Have you ever had to go grocery shopping on a tight budget? You’re not alone on that boat; we’ve all been there at some point.
While some families and individuals are still reeling from the adverse economic effects, some others may be cutting down their groceries budget to either:
- Stop being wasteful with funds by buying only what is absolutely needed and necessary per time.
- Focus on more environmental-friendly options like growing your own, or patronizing locally sourced fresh produce.
- Start saving every possible penny towards a college fund, car purchase, capital project, or even an upcoming wedding party.
You Can Enjoy Your Shopping Too – Budget Or Not
If you need to do some grocery shopping but are short on cash, don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. We’ve compiled a list of food products and groceries that you should certainly buy if your grocery budget is tight or you’re seeking to save money.
Please keep in mind that before we get into these foods, there are a few additional recommendations we’ll be providing with you later in this post. You may read over them while making your final food list before heading out to the local grocery store or buying online to save time.
What Exactly Do You Buy When Grocery Shopping On A Budget?
Some of the best food items and groceries you can buy when on a tight budget may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Oatmeal
An extremely cheap yet highly beneficial item you can add to your cart, oats are not only really great for your heart, but they are quite easy to prepare. They also go quite well with some other meals too.
Whole grains:
Processed cereals are much more expensive, hence whole grains like brown rice are a great alternative to them. Oh, and they are much cheaper too, by the way.
Eggs
There are a lot of varieties you could always whip an egg into in your daily meal options, and they’re also very pocket-friendly when shopping on a budget. Eggs are super cheap food items you can find at any grocery store, and they also go down well with a variety of options. You could choose to have fried eggs, or just simply boil and combine them with any of your favorite pasta dishes. Either way, they are a great source of protein as well, and one that won’t bore a hole into your pocket or budget.
Beans
Arguably one of the most pocket-friendly food items you can find in any store, beans are one of the best sources of protein you can have on your diet as well.
Bread
Superb for making delicious sandwiches – especially with peanut butter, cottage cheese, or even canned fish; this is one option you cannot ignore when shopping with budget constraints. Bread is cheaper than a lot of other foods you could think of, and an ideal option for an affordable meal any day, anytime.
Cereals
Regular cereals are among the cheapest grocery items you could ever find at any store, and they are a super cool option for breakfasts as well. Depending on your area, some of them could be as cheap as 10 cents an ounce, according to a report by families for financial freedom.
Own Produce
Nothing can be more pleasurable, and cheaper too, than having a garden filled with home-grown fruits, fresh vegetables, pepper, and other essentials. This would not only help you save money but could also significantly boost your grocery budget as well by generating good income for you.
Apples And Bananas
Could your grocery cart ever be complete without these two very essential fruits? We pretty much doubt that. You may consider buying them in bulk bins too, as this could help you get a lot more quantity of both at a reduced overall price.
Smart Tips To Follow While Grocery Shopping On A Budget
Now that you know some of the best food and grocery options to look out for when shopping on a budget, let’s also look at those smart tips we promised to share as you head to the grocery store.
- Limit Your Purchase Of Perishable Items:
At a point in time when you are deliberately aiming for financial success, wouldn’t it be such a bad idea to end up buying stuff that would end up in the dump because they got rotten?
As much as we all love their fresh counterparts, when shopping for the entire week, it’s only wise that you opt for frozen vegetables and fruits instead because of their long shelf life. This comes with one major advantage – you can always get a healthy meal and snack options anytime you need them without spending more money that week.
- Save Money On Non-Perishables:
Why go out to buy non-perishable food items and groceries when you could save money by having them delivered to your doorstep?
Most grocery stores – if not all presently – have online sites that you could visit and conveniently buy from. All you need to do is to ensure that you check the expiration dates on any item you order online and you’re good.
The best part about this is that you get to save money by avoiding food taxes, and also possibly enjoy free grocery pickup and shipping too (if stores in your locality offer that).
- Purchase Cereals And Meat In Bulk:
To save money on groceries, consider buying cereals like oatmeal in bulk instead of the separate flavored packs which cost more because they already contain salt and sugar.
When you want to buy meat, you should also consider buying in bulk and doing the cutting or slicing at home yourself in order to reduce your grocery bill. The amount of money you can shave off of the processing costs can come in handy as you continue your grocery shopping.
