Looking for a reasonable budget so that you don’t have to eat noodles for every meal is a common thought. There are many troubles that come in your way, starting from economic crisis to numerous variables like number of guests, family people, different allergies, vegetarian or meat lovers, geographic locations and shopping options available.
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Here are some factors that determine a good grocery budget for a small family.
The grocery not just includes food, but also the cleaning products, health and beauty products.
For most food lovers the non food items do not include in their budget. It is wise if the eating out budget is put on the entertaining budget and not the grocery. Because a lot of money is spent there. Going out for restaurants twice or thrice a month is okay. If you have a small budget does not over do it. It is advisable if you track a list of where you put the money in food for 3 weeks or a month is good enough. Also include the money you give your children for school lunches and food court. Its a lot effort but it will help you realize your expenses and where your money is going.
Calculate how much you spend on junk food. It might shock you but you have no idea how much loads you pay for your fast food. Starbucks Subways sandwiches, Mcds, pizzas are small delicious money extracting points.
After this slowly work on the things that make your money spent less. Make plans on increasing the stockpile products that lasts a longer time. Another thing is buy products that cost less and not just go with the brand name. For example, ketchup you can have a standard one. Buying more expensive ketchup that offers free kid stuff is total useless.
Always lookout for seasonal sales. You can have cards of various supermarkets that can send you sms when there is a seasonal sale around. Buy as many stock food items and other stationery items at affordable prices. For example, cooking oil, ketchup, rice, variety of dals, biscuits than other household item like bathing soap and shampoo, clothes and utensils wash bar etc can be brought at a comparative low price.
Seal the fruits and vegetables in the fridge or the vacuum. Many people have this bad habit of wasting food a lot. The vegetables or fruits that anybody in the house does not eat are just thrown away. That is gross! Learn how to create different recipes from the same stuff and avoid the boring routine. Try different taste that might even please your family people. Like children do not like vegetables and prefer pizzas more. Having pizzas everyday is not good for health neither a check on the budget. So put some tasty delicacies on the plate and see how it turns out.
It may seem difficult but it’s not if you take care of little things. And it’s always not right to cut off from everything. At the end of the day it’s your family and you. Have some time and money and go out spent on people whom you love.
