It may seem as though $50 per week for groceries is unreal.

Especially if you are the person that does most of the shopping.

The cost of food is high, and I don’t think the prices will go down anytime soon.

In terms of monthly expenses for the household, groceries is more than likely the second or third most expensive household expense that you have.

However, there is a lot of wiggle room to get this cost down and leave more money to save or pay down debt.

 

$50 A Week Grocery List

Before I got serious about my spending, the average amount that was spent on groceries was no less than $150.

Never really paid much attention to the cost of what I was putting in the basket, just as long as it was something that we ate and the price wasn’t too crazy, I bought it.

Now when it came down to it, those groceries never really lasted the entire week, and somehow or another either I or my husband would go back to the store and pick up more items.

Does this sound like you? With making multiple trips to the grocery store, it is so EASY spending over $100 or more at the store without realizing it.

Once we got serious about our finances, I knew this was an area that we could improve on.

Depending on the area of the country you live, $50 per week for groceries may seem unrealistic.

Spending $80 per week on groceries if you live in San Francisco may be more realistic due to the cost of living, however living in a small rural town $30 per week for groceries is a doable amount.

What I can tell you is, if you are intentional about cutting costs planning your trip to the grocery will make a huge difference in grocery savings for the week. The three steps to take are:

1. Look at the grocery sales flyers for what is on sale.
2. Make a list of the sale items you will pick up and the ESTIMATED cost.
3. Trust the list you made and shop what is on that list!

First, don’t throw out the sales flyers you get in the mail or in the Sunday paper, it is not junk mail.

Getting into the habit of looking at the grocery store sales flyer will get you familiar with that store’s sales cycle.

Most grocery stores run on a 6 to 12-week sales cycle, so if your local store has chicken breast on sale at an amazingly low price buy more than one pack.

If you happen to miss the sale, don’t worry it will come around again on sale.

Next, once you have your list written, do a quick tally of the cost of each item to give yourself an estimated total cost.

We don’t want any surprises at the checkout and this is the best way $50 per week for groceries is possible.

Third, if you deviate from the list then you know there will be a possibility that you will overspend the budgeted amount.

However, resist the temptation to carelessly walk the aisles and “see what else I can get” thought out of your mind.

I know it’s hard sometimes but you will thank yourself in the long run.

Healthy Grocery List On A Budget

Saving money on groceries does not mean compromising on your health.

To tell the truth most items in the grocery stores are not the best for your health.

One rule to always keep in mind is to shop the outer aisles and only use the inner aisles for items that you absolutely need.

Most of the healthier food options are on the outer aisles and walls of the store.

Plus most of the items that really add up the cost of the grocery bill are what’s in the inner aisles.

Stick to fresh fruits and vegetables leave the canned fruit alone.

One 16oz can of sliced peaches cost you on sale $1.00, however, you can buy them fresh for $1.00 per pound and get way more that will last you for the week.

Shopping the outer aisles of the grocery store is healthy and will also save you money!

Groceries That Last

As you are planning your grocery shopping trip, choose staple items that will last.

These typically are bulk items like rice, beans, lentils, etc.

These are the needed inner aisle items that you will purchase but fairly inexpensive.

Keep in mind, buying boxed rice that comes in an assortment of flavors, or boxed pre-made pasta dinners are not the healthiest and also can really add up at the checkout counter.

Stay away from those as much as you can, and instead create your own sauces.

If you consider yourself not a good cook, look to Pinterest for delicious recipes or signup for an affordable meal planning service.

Meal planning will help relieve the stress of figuring out what to cook, and plus you will have a constant supply of different recipes to try.

This meal planning service that I use has been a life changer for me.

I no longer have to stress about what to cook for the week and the meals are based around what is on sale at the grocery store. Cha-Ching!

I save money AND receive weekly recipes that are completely customizable to my family’s needs.

Here is a post where I talk about how I am able to still shop $50 per week for groceries, and show the picture of the groceries and a copy of my receipt.

The $50 per week for groceries that I spend also includes taxes.

It is on rare occasions when the amount is over, reason would be for liquor or entertaining.

Keep This In Mind

Remember to make $50 per week for groceries possible you need to look at the sales flyers, write a list along with the estimated prices, and shop that list.

It will take practice to get into the groove of it all, but as long as you are intentional about saving on groceries it is definitely possible.

What are the ways you save on shopping at the grocery store? Leave them in the comments below.

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