Are You Spending Too Much on Groceries?
How many times have you checked out at the grocery store and were surprised by the total? It’s easy to let your grocery bill get too big if you’re not careful. Yes, food prices have gone up for certain items lately, and now we’re making more meals at home rather than eating at restaurants, but there are ways to keep that expense under control.
Figure out how much you can reasonably spend on food.
We suggest spending no more than 10% of your income after taxes on food. That includes the supermarket as well as restaurants. The USDA’s website for food plans publishes a Cost of Food Report every month, based on family size, children’s ages, and adult’s ages. This might give you a better idea of what you should try to budget for in weekly food costs.
Make a shopping list.
There are so many grocery shopping apps available. Find one that fits your needs. These help you create digital shopping lists, including some that offer digital coupons. If you prefer going old school, make your list with a pen and paper and post the list on a board in your kitchen. As you run low on items, put them on your list. Then, when it’s time to shop, stick to that list and try to avoid impulse buying.
Use reward programs.
If you use a major retailer, the store will likely have a store reward program. Make sure you sign up for store discounts and coupons. The store may even have its own shopping app! The CAMPUS Platinum Rewards Mastercard® offers rewards on every dollar you spend, no annual fee, and no balance transfer fee. Rewards points can be redeemed for merchandise, travel, gift cards, and even cash.
Consider ordering online.
Not only does it save you a trip inside a store, it also keeps a running total of your expenses before you check out. If you go over your shopping limit, you simply take certain items off your list to bring down your total. Ordering online can also lessen impulse buying.
Buy only what you need.
Avoid buying anything simply because you have a coupon or because the store offers a bulk discount. If you can’t eat two bags of salad greens in a week, a “buy one get one 50% off” offer will simply go to waste.
Keeping your food expenses under control is easy with a little planning. The digital tools available make this even easier. The hardest part will be controlling your impulse to reach for a sweet treat before checking out, and for that, you’re on your own. 😉
CAMPUS Can Help!
Check out some of our other blogs for shopping tips, hacks, and more.
Control Impulse Buying with Four Basic Rules
Money Mistakes: Four Financial Faux Pas to Avoid
By Campus USA at 14 Apr 2021, 16:08 PM