HOW TO: Micro-Budget Your Grocery Bill

When I budget our paycheck one of the areas that I like to micro-budget when we are in a tough spot is our groceries.

Let’s break down how I do this photo by photo:

1. FIRST I CALCULATE OUR GROSS INCOME THEN MAKE A GROCERIES BUDGET

When budgeting you’ll always need to calculate your gross income first so that you know what you’re working with. Then after paying off your prioritized bills, make a grocery budget.

2. NEXT, I PRE-PLAN EVERY MEAL FOR 15 DAYS AND CUT OUT ALL FAST FOOD EXPENSES

We then make a dinner plan for every single night since it is the most expensive meal. Usually for lunch and breakfast we can buy bulk items such as cereal and salad items. Sometimes we allow a budget for fast food. But this time we are not.

3. THEN, I WRITE DOWN EVERY ITEM NEEDED TO MAKE THOSE MEALS, AND LUNCH, BREAKFAST AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS.

The key is to write every single item down to the spices. You want to know every single thing you’ll need ahead of time so that you’re in and out of the store faster and not impulse buying.

4. FINALLY I GO TO THE WEBSITE AND WRITE DOWN THE PRICE OF EACH ITEM.

I like to know about how much I’m spending ahead of time before going to the store. By writing each price down I can make sure I’m below budget at home before getting to the register at the store and trying to do the math in my head.

PRO TIPS:

➡️ Stick to the list- don’t impulse buy.

➡️ Use a money back app like Ibotta.

➡️ Go to a store that has a points/membership card such as Food Lion or Kroger for extra savings.

➡️Coupon!!

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