The Rising Cost of Food
Everywhere we look things are getting more expensive. The global supply chain has been under constant pressure for over a year now and the result is a steady increase in prices. This can be seen in every industry; however, the place where it hurts the most is at the grocery store. We all must eat, and it seems like every time we go food shopping the bill keeps going up. So how do we combat this problem? There is no singular answer to this question, although there are several different ways to save money when food shopping.
Meal Planning
Whenever we go to the store without a plan we go over budget. It is human nature. We want things and when we get careless, we buy more then we need and extra items that we do not even really use. The best way to solve this problem is to enter the grocery store with a plan. Meal panning is essential to eating on a budget. Plans can be made on a monthly basis, a weekly basis, or even a daily basis. All that really matters is we walk into the store knowing exactly what we need. Sitting down to create a menu ensures that we know what ingredients to get, and which ones are an unnecessary luxury. Additionally, if we get into some sort of meal routine we will start to stock up on the basics and can even start buying in bulk. Most items are offered in different size packages and the larger size is usually the best deal. However, we must note that it is important to be careful. If we buy too much of an item, we risk it spoiling before we use it all. In conclusion, if we have a plan and we stick to it, odds are we will save money in the long run.
Lunch Packing
How often do you leave work to get food on your lunch break? If it is more then once or twice a week, you are wasting money. Eating out is always more expensive than bringing a packed lunch from home. For those who would argue that fast food can be purchased quickly and cheaply, it is important to think about nutrition. Fast food is extremely unhealthy and consuming it too often will cause issues in the long run. Additionally, a pack lunch does not always have to be boring. Having the same sandwich every day would get old, but there are other ways to pack lunch efficiently. Making extra food for a dinner meal intentionally is a great way to change up the packed lunch routine. Additionally, there are countless numbers of deli meats to choose from and side snacks to supplement your lunch. If you get in the habit of packing a lunch every day, there is a good chance that you can use the money you saved to buy higher end ingredients as well. Buying prepared meals is always more expensive because you must pay someone to make the food. If you do it yourself, you cut out another markup that can be avoided.
The Snacks
One of the biggest ways to waste money on food is to buy snack food. Premade baked goods and other snack type foods are usually unhealthy, unnecessary, and overpriced. This is where most people get into trouble when shopping, especially when hungry. It is okay to indulge in snacking, but we must be smart about it as well. Healthy premade snacks are costly but the ingredients to make them ourselves usually are just as expensive, but we get more bang for our buck. Making cookies from scratch or snacking on vegetables is far cheaper then buying individual packaged snacks. Additionally, the worst thing we can to when trying to save money is buy snacks at convenience stores. These places usually sell small quantities of food at high prices. If we make our own snack foods, we our likely to save money, be healthier, ands end up with more food. Finally, if we make everything from scratch, we know what we are putting into our bodies and can live a healthier life.
Drinks
Water is the building block of life and consuming it is essential to our health. The other benefit of water is it can obtain for very low costs from a faucet in our homes and at work. One of the biggest wastes of money for most households is buying some sort of bottled sugar drink. This can be soft drinks, juices, or even sports drinks. They are tasty but they are extremely expensive. If you stop at a convenient store or order a drink with a meal you instantly add $2-3 to the meal expense. If you do get tired of water investigate powdered flavors, just remember to buy them in bulk to save money. If you doubt this is true, try it for a week. If you skip ordering drinks with meals, you will notice a change in the amount of money you spend at the end of the week. So next time you think money is tight remember to only order a glass of water. It is healthier and cheaper than any alternative.
We all must eat, and we all must live on a budget. Eating well does not have to be sacrificed to save money. Next time you worry about your grocery bill spend a few minutes to plan and think about things. Odds are your will be healthier and save some money.