Grocery Budget Check Up 2015 Week #1

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It's that time of year (I know y'all are so excited!) Time to start talking grocery budgets. I've said it so many times before (some of you are tired of hearing I bet!), but there is NO OTHER AREA IN YOUR FAMILY'S FINANCES THAT YOU CAN SO EASILY TAKE CONTROL OF AS YOUR FAMILY'S GROCERY BUDGET.

Woohooo! 😉 (I know, I know . . . but it really is kinda fun when you're able to whittle that grocery budget down ~ promise!)

I've had an overwhelming number of requests this last week from people asking how much their grocery budget should be, how to use coupons effectively, and how to really change their grocery budget in 2015. Here are a few (easy!) tips that will hopefully get you started:

1. Consider what your grocery budget currently is. If you're new to couponing, plan to decrease your budget by 10-20% over the next three to four weeks, and then determine to slash it by up to 50% in the next 3-4 months.  (Read this post for more tips.)
2. Choose one (one!) store to shop at and learn their coupon policy really well. Find every website you can sharing information about deals at that store, and look for as much information online prior to shopping each week so that you go in prepared to get the best deals.  (See more on beginning couponing information HERE to get started.)
3. Look at what's in your pantry and take a few days off from shopping by using what you already have.
4. Shop the sales ads. Chicken on sale? Then your family gets chicken tonight. 😉 Once you've built your stockpile up you'll have a little more variety, but for now use your stores sales ad as a guide to your menu planning each week.

In 2015, my goal is to spend no more than $90 to $100 each week at the grocery. 

This is substantially more than I've ever spent for groceries each week (it wasn't long ago we only spent $40-$50 weekly!) But, we're eating more and more whole foods, my kids are getting bigger, we now live in an area where fewer stores double coupons, and we got a dog. 🙂 I'll continue using mostly only printable coupons will work to help save my sanity, and feel like this is a pretty realistic goal. (We'll see!)

I get asked pretty frequently what's included in my grocery budget, so thought I'd share a quick list:

• groceries
• toiletries
• paper products
• cleaning supplies
• pet food (new this year!)

If you need to change your grocery budget in 2015, today is a PERFECT day to start, and I promise, you. can. do. this. (really!) Determine today how you want your year to look, set realistic goals, and decide to take control of your finances instead of allowing them to control you.  I can't wait to hear what your goals are, and am excited to see how we'll do in 2015 to pinch those pennies even further. You can share your goals by clicking HERE ~ I'm cheering for you!