget list.” So, it’s not really a grocery list.
The grocery list is that list that says, “If it’s not on here, then it doesn’t go in the grocery cart.” Period. So, this motto will force you to stick to your food budget. After a while, the kids will know this motto. So, get into the store and get out with only what you came for.
And, by the way, do not go to the grocery store more than once a week. Why? Well, the more often you go to the store, the more you spend.
As I mentioned in the previous blog post on eating healthy on a tight budget, use coupons with caution. “Coupons can save money if they are for things that you really need and use. However, most coupons are for expensive name brand products that you may not normally use.”
Tip 7: Shop with Cash (Groan)
Yes, you read that correctly. Shop with cash? I know what you’re thinking. “Girl, you must be crazy.” “I never have cash on me.”
Well, this is very hard for me because I use my American Express card to get double miles on Delta Airlines. Yes, I will buy a pack of gum on a credit card to get double miles. So, for me, paying with cash seems like a waste of good Delta double miles.
However, this is what I learned. I buy more stuff when I pay with my credit card. Furthermore, because the bill takes a few weeks to get to me, I have already forgotten what I purchased. And, that means that I keep spending more.
As an experiment, put your grocery money for one week in an envelope and only spend what’s on your list. Then, try this another week, and so on. If this is really too hard for you, pay with a debit card and the money will be taken out instantly.
Now, It’s Your Turn
- Do you spend too much money on food? If so, where can you start to save money?
- Which tip will be the easy to do? Which tip will be the hardest to do?
Well, we look forward to hearing about your experience in the comment section of this blog. And, you can join the conversation on the Keep It Tight Sisters Facebook Group.
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Keep It Tight Sisters.
Eat. Move. Breathe.
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