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Some weeks ago I checked how much we spend in the supermarket for our family (that is in food, cleaning and hygiene products) and I was surpised at realizing that in a month the spends almost reach the 500€, OMG, 500€! That's a lot. So I have done an excel document to check our expenses and I have begun recording tips to control our groceries list.
This is my graphic in 2015, my purpose from now is to keep under 300€ per month (Christmas holidays will have an exception, of course)
So, here I am with some tips that I'm going to use when doing groceries.
1. Do just a weekly shopping
This is one of the things that worked worst with my budget, I used to buy in a supermarket with some sales but not a lot of variety, not much fresh products, etc, and that forced me to make extra trips to other supermarkets in order to finish the shopping with the consequent danger of buying some extras. From now I'm just going to buy in two supermarkets, they don't have as much sales as the other but there I may do just one shopping.
2. Plan the weekly menu at the same time than the shopping list
Sundays in the afternoon I use to plan the next week menu, so I take my menu planner and my shopping list, open the fridge and start planning with all I have inside (You must priorize what you already have) and if I need any ingredient then I write it in the shopping list.
3. Take always the shopping list when going to the market/supermarket
It's obvious but sometimes I have left it at home and walking through the shop looking for the inspiration what I have found was sweeties and chips.
4. Look always the expiration date of the products
I has happened to me some times, to see at home that my new products expired in just 2 o 3 days (and they weren't on sale, hum!)
5. Check the Kg price (or whatever other weight measure)
It seems that we are psycologically ready to relate big pack = savings, well, in most cases (at least in Spain) you have the same price and you only win more likelihood to have it rotten.
6. Be careful with the great sales
You should think a lot if you really have so much discount buying the offer product rather than the one you were looking for. Anyway if there is a non-perishable product that is just in your list or you use to buy... buy it!
7. Convenience is expensive
I have just discovered this one, preparing some swiss chard. From some time ago I used to buy them clean and chopped, ready to cook. The last week there wasn't ready-to-go vegetables so I bought a big plant of it with the same price than the ready-to-go bag, today I was preparing them for the lunch and I have realized that the bag has less than 2 or 3 leaves of swiss chard (the plant has a lot more), I have prepared just 3 leaves (they were really big) and I've gotten more food than I use to.
8. Basket better than cart
If we use a cart we are more prone to fill it, I only take it when the items I'm going to buy are heavy.
9. Look for season products
This is simple, always will be cheaper (and fresher) the season products than the imported.
10. Avoid prepared and pre-cooked
If you like a bit cooking is better to spend a bit of the weeking cooking to freeze than buying those products that besides expensive are not quite healthy.
Well, so this is my tips list. Do you have anyone more to share?
Some weeks ago I checked how much we spend in the supermarket for our family (that is in food, cleaning and hygiene products) and I was surpised at realizing that in a month the spends almost reach the 500€, OMG, 500€! That's a lot. So I have done an excel document to check our expenses and I have begun recording tips to control our groceries list.
This is my graphic in 2015, my purpose from now is to keep under 300€ per month (Christmas holidays will have an exception, of course)
1. Do just a weekly shopping
This is one of the things that worked worst with my budget, I used to buy in a supermarket with some sales but not a lot of variety, not much fresh products, etc, and that forced me to make extra trips to other supermarkets in order to finish the shopping with the consequent danger of buying some extras. From now I'm just going to buy in two supermarkets, they don't have as much sales as the other but there I may do just one shopping.
2. Plan the weekly menu at the same time than the shopping list
Sundays in the afternoon I use to plan the next week menu, so I take my menu planner and my shopping list, open the fridge and start planning with all I have inside (You must priorize what you already have) and if I need any ingredient then I write it in the shopping list.
3. Take always the shopping list when going to the market/supermarket
It's obvious but sometimes I have left it at home and walking through the shop looking for the inspiration what I have found was sweeties and chips.
4. Look always the expiration date of the products
I has happened to me some times, to see at home that my new products expired in just 2 o 3 days (and they weren't on sale, hum!)
5. Check the Kg price (or whatever other weight measure)
It seems that we are psycologically ready to relate big pack = savings, well, in most cases (at least in Spain) you have the same price and you only win more likelihood to have it rotten.
6. Be careful with the great sales
You should think a lot if you really have so much discount buying the offer product rather than the one you were looking for. Anyway if there is a non-perishable product that is just in your list or you use to buy... buy it!
7. Convenience is expensive
I have just discovered this one, preparing some swiss chard. From some time ago I used to buy them clean and chopped, ready to cook. The last week there wasn't ready-to-go vegetables so I bought a big plant of it with the same price than the ready-to-go bag, today I was preparing them for the lunch and I have realized that the bag has less than 2 or 3 leaves of swiss chard (the plant has a lot more), I have prepared just 3 leaves (they were really big) and I've gotten more food than I use to.
8. Basket better than cart
If we use a cart we are more prone to fill it, I only take it when the items I'm going to buy are heavy.
9. Look for season products
This is simple, always will be cheaper (and fresher) the season products than the imported.
10. Avoid prepared and pre-cooked
If you like a bit cooking is better to spend a bit of the weeking cooking to freeze than buying those products that besides expensive are not quite healthy.
Well, so this is my tips list. Do you have anyone more to share?
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