How to Budget Money for Groceries

With most Americans spending about $800 on food per month and global costs rising, you might find yourself wanting to create a budget. In fact, according to Statista, “The primary grocery shopper in U.S. households made an average of 1.6 shopping trips per week in 2023.”

Grocery shopping on a budget for you and your family might seem overwhelming – or even impossible – but it’s not!

Below, we’re sharing more about how to shop frugally, how to budget for your groceries, and even how to have some money left over for your future goals and savings.

Before you can create the food budget for your home, take some things into consideration. Are you feeding just yourself or do you have a family to care for? These factors will greatly impact your monthly food budget.

It’s also important to consider other lifestyle factors that could influence your grocery shopping such as:

During this phase, it is important to review your spending habits. Start by looking through your bank statements to see the following:

A clear understanding of your lifestyle and spending habits as well as goals is needed when it comes to budgeting for groceries. Creating a realistic budget will make it easier for you to stay disciplined without feeling like you’re losing out. And you’ll still be able to save toward your future goals.

Calculate Your Monthly Budget

To start budgeting for groceries, print out your bank statements for the previous two months or use a banking app. Then, make a list of your monthly spending habits for all your living essentials, including utilities, rent, savings, food, and recreational activities.

Chart this on spreadsheet or write it down.

Understanding your spending trends will help you calculate how much money you need to pay your bills at the start of every month. It’ll also help you understand how much you need for your monthly grocery shopping which you can break down into weekly grocery shopping.

By tracking your spending this way, you’ll be able to stay disciplined. And by staying disciplined you’ll be able to consistently save for any future goals and over time might even be able to invest more into those goals.

A key part of sticking to your budget is having a fail-proof plan when you go shopping. Use these grocery shopping tips to stay within your budget. By using these tips, you can choose the best stores to shop at, take advantage of sales and create budget-friendly meals that are delicious and easy to prepare.

When your grocery shopping, also consider the following:

Don’t go grocery shopping when you’re hungry. Not only will it make it hard to concentrate, but it can also cause you to impulse buy.

Use a store loyalty/card. Many grocery stores have their own reward cards where you can save more on specific sale items.

Bring reusable bags. Many grocery stores are charging for the use of their plastic or paper bags. Be sure to have a collection of canvas totes nearby to bring with you when you go grocery shopping.

Use a list. Make a list of what you need beforehand to avoid impulse shopping.

Compare unit prices. You can also compare costs by unit. For example: buying a few potatoes vs a whole bag where you determine which combination offers you the best deal.

Meal Planning Basics

One of the best ways to save money in your food budget is to create a weekly meal plan. A meal plan will keep you on track with any dietary goals while keeping your meals interesting and avoiding unnecessary food spend.

Budget-Friendly Meal Ideas

By creating a menu, you save yourself from buying unnecessary food that might end up going bad and wasting money.

Keep your menu fun by creating a Pinterest board of healthy meals on a budget. If you’d prefer a list, stick it on your fridge and tick off your meals as you go. By doing this you also save yourself the stress of having to decide what to cook every evening.

Another area you might find yourself spending a lot of money on is coffee. While it can be fun to enjoy a cup of Joe at your favorite café, it can add up. Making your own coffee at home is an easy cost-effective solution, and great to have for entertaining, too!

Stay within your budget and get everything you need for your weekly meals with these strategies.

Choosing the Right Store

By choosing the right store to shop at you can save on transport costs and come away with some helpful discounts, saving you more money.

Take Advantage of Sales

By choosing the right store to shop at you’ll also be able to score major discounts. If your favorite store has an online app, it can be helpful to keep track of sales online. Paying attention to store flyers is also a good idea as they’ll likely be advertising local sales and discounts.

Buy in Bulk

When it comes to the more expensive items like cleaning supplies and other essential dry items, buying in bulk is a fantastic way to get great savings. Stores like Sam's Club, Target, and Costco all offer a wide variety of bulk items such as Scott® Paper Towels. Additionally, if you sign up for a membership you often get access to further discounts. Buying in bulk is also a great option for families where you can effectively save on certain items, especially if you use them frequently.

Avoid Impulse Buying

 Impulse buying is the thorn in every smart shopper’s side. This is where making a detailed and thorough list of your shopping habits is helpful.

But it’s also important to give yourself room to slip up. Building the habit of discipline and properly understanding your spending habits will take some trial and error. Use these tips to avoid impulse buying:

If something isn’t on your list, pause to think about whether you really need it.

Scratch your shopping itch with a planned occasional treat. Super restrictive budgets are hard to stick to and you might find yourself giving up on it if you don’t give yourself permission to spend on non-essentials.

 Use these tips and tricks to stay on track with your grocery budget.

Track Your Spending

As you go on this experiment, keep track of how much you spend weekly and monthly. You can do this by adding a column in your budget tracking spreadsheet or by keeping a written list of your weekly and monthly spending habits.

Adjust Your Budget

By keeping track of your weekly food budget, you can get a clear idea of areas for improvement. You should also keep an open mind and not be too restrictive as unexpected life events can happen that affect your budget. By staying flexible you’ll give yourself a higher chance of sticking to your budget while saving for your future goals.

Understanding your food spending habits is a major life hack that’ll help you save more. Save on essentials beyond just groceries, including necessary items like toilet paper and paper towels. Scott® regularly offers coupons and deals on rewards apps. Check regularly to shop and save!

Start crafting your grocery budget today and pave the way to financial freedom! Check out even more coupons for Scott ® paper products now!