Why I changed the way I grocery shop
About a year or so ago, I changed the way I go about making a grocery list. While sticking to a monthly grocery budget (I strive for about $520 a month including our toiletries and paper items), I changed the way I planned my menu and wrote my grocery list. I used to just write my menu then list the ingredients I needed for these meals on my list and then shop typically at Walmart and Aldi. When we moved to a new town, I finally discovered why so many people enjoy shopping at Kroger. While I still do the majority of my shopping at Aldi, these are the steps I now use when planning meals and my list:
- have a general idea for meals for the week
- look at the Kroger ad on Wednesday and make note of all worthy specials
- plan using the special if any (meat and seafood)
- BUY AHEAD if there are some awesome deals
- complete my list the way I usually would with thrifty meals, snacks and daily staples
Buy ahead and stock up
This is where I discovered I could make a difference in my grocery budget! My tendency is to buy only what I need for the week and see how little I can spend. When I realized that sometimes there are deals I shouldn’t pass up, I started buying ahead so that I would have meat, shrimp and bread items in my freezer for the weeks that these items are not on sale. For example, Kroger sometimes will run their Boston Butts on sale for 88c a pound. Instead of just buying one for the week, I try to buy at least 2 if not 3 if possible. The same when their extra large shrimp is on sale for $6.99 a pound.
I also visit the bread markdowns every week so that I can stock up my freezer with specialty bread and buns for less than a dollar. I often can find croissants on discount and I freeze those for an easy and special breakfast.
Find a blogger/website that shares deals for your favorite grocery store
I follow MoneySavingMom on Instagram, her blog and on Facebook since she shops at Kroger and shares her deals and which markdowns she finds. She has taught me to look for those yellow markdown tags and to look for deals on the outskirts of the store. I have found great deals that way. I also occasionally check on KrogerKrazy for all the Kroger deals.
So while I might spend a little more some weeks because I am stock piling on these specials deals, in the long run I am saving money because I can plan meals with what I have on hand which was bought when prices were at their best!
Happy shopping!
A bientôt!
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8 Comments
jodie filogomo
This is exactly how I shop, Mireille. I feel like it makes it easier to plan my meals too. We go and see what is in the freezer, and then decide what to cook.
In fact, I just read in Bon Appetit, that you shouldn’t shop off a recipe but from what you have in your freezer!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
mimifce
With 4 growing boys, I still feel like I spend a lot but my ways are changing and I feel like I am getting better at it!
Kim
You are so smart. In the past, I’ve always meal planned, but didn’t shop the specials. However, if I did find something we always used marked down, I would pick up additional.
mimifce
Just learning and trying to share! Thank you for stopping by!
Bettye L Rainwater
Boston Butts, tee hee 🙂 There are so many cuts of meat I’m totally unfamiliar with, I tend to just stick with my tried and true.
I’m usually not well stocked up on anything…well, except pasta. I keep my grocery budget pretty low so it’s hard to buy something with THIS week’s money for another week’s use. Although I did just make a new “grocery policy” for myself…and that is to only grocery shop 3 weeks out of the month. There’s always enough odds and ends in the fridge and cupboards to get me through one week without buying anything new – pasta, tuna, frozen veggies, soup, beans, rice, etc. There’s certainly no fear of me starving to death in a week. And the thought was to put that week’s money straight into savings. I COULD use that week’s money for “stocking up” if it meant saving money on groceries in the long run.
It’s a thought. Look, you made me think! Ha 🙂
Bettye
https://fashionschlub.com
mimifce
It’s definitely hard for my mindset to buy ahead but with my 4 growing boys, I am finding my grocery bill increasing so it has made a difference in the long run for that month. I tend to have a week with a higher grocery bill followed by a much lower one. But i can tell that the month budget has gone down some with buying ahead. Shopping your pantry is perfect! I like your policy of going grocery shopping 3 times a month! And i need to share my boston butt recipe on here one week, yum yum!
Mary
I also love going to Aldi. Sadly we don’t have a Krogers in my area but I can look around to see if there might be something comparable.
mimifce
Yes, Kroger has affiliate stores from what I understand. You might be able to google them, and I think they offer the same type of deals!