Appreciation post: My grocery spending hit under $200 for the first time in a year

I've been tracking every dollar for my family of three, and last month our total was $197. It shocked me because I didn't feel like we were missing out. The big change was planning meals around the weekly flyer for the store on Maple Street and sticking to a strict list. I used to just grab things, but now I check unit prices on everything. That number made me realize how much was slipping through before. Has anyone else found a specific trick that got them past a spending wall like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

susanm5622d ago

Planning around the weekly flyer sounds smart. How many meals did that plan actually cover?

hollyl4521d ago

Honestly, under $200 for three people? That's wild. Susanm56 has a point though, how many meals did that even cover?

elliot_thomas8221d agoMost Upvoted

What really helped me was making a "pantry list" on my fridge. I wrote down every can, box, and bag we already had. Before making my shopping list, I check that first. Last week I found two cans of black beans and a half bag of rice I forgot about. That turned into chili and saved me from buying new stuff. It forces you to use what you already paid for.