According to the USDA, the average monthly food costs for a family of four is $1,120.90 as of the latest data in 2021. If you are trying to get ahead financially in 2022, then getting this part of your budget under control can be a huge help.
If you’re looking to buy groceries on a budget here are some key tips to help you make this possible. The first tip is to make sure that you plan out all your meals for the week. This will help you know what you need to buy from the grocery store.Â
One thing to consider is to make meals in bulk that you could eat over 2-3 days. An example of this would be Chili with a side of cornbread. You make the chili in a big pot on Sunday, and whatever you don’t eat you can refrigerate for future meals that week. You can make the cornbread at the same time, however, just know it won’t taste as good reheated but it is still delicious.
Once you have figured out what you are going to cook that week, make a list of all the items needed to make those meals possible. You can use a free app on your phone or just plain old paper.Â
Now take that list and search for coupons for items that are on your list. There are many websites where you can find printable coupons to take with you to the store. There are also apps that will provide coupons that you can redeem digitally when you are checking out.
Another way to save money at the grocery store is to check the weekly store ads for the store that you go to regularly to see what they have on sale. For instance, if you need to buy a lot of chicken for the week, and your store is offering a low price per pound for chicken, then you might want to stock up on it. In fact, you should buy a few pounds more to freeze for future meals, as long as it’s within your budget.
Make sure to only get the items that are on your list to avoid overspending when you are at the grocery store.
If you stick to a plan like this, you could easily save hundreds of dollars each month; money that could go towards other goals like paying off debt, saving for retirement or even that family vacation that you have been wanting to do for years. Here’s to 2022 being a year where you make great financial gains and have more peace about your money situation than ever before.
Deacon Hayes is the Founder of WellKeptWallet.com which helps people make money, save money, and pay off debt. He has been a contributor for the US News & World Report, Clark Howard and more. He is also the author of the book, You Can Retire Early! Everything You Need to Achieve Financial Independence When You Want It.
