Those who are on a tight budget need to figure out ways to cut back on their essential expenses to smoothly get by. Grocery shopping takes a large proportion of your budget. If you are cutting back on your expenses, you will have to cut back on your grocery budget.

Many people think it is impossible, as it includes essentials, but there are ways to minimise your food budget without compromising on nutrients. Furnishing yourself with nutritious food does not need to cost an arm and a leg.

Tips for cutting back on weekly shopping expenses

Even if you are not living paycheque to paycheque, you should consider the following tips to cut back on your weekly shopping expenses:

§  Plan your meals in advance

You should create a menu for a full week in advance. Planning your meals beforehand will preclude you from overbuying. You should check your cellar and refrigerator to see if you have the ingredients to prepare the meals you have decided on for the next week. Make sure that you do not purchase items that you already have.

For instance, if you have a bottle of ketchup and you know this would be sufficient for next week's meals, you do not have to purchase it. Having a shopping list with you will prevent impulsive buying.

§  Make a budget and stick to it

You should set a specific limit for your grocery budget. When you know how much money you have to spend on weekly groceries, you will be less likely to overspend. Use cash to purchase groceries, as this will help you track spending in real-time. You can easily set priorities when your budget is falling short.

You can take out loans with bad credit and no guarantor to bridge the gap, but make sure that you borrow money only when it is necessary.

§  Buy in bulk wisely

There are several things you know you will always need, for instance, rice, toiletries, and the like. You can buy them in bulk, as it helps save money. Rice does not go off soon, and toilet cleaning products, tissues, handwash and bodywash have longer shelf life.

Make sure that you do not buy things in bulk that are perishable, even if they are helping you save some money. If they go off before you consume them, you will end up wasting a lot of money.

§  Take advantage of sales and coupons

Stores run periodic sales. They also provide coupons to persuade you to repeat sales. You should take advantage of sales. This is the time when you can get various products at lower prices.

Most of the time, stores offer sales on non-perishable goods such as detergent powders, toiletries, etc. Sales will certainly help you save a lot of money.

§  Choose generic brands

There are several products that are available in generic brands as well as premium brands. The manufacturing process of each and every product is always the same; a label placed on the packaging from a different company should not ensure its quality, especially in the case of food items.

Therefore, you should try to purchase generic goods rather than premium goods. They will help you save some money.

§  Avoid buying processed goods

It is very common for people to purchase processed goods because they are convenient. For instance, instead of preparing meals from scratch, they tend to consider buying frozen or ready-made food. Not only is this expensive, but it also lacks nutrition. You should rather purchase wholegrain foods.

They are way cheaper than processed food. Legumes, beans and chickpeas are an excellent source of fibre. Lentils provide a load of protein. As long as you want to save money, you can cut down on the consumption of chicken and meat. Plant-based meals also supply protein.

§  Cook at home

If you want to save money on your food budget, you should cook at home. Most of the time, you should try to cook meals at home because they are more budget-friendly than takeaways and dining out. It is not a bad idea to dine out once in a while, but doing it every other day or every other week will cost you a small fortune.

§  Be creative

You will have to be creative in order to reduce your food budget. There are a variety of food recipes that not only save time but also save money. You can get tons of recipes from the internet. Most of the recipes are easy and do not require loads of ingredients.

You should also be inventive with preparing meals. Use what you have on hand and invent a new recipe. This will help you make do with fewer than the required ingredients. Sometimes, a budget becomes so tight that you will have to find substitutes.

§  Do not throw leftovers

Leftover items should be consumed first before you make another dish. They can be used for breakfast the next day. In winter, food shelf-life increases, so it is not necessary to finish them the next day if you do not feel like having them.

Sometimes, you fail to make tasty food. Instead of throwing it away, you should consider using it in other recipes. For instance, you can use it in a soup or any other dish.

§  Keep tabs on your spending

No doubt you will have to track your spending on food. A golden rule of thumb says that you should create a manual spreadsheet and record each penny you spend on food. If you cannot maintain a manual spreadsheet, you should use a budgeting app.

If you link it to your account, the app can record all transactions in one place. You do not have to record expenses on your own as long as you use your debit card to purchase groceries.

The bottom line

It is essential to save money on food bills if you are on a tight budget. Saving on groceries is also recommended as it helps you grow your emergency cushion faster. Most of the people struggle to set aside money for a rainy day as they overspend on food.

Having an emergency cushion is essential as it prevents you from borrowing money every now and then. With savings, you can avoid being trapped in the burden of debt.

Sometimes, the budget is so tight that the aforementioned strategies will not help you. If that is the case, you should consider local food banks, community gardens, and assistance programmes.

Try to live on staple foods such as potatoes, macaroni, pasta, bread, and cereals. You can buy them in bulk if they help you save money. With thoughtful choices, you can relish a satisfying and nutritious meal.