Bulk food purchases can help your meal planning and also help you create inexpensive dishes too as you know you have a good quantity of the food items to work with per time.
- Look Out For Vegetables And Fruits In Season:
Look to stock up on fruits and vegetables that are in season as you explore the option of bulk buying too. These can easily be frozen into smaller portions and kept for constant use as the weeks go by.
- Avoid Ready-Made Meals As Much As Possible:
A good thing about being on a tight budget is that it helps you become more prudent with your spending.
Meals that are already prepared and packaged at the grocery stores are designed to get you to spend more because you’re paying for the convenience of not having to go cook it yourself. Not such a smart move, especially on a tight budget, now, is it?
- Consider Having A Meatless Meal Every Now And Then:
Deciding to go for plant-based protein – which you can get from foods like black beans and some dried fruits – sometimes can also be a pretty wise decision to make.
Chicken breasts and ground beef are great wholesome sources of protein but they’re also pretty expensive as compared with other options like dried fruit.
- Use Money-Saving Apps:
Why pass up an opportunity to grab some delightful inexpensive meals and other food items at next-to-nothing rates with the use of free grocery money-saving apps?
Yes, there are apps that can help you save money whenever you shop, and even help you make some money back on items you buy from your favorite grocery stores across the country every day as well. You can check out Target Circle, Savingstar, Rakuten, Coupons.com, Ibotta, Fetch Rewards, Checkout 51, and other such apps for these amazing benefits.
These apps are supported by leading stores including Amazon, Home Depot, Target, Dollar Tree, Walmart, and others.
Set Specific Cash Limits For Items On Your Grocery List
Don’t just step out of your home and head off to those grocery stores without already knowing exactly what you want to buy. Well, unless you want to end up with a pile of unnecessary items that would leave a huge hole in your grocery budget.
If you truly intend to save money on groceries, you cannot afford to go blind-shopping without having not only a plan but a well-researched grocery list as well (which we have shared with you earlier on here). You also can’t afford to not predetermine exactly how much you’ll be willing to pay for each food item on your grocery list, as this would help ensure that you stick to your food budget eventually.
Compare Grocery Store Prices Online
One good thing is we live in a time that everything one could ever need is now online and available at the click of a button. From banking, insurance, technology, entertainment, hospitality, to agricultural products, you can get absolutely any product or service you need online.
This comes in handy when shopping on a budget as you can easily compare the prices of all you need from different stores right in the comfort of your home.
Healthy foods don’t necessarily have to be the most costly. You can get great meals that wouldn’t leave a hole in your food budget and still eat healthy while at it.
Create A Meal Plan
Meal planning is ideal in this situation as it could help you narrow down your options to the barest essentials and the best choices as you prepare to put your grocery costs together. Would you be going for processed foods or would you rather buy fresh produce and settle for more organic options? These are some of the vital things you must factor in as you draw up your plan.
Remember you’re trying to make the most of your grocery budget and find cheaper yet healthy ways to help you and your family make it through this period where you’ve decided to cut down on your food budget. Therefore, you surely need to have a plan on how to get by on what, and when to maybe switch from processed meals, like canned beans, to more healthy options like fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, egg salad sandwiches, and other healthy food choices which have more nutritional value.
Meals don’t have to be bland, tasteless, and totally unappealing because you’re on a budget. Even cheap meals can be absolutely sumptuous and mouth-watering as long as they are well planned and you are creative about the whole process and situation.
How Healthy Are Your Options?
Shopping on a budget is not an excuse to ignore all the health implications of sticking to certain foods only. As much as you are trying to save money on groceries and reduce your overall spending, you must never ignore the complete nutritional value of whatever you’re planning to feed yourself and your family.
Don’t get us wrong though. Simple meals can also come at a discounted price, so you won’t have to worry about anyone going hungry.
As you’re making creative meal plans and also setting a financial limit to your spending on each item on your grocery list, do try to always remember that whatever options you choose, your family’s health is as important as saving money on your grocery bill as well.
Conclusion
Knowing what to buy is a very essential skill when it comes to grocery shopping on a budget. While you seek to ensure that you put food on the table for your family though, you must also see to it that you do not end up incurring avoidable bad debts in the process. Remember also, that cheaper meals do not necessarily translate to unhygienic or unhealthy meals. It only proves that you have found some smarter ways to keep your family relatively well-fed and nourished while saving some money at the same time.