Okay, so here’s the truth. I am ecstatic about school being back in session right about now. I can finally make it through a day without picking up empty chip bags or vacuuming the crumbs and debris from food in between my couch pillows. Here’s the best one, the hidden snacks under my kid’s pillow that they sneak out of the pantry approximately 15 minutes after eating a full course meal. Where does all the food go? Do our children have a special food storage area in their bellies? Like seriously, where does it all go?
During the Summer months, most parents like yourself, and I tend to spend more money on food. If you have more than one child as I do, then you understand precisely what I mean, and I am praying for your food budget. Depending on the season and hours of free time, your child(ren) appetite may differ depending on the temperature. During the hotter seasons, they may prefer lots of cold cool treats and an abundance of fruity beverages. As we know, each season comes with all sorts of treats. Unfortunately, our income doesn’t increase with the extra spending cost, so we have to find practical ways to supplement these additional costs.
Traditionally the rule of thumb when shopping on a budget is to write down all your groceries needed on a list. These should include:
Meats
Vegetables
Snacks, etc.
After you write your list, then what?
Many of us know we should budget a certain amount monthly for groceries. But to be honest, many of us, myself included, never knew how to purchase to our benefit. We go to known stores like Walmart and Kroger or Pathmark and blow our entire budget to cover two weeks, maybe of groceries when there are other options. Western beef, Aldi, Lidl, and Dollar Tree carry some of the same everyday items we buy at a fraction of the cost.
Did you know that a pack of juice pouches for 5.99 at Walmart costs less than $2 at Aldi?
Did you know that the unfamiliar brand item you just paid for tastes better and is less than the $10 brand at Walmart?
Did you know when it comes to snacks, and food kids have no care in the world about the name on the package?
Now there are many companies whose brands are excellent, but that’s the least of importance when you’re trying to feed your family.
When we talk about budgeting, the items that come to most of our minds are bills, bills, bills, and more bills. However, in this blog series, I want to change that narrative. The same way we budget for household living expenses, we can take that same approach when it comes to feeding our families. Planning how, where, and what to spend.
Every family is different and has different needs. Although budgeting is critical to all families, each family’s budget may differ. In the end, no matter what your family composition is using, the right strategy to stretch your dollars is vital and necessary to get the most out of your hard-earned money.
As a wife and mother of 5 children, I must continuously figure out strategic ways to shop and spread our groceries out for the entire month. Like my children, I’m pretty sure most of your children seem to get “long eyed” as my mom used to call it and attempt to eat everything on-site just because it’s insight. Feeding a family can be a challenge, especially for large families, but there are ways that you can get your shopping done more cost-effectively. In this blog series, I want to challenge the traditional way we approach budgeting.
When I was little, my mother was a stay-at-home mom. Money was an issue, so she worked with what she had to ensure we were able to eat throughout the month. She planned according to the amount she could afford.
For example, instead of her saying it would cost $5 a day per family member for the month, which would have cost her a total of $800 with a household of 7. She took the $500 or so the state paid her in food stamps and shopped according to that. This method worked, and it kept me and my siblings fed and happy. It’s the methods I’ve used, and now I would like to introduce to your family.
However, before we begin, here are some simple, cost-effective tips to help you save at the grocery store when shopping for a family of four. Take a sneak peek of our first episode that will be airing next week.
Video link:
Other Useful Tips
Coupons
Coupons are also a great way to save. Some of you may find it tedious to sit and cut out coupons from the circulars and bounce around to different stores to catch all the sales, but it can be all so worth it. As another option, there are a variety of coupon sites that can be used to help you avoid the dreadfulness of dealing with the many supermarket circulars.
Here are a few websites you can use:
Packaging Ideas.
Knowing how to package your food for storage allows you to store more. There are numerous sites where you can purchase these items for free.
Bulk Buying
Practical Bulk buying shopping for certain items can also help save your family a bundle.
The Average Cost of a Restaurant Meal for a family can add up even at the typical fast-food restaurant. Dining at home with your family is not only more fulfilling, but it also saves you so much. Here’s an easy cost-efficient recipe to feed a family for the holidays.
For more budgeting tips on feeding a family, please subscribe to our blog so you can receive alerts for our next series.
This blog was written by Mrs. Williams-Bey.
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