You can quit the expensive gym and start running instead, you can quit your expensive monthly subscriptions, and you can hold back from buying that new pair of shiny shoes. Yet, you cannot quit eating – and you cannot lower the quality of the food you’re putting in your body either, especially since this would eventually hurt your health.
And yet, our monthly food bills can reach enormous numbers – and if you don’t pay a bit of attention, food can actually push you over the budget.
How to cut your food bill safely and still get all the nutrients (and deliciousness!) you need? We have some tips for you – so read on and find out more.
Do your grocery shopping list
It may sound very basic, but a shopping list can be a life saver when you go out to do your grocery shopping. Track what you already have in house with a simple spreadsheet and mark down the items you’re missing out on – then, go out and only buy what you actually need.
Going out without a grocery shopping list can very easily push you over your budget, making you buy items that are neither healthy, nor useful for your dietary intake. At the same time, sticking to a list will help you focus on the foods you actually need, on the foods that are good for you, and on the best prices for those foods.
Stop eating out
It’s fine to eat out every now and again, to celebrate an important moment or simply pamper yourself. However, doing it on a regular basis can push your food spending way over the limit. Cooking your meals at home doesn’t have to be a chore, it can be really easy and it can be very fun as well – not to mention it’s way healthier than eating take-out dinners every night.
Plan ahead
It may not sound like fun, but planning your meals ahead can really help you stick to a budget. Doing this will help you buy and cook in bulk, which is always cheaper than actually buying smaller portions and cooking them. Plus, it will help you avoid eating out – if you have your meals prepped, it will be actually easy to go home and just heat them up.
Drink more water
Not only is this a lot healthier, but it’s cheaper as well. Soda doesn’t come at a huge price, but when you do the math at the end of the month, you will see you can save quite the sum of money if you simply switch to plain, good-old-fashioned water.
Pay attention to special offers
Special offers, discounts, and coupons can save you a lot of money – but it’s also important to pay attention to the difference between real offers and fake ones. Keep your eyes on the prices on a regular basis and “hunt” down those food offers and discounts that are actually worth it. Also, keep in mind that you shouldn’t buy items just because they’re on offer – buy them if you need them, or if you know you will need them in the future (and they won’t be expired by then, of course).