Monthly Grocery Budget

Kevin and I have made cuts every which way possible; at least it feels that way. The last item on the list was "groceries". Amazingly, our budget has come in at around $400 a month since we've been married. We eat healthily, eat out maybe once a month (which is usually part of the "date night" budget), and we throw little if anything away. So how was this so high? Where can we cut to save?


Well, I'll tell you, I've been doing the research. And experimenting. And talking to money-saving, wise souls. 


This is what I've put together so far:

• buy a pre-cooked whole chicken at the supermarket; use this meat for a few meals, then use the carcass to make chicken broth
• buy bulk (mostly frozen) food at Costco every other month. Fill the freezer as much as possible and use a small budget each week for fresh produce when needed
• make bulk meals whenever possible that provide leftovers for several more meals
• buy certain products (except fresh produce, dairy products, etc.) at a discount store like Grocery Outlet
• always except handouts ;-)
• plan ahead: budgets, meal plans, grocery lists - then shop
• stick to the list!
• use what you have before buying more
• get creative with spices and seasonings
• portion control - spread the food out whenever possible

This isn't magic, people. And I don't pretend to believe that I can ALWAYS make this happen. But if I can institute these guidelines into our routine, I think we can spend way less on groceries each month.

For the most part, I've planned out the month of July as far as the "big Costco shop". In fact, our meal routine is pretty set in general:

Breakfast: Apples with peanut butter or cereal for Kevin; Greek yogurt with honey for Nicole; French press coffee for both

Lunch: One of the homemade soups with homemade corn bread for Kevin; spinach or romaine salad with varying toppings (dressings, protein, fruit, etc.) for Nicole

Snack: Hot chocolate or strawberry milk for Kevin; air-popped popcorn or Lucerne light yogurt for Nicole

Dinner: protein (chicken, fish, beef, tofu, legume) and vegetables (salad, squash, broccoli, asparagus) with varying seasonings/flavor additions

Dessert: ice cream, pudding, jello, or some other goodie we may have on hand 

That's about it! We don't get too fancy around here. Although, I recently fell in love with anything made with coconut milk and curry. Mmmmmmmm. I try to vary the flavors of the lunch soups and dinners so that we don't get bored. That's when we tend to eat out - when we are bored with our usuals.

This saving money thing is harder than I thought it would be.

So tell me: How do you save money on groceries? Any tips or tricks??