Desperate Measures For Grocery Budgeting

[jeffrey]

Quite a few people set a budget for groceries they believe is totally reasonable, and yet they cannot manage against it. There is always something that prevents it.

If you are truly desperate to keep yourself inline, here is a surefire tip (DISCLAIMER: I'm not a fan of gift cards, but in this case they are a must):

First, determine what your budget is for the week. Say it's $100 a week, $400 a month.




Go to the one store with the best sales and deals, and coupons, whatever you have to work with. Or a few select stores. Purchase gift cards for the budget. You can get one $100 card each week, or 4 $100 cards each month. And you don't have to do it ahead of time; you can walk up to the counter, purchase the card, walk back out to your car and lock up your wallet.

This is a very important point. Do not enter back into the store with any form of payment other than the prepaid card. No cash, no credit cards.

Bring a cell phone if you like, most have calculators, or you can call your SO to help choose priorities. But as you fill the cart, remember that you cannot go over, and you have no means to pay more than your budget.

If you know that you always forget something, and must go back to pick up items later, save $10 or whatever on the card (i.e., you can only spend $90, to keep $10 on the card for emergencies in the week).

Now the good news is, if you are under budget, you can apply that money to the next week. If you go over, force yourself to put something back.

For those who keep a stockpile, and a separate budget for that, again, keep a prepaid card and only charge against that for the stockpile. It will keep your weekly budget separate and manageable, and also help you see how you are managing the stockpile budget.

The cards don't have to be store specific, they can be any kind of pre-paid debit card. But they have to be cut off limit, no exceeding, and the store cards tend to force you to stay focused on that one bill. Running around to more stores, shopping lots of different ads and sales, can be highly effective for stockpiling, but can kill a weekly budget by not recognizing all the little things that are adding up. If you want to shop for a FEW things at a second store, again, give yourself a specific budget on the card, or a separate card, and do not exceed.

It's difficult. It may seem cruel. It may seem impossible. But when you force yourself to make choices, you start managing your budget.

After a few weeks, decide if your budget is realistic. If it is, are you able to start managing it without restraints? Keep going until you find the right budget or the right shopping habits.

Above all else, do not treat the cards as gift cards, fake money that doesn't count and you can add to. They are the ONLY money you get. No loose change, no cards, no wallet!

By Flash - Grocery Coupon Guide and Flash's Saving Blog

[naturalwoman]

this was the exact thing i was going to do. i purchase gift cards for other people and i said, hey to stay on my budget, i should do this for myself. today i used cash and brought no more than what i wanted to spend, okay well a little more. i said i would spend 60, i spent 63. one thing about the gift card is i don't want to know that the money is there on the card as a back up, so either i will break it up into two cards, going shopping twice a month or just use cash and take no more than 65 bucks.

[khorovetsyelena]

I have a big stockpile. Some weeks I spend $100, but some weeks only $20. Even though there is 3 adults and 2 kids in my family, I usually spend about $300 on grocerries, that includes diapers for my daughter. If I would stick to a budget, I wouldn't able to keep my stockpile. Because if I there is something that I can get for almost free, I would get as many as I have coupons for it. I usually get everything that is free after rebatem even if I would need it like a year from now(shampoos, toothbrashes and stuff like that). If I would have budget, I would have to skip some of these free offers.

[Ima saver]

I don't like gift cards. When I was much younger and much poorer, I would just take a certain amt. of cash with me and add my grocery purchases as i went. When I got close to my limit, I stopped.

[cicy33]

I really like the idea. I am like the above poster some weeks more some less. two weeks ago got 32 bottles of Herbal Essences for .75 per bottles after coupons with a buy one get one free coupon and they had the 2 bottle packs for the price of 1 bottle. So spending the money was okay but this week I haven't spent at all yet. However, i am seriously considering this idea just to see if it would work. Of course you would have to have the money already.

[cicy33]

I wonder isn't there like a prepaid credit card with no interest out there? sort of like a check but a master card? that way you could use it anywhere!

[cicy33]

I just answered my own post. I have USAA insurance and they offer a free prepaid with no fees. cool!

[cicy33]

Well, investigated further and that program is for your kids, though I guess you could use the card? I will check into it further.

[cicy33]

Called my bank and they have one too but charge $5 to fund the card, you can only fund it one time and if there is a balance after 6 months there will be a fee of $5. so I am still checking into options. but check with your local banks to see what they offer.