Ask:
Ok, my monthly budget for groceries is 300. Here's the problem, I looked over our expenses versus income and we can only really afford 200 for a family of four. I can't even stick to our 300 budget (usually go 50-100 over). How do I trim down my grocery list w/out depriving my kids or dh?
Answer:
i will say menus menus menus...since i started doing this i cut our grocery bill in half. we have 5 people and i spend with cleaning supplies and formula and diapers for 2 350.00 a month...if you don't work try making things from scratch try cutting out some of the prepackaged foods i have done this and man has it made a difference..my dh likes pop so i buy him 1 12 pack a week and thats all he gets also i buy i treat item and one thing of chips and thats it for the week once it is gone it is gone they have to have crackers applesauce popcorn or fresh fruit for snacks(i buy what is in season)...also do you have an aldis where you live when i had a full time job and before kids i would have never shopped there and boy was i missing out on some good products at cheap prices even my picky dh loves some of there things.. also pack lunches for dh and your self if need be.. i also carry waterbottles in the car and snacks for kids so when they start asking for stuff in the store i tell them they can have a snack when we get in the car that saves alot of money for me. hope something helps.
Answer:
thanks, it does. I already plan menus once a wk. but my dh is a pain about junk food and convenience foods and pop. He thinks because he's the only one working (like being a sahm isn't work) that he is entitled lol.
Answer:
I just typed a huge response, and lost it, so I'll condense this one. Plan your menu, stick to it. Only take cash to the store, if you don't have it you can't spend it. I feed my family of 4, plus buy cleaning & Pet supplies for $200-250 a month. I only buy the wal-mart brand, unless brand name is cheaper. It somtimes is, make sure and check prices! Take sales ads to wal-mart, they will price match. Even if it is a store brand from another store (best choise, albertson's) they will give you the great value brand at that price. I use a lot of ground beef recipes, and buy whole fryers to boild and shred. Also, no pop, we drink only kool-aid and tea. I make my own cream soups, and dry mixes. Miserly meals and miserly moms are good books, also dining on a dime and living on a dime are good. I make almost everything from scratch, except cakes. It's cheaper to buy a box mix. I do have a homemade chocolate frosting that is to die for. If you want my recipes, just let me know, and I'll post them.
Answer:
Lots of good ideas here! I would also encourage you to look at your receipts to figure out what are the most expensive things for your family. Typically meat and individual sized foods are the big budget killers. Find some 'no meat' meals to fix or meals that use just a little meat. Cut down any amount of meat you fix by 1/3 and see if anyone even notices - you've just cut your meat expense by 1/3!
Also look at how much prepackaged individual sized stuff you buy. Fruit rollups, individual sized chips, juice and other snacks are way more expensive than buying a big bag of chips. Better yet, buy some celery and apples for a crunch with better health!
Most importantly, it sounds like you and DH need to sit down and have a serious talk about the budget. Show him the numbers and let him know that you want him to have all the stuff he wants but it is just not possible right now. You can't do it without his help!
Answer:
You can still get the convience food, I do for my dh. My budget is $400 for a family of 5. When the things he likes goes on sale, I search high and low till I have the proper coupon and then I buy as much as I can just to stock up on it. Menus, coupons, and stockpiling have really helped me stick to my budget around here.
Answer:
OH and the biggest tip of all?? Don't got to the grocery stores HUNGRY! I always tend to buy more than I need when I havn't eaten.
Answer:
I joined a grocery coupon group online (it does have a small fee but you can try it for $1). They tell you how to use your coupons to get the best deal and what and when to stock pile and such. My grocery bill has been split in half and continuing to go down. Another good thing is my stockpile is well rounded so when money is tight we can live off that for awhile. I don't know what the rules are on posting the website so I won't just to be on the safe side! !
Answer:
Do you have a Wonder Bread Outlet you can go to? Bread and junk food is cheaper there.
Shop Aldi's or Save A Lot for all the basics.
Shop with a Price Book.
Walmart price matches all ads, they also match generic for generic.
Try angelfoodministries.com
Answer:
I agree with the angel food ministries- it's only $25 for about a week of food- I don't know how the food is but I am going to try it for next month. Aldi's is a God send for saving quite a bit on groceries (I get my hubby a lot of junk food from there)- there is somethings I won't buy from there (like Ketchup, Mac & Cheese)- but they have some really decent things that you don't notice the difference.
One thing I have done is trying to cook more from scratch- planning a menu for the week (I am starting to learn different ways to cook leftovers- so it doesn't seem like we are eating the same thing over again!). Another thing is to try to have a few no meat meals- we have either spaghetti, tomato soup & grilled cheese- or meatless pasta of some sort. If my hubby would be okay with it- we would have breakfast for dinner at least 1x a week (breakfast is so much cheaper than dinner).