3 easy steps to define your groceries budget
Groceries are always something delicate to deal with.
Having a groceries budget can truly help to plan your financial situation.
Without a groceries budget, it is so easy to overdo it. Spend way too much money and time, when in fact a simple routine can help you solve these problems.
Do you know how much you spend every month on groceries?
I do!
Do you ever feel lost in your supermarket and never know where to start your grocery shopping?
I don’t!
Do you ever come back home with your groceries and think: Why did I buy this, I already have some? Or: Oh no, I forgot to buy this again!
I don’t!
(Well, sometimes, I do forget to buy one thing even if it’s on my list…)
It is time to take good habits, learn how to determine a budget limit, how to prepare for your grocery shopping and how to stick to all that.
With a realistic budget and this routine you won’t ever feel overwhelmed with your grocery shopping, you won’t feel lost in your supermarket and you won’t waste time going back and forth thinking of what you should buy.
You will gain time and you won’t lose your mind.
You will see, when it becomes part of your routine, these few steps will be done in no time. In fact, you won’t need to go through all of them each time.
And after following these useful tips on how to determine your grocery budget, you will be able to determine easily your weekly or monthly budget.
You can trust me on this one, because we have a grocery budget since we are married (I mean, since more than 12 years).
Let’s jump into it !
These are my step by step tips to help you determine your groceries budget and have pleasure doing them.
1 – How much do you spend
First of all, to establish a groceries budget you need to know how much you are spending now.
Jump in your last month online account or credit card invoice and search for all of your groceries spending. Write down each amount and add them all up to have the total.
If you want to get deeper into it, you should check the last 2 or 3 months to be sure this total is quite regular.
You also have to think about your eating out and the delivered meals habits.
How often does that happen and do you have to add these amounts to your grocery budget?
If it is part of a routine and it is kind of done regularly, then Yes, it’s best to add these in your budget.
And, I would say No, if it happens in a spontaneous situation and just a few times per year. In this case, it can be part of another type of budget. Let’s say, the “others budget”.
Now you have your total amount of spending on food and house products.
This total amount should be your first budget limit.
How do you feel about this amount?
2 – Pantry boosting
For a fresh new start, I truly recommend to clean up and reorganize your pantry, your fridge, and your freezer.
When doing this seriously it can boost your need for change and motivation.
The best way to do this is to take out everything you have in your pantry, clean up the shelves and tidy all your items by category. The same should be done with your fridge and your freezer.
Here, you can find my easy and useful tips on how to save money, time and your mind with an organized pantry and fridge.
This step is also a good way to realize how much food and products you may have accumulated without noticing and thus how much money you could have saved.
It could also be a good reason to re-think your pantry and/or re-think your diet if you aren’t totally satisfied with either of them.
Isn’t that better now ?! You know what you have and I am pretty sure you have done a perfect job.
3 – The list
Before ever going to your favorite supermarket or grocery store you have to list what you need.
It isn’t even an option to go without a list.
Now you understand why step n°2 is important. Why it is important to have an organized kitchen and to know what you have and what’s missing.
Have a good look at what you have left in your pantry, fridge, and freezer.
With what is left, find some ideas of meals you could prepare and cook. And with that base, you list what is missing for your delicious cooking.
Don’t forget to list what you need aside from meals, like snacks, fruits, drinks, and all the products you are maybe missing or almost running out of.
This step is there to not overdo it when you do your groceries and to not spend too much time doing them.
In fact, it is the first real step to allow you to save money and also run your household better.
After organizing your pantry and defining your grocery budget, the list will be the one and only step you will need to do before ever going to your favorite supermarket.
How time and mind saving is that ?!
Start a list!
And when you go to the grocery store, stick to it!
(I’m the first to say, it isn’t that easy to stick to it)
The fixed budget
Remember earlier, you determined what you were spending on groceries per week or per month.
Now the trick is to stick to that amount.
What if I often go over the limit I fixed?
Do you feel you have to fix a higher limit and, in that case, is it possible for you to higher that limit?
Or, do you feel like you need to change something because you still feel overwhelmed by not being able to stick to your budget?
If you can go with a higher groceries budget, it’s all good for you and your family. You don’t need to be frugal on everything, everybody has their own lifestyle and budget.
You just need to be aware that it is possible to spend less when you are organized. By buying smartly and by having a fixed budget, you know where you stand with your overall budget. This means you have control of your money and your mind will be free.
If the budget you fixed is lower than what you actually spend and that in fact, you can’t afford to buy as much as you are, maybe it’s time to go one step further and take a look on how to save money on groceries.
I give simple and useful tips on how to save loads of money on your groceries, small changes can get our heads out of the water and if they become a habit, then it is a life savior.
Final words
When done for the first time and seriously, it may take some time. So, don’t be too overwhelmed and, if needed, take your time to separate each step. All these steps may be done one day at a time. No need to do it all in one go…
Unless you are like me, when I start something new I’m super excited and do it all in one go! Especially when it’s about re-organizing stuff and things! Then go on, rock it all in one go!
Everything is up to you! But trust me, if you do follow my simple tips and routines, and that you stay realistic, your million life plans won’t be so far 🙂
How do you deal with your groceries?
Do you already have a budget and make a list before going food shopping?
Don’t forget to Pin it 🙂
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