Developing a monthly grocery budget is one way to help you save money so that you can pay your other living expenses. As a parent you will need to make sure to include not only food, but also diapers, pull-ups, wipes, formula, baby food, laundry items, as well as other items to maintain your home. At first it may seem overwhelming, but if you take the time to develop a monthly budget as well as ways to stay within budget you will be able to do it. It just takes a little time and planning.
Ways to Stay Within Your Budget
As a mother of four (ages 7 years to 4 months old), I utilized the following methods of staying within my monthly grocery budget. My grocery budget does include food, baby food, baby formula, diapers, pull-ups, wipes, and items to maintain my home (i.e. laundry detergent, paper towels, etc.).
- Develop a Weekly or Monthly Menu
This can be done by first looking at what you already have in your refridgerator and freezer. Use those items first and determine how they can be used in your weekly or monthly menu. Then all you would need to buy are the items that you don't have, run out of, or spoils quickly (i.e. milk, fresh fruits and vegetables etc.).
- Write a List
Place a small dry erase board or post a piece of blank paper on your refrigerator. When you run out of an item, write it down. This will help you keep track of things that you truly need (i.e. milk, eggs, bread, etc.), especially if you are in a pinch (i.e. at the end of your paycheck period and running low on your grocery budget).
- Use Weekly Grocery Ads
Every week all of your community grocery stores will post a grocery ad. If you don't receive a newspaper to obtain them, either go the store itself and pick one up or purchase a newspaper on that day of the week that they come out). Some grocery stores will post their ads on the internet.
- Use Grocery Coupons
You can either cut coupons out of the Sunday newspaper or go to a variety of internet sites to locate coupons (i.e. in most cases you can select the coupons you want, print them, and clip them to shop with). To find a list of websites in which you can locate grocery coupons, please read the article, Coupons - How to Stay on Budget.
- Shop at Discount Warehouses
If you have a large family or know someone (family member or friend) that buys similar grocery items, shop at a discount warehouse. Yes, you have to pay an annual membership fee, but the amount of money that you would save their makes up for that fee. At most discount warehouses (i.e. Sam's Club, Costco, etc.), you can purchase formula, diapers,and wipe at a much lower cost than other stores.
Following these tips, may take time and some planning; but the outcome will help you succeed in sticking with your monthly grocery budget. It is important to note that grocery budgets vary according to the size of your family, the cost of living in your area, as well as what is available (i.e. variety of grocery stores) to you.
