Do you look in the circular before you go grocery shopping? Do you plan your meals before you shop? Do you make a list? If you don’t do these things, then you’re missing out on a very simple way to save money on food. Our credit counseling advice is to plan your meals around sales.
Avoid credit card debt with ACCC’s budget-friendly tips.
You can organize your meals and save money by following these steps:
- Make a list and stick to it. Planning ahead and having a list is the best thing you can do to prevent overspending on groceries. The list prevents you from wandering around, trying to come up with ideas, or making impulse purchases. It’s a good way to stay on budget.
- Check out the store circular. You probably get them in the mail every week, but you can also see them online at the grocery store’s website. Maybe there’s a special on ground beef or chicken breasts this week. Not only can you plan a meal for a sale item, you can also stock up and freeze the extra food. Start with the main protein part of the dish, then look for other ingredients and side dish ideas to go with it.
- Plan multiple meals. Depending on how frequently you shop, you may want to plan for a few days, a week, or several weeks. This can also mean buying larger quantities of items, so finding them on sale can really make a difference. Regardless, try to have the whole meal planned before you shop… main dishes, side dishes, snacks, etc.
If you’re struggling to pay off debt, ACCC can help. Schedule a free credit counseling session with us today.
