Let’s talk about MONEY. Specifically, the grocery budget. This seems to be an area where tons of people over spend. I get it, budgeting and meal planning take some work. However, it’s worth it if it means you have everything you need to create yummy meals and save money.

Our family (2 adults, 1 dog) spends 250 dollars per month on all of our groceries. This includes our kitchen goods too, such as: paper towels, dishwasher pods, trash bags, etc. So, how do we do this?!

5 tips we use to save on our grocery budget:

1. Shop at Aldi. If not Aldi, then Walmart is a good option. It’s possible to stick to a budget regardless of the store, but Kroger, Target, Wholefoods, Trader Joes, Tom Thumb, etc. are all going to be higher priced. It all ads up, so choose wisely.
2. Buy generic brands. Very few things are worth the name brand. Oreos are one of them. Most things, though, you really will survive just fine with the generic store brand.
3. Take two trips a month, or 4 (once weekly) if you have a larger family. Do NOT (I repeat, do NOT) make more than 4 trips max in a month. In between trips will add up over time and aren’t worth your energy.
4.  Make a list. It sounds like a no brainer, but ALWAYS take the time to make a list. Take inventory of your pantry, fridge, and back stock. Do your best to stick to the list while at the store.
5. Shelf cook. This is one of the biggest money saving tips I can give you. Shelf cooking is all about cooking with what you have on hand. Keeping cheap staples such as rice, pasta, frozen veggies, and canned goods make whipping together any meal easy.

 

Our February Aldi Grocery Haul for 2 People

 

In January we challenged ourselves to use up as much of our stock as we could. Like most, December was an expensive month and I wanted to clean everything out to start fresh. We shelf cooked, pulled from back stock, and made it work!

Then, February we went and had the BIGGEST Aldi Haul we’ve EVER had. Our cart was so full.

All of the food pictured above costs us 208 dollars out of the 250 grocery budget

If you want to see a full video that goes through EVERY single item we bought, I will link the Aldi Grocery Haul 2 Weeks for 2 People here.

As you can see, the second trip for February was much smaller. We simply needed a few things to restock.

All of the food pictured above costs us 55.39

I did not film a video showing what we got above, but you can see pretty clearly what all of the items are. Typically we budget 250 dollars per month for all of our groceries. February we allowed ourselves to go over a little bit and

We spent 263.39 on groceries for two people in one month

Did we go over the grocery budget a bit in February? Yes. However, we came in under budget in March. It’s about balance, knowing your overall goals, and committing.

Saving money on groceries IS possible, I promise. If we can do it so can you. Remember: managing your money is important. Get a grasp on your money, become debt free, and live within your means so you can (say it with me now..) life your dream life!!

Comment below and let me know, how much money a month does your family spend on groceries?