Smart Grocery Shopping Tips for Large Families: How to Save Big
Shopping for groceries to feed a large family can often feel like an overwhelming financial burden. However, one seasoned mother of 12, who expertly manages the grocery needs of her household of 14, has shared her valuable insights on how to keep food costs manageable without sacrificing quality. With her experience, she has developed a series of effective tips and strategies that can help other families navigate the tricky terrain of grocery shopping.
For this mom, grocery bills can easily surpass $2,000 a month if she doesnât keep a close eye on her budget. To avoid such expenses, she has honed her grocery shopping skills over the years and has learned to implement various cost-saving strategies. Below are some of her best practices for budget-friendly grocery shopping.
1. Meal Planning is Crucial
Before even stepping foot into a grocery store, she emphasizes the importance of meal planning. By outlining meals for the upcoming days or weeks ahead of time, she ensures that every ingredient added to her shopping cart serves a specific purpose. This not only helps manage her budget but also significantly reduces food waste, as she knows precisely what she will use.
2. Find the Right List-Making Method
Every shopper has a unique approach to creating a shopping list, and finding the right method is essential. The mother explains that she has experimented with various formats but has settled on using Microsoft Excel to create and print her grocery list. This digital method allows her to sort items by store and category, making the shopping experience more efficient and preventing unnecessary backtracking through the aisles.
3. Always Bring Your List
Creating a grocery list is only half the battle; ensuring you bring it along is just as important. She admits that she often forgets her meticulously crafted shopping list, which leads to impulsive purchases and forgotten essentials. To combat this, she checks her kitchen for pantry staples before making her list and ensures itâs in her bag before leaving the house.
4. Enlist Your Kids
When shopping, she takes advantage of having her children accompany her. By assigning them the role of âlist manager,â they help read off items, speeding up the trip. The kids take this responsibility seriously, often questioning any added item not on the list, which helps keep impulse buying in check. This not only fosters accountability but also makes them feel involved in the shopping process.
5. Know Your Prices
Part of her strategy includes keeping a mental note of the prices for often-purchased items. By understanding the normal price range, she can quickly recognize a bargain when she sees one. This awareness also aids in comparisons between different stores, allowing her to make informed decisions that respect her budget.
6. Avoid Buying Just Because Itâs on Sale
While stockpiling can seem like a wise choice, she warns against purchasing items that wonât be used, even if they're at a discounted price. In her earlier days, she stockpiled products that eventually went unused and expired, leading to waste and money down the drain. Her current philosophy focuses on buying only what is necessary.
7. Shop Multiple Stores
To maximize savings, she frequently visits several different stores during a shopping trip. By doing so, she can take advantage of special sales or bulk pricing at specific locations. For her, Costco is usually the first stop, where she buys in bulk, saving room in her vehicle for smaller purchases from other stores.
8. Limit Shopping Trips
Living in a remote area poses its challenges, particularly when it comes to grocery shopping. With the nearest store 15 miles away, she has learned the value of planning her trips carefully. By reducing the frequency of her grocery outings, she minimizes the temptation to make unplanned purchases.
9. Be Mindful of Beverages
She points out that drinks like soda and juice can quickly inflate grocery bills. To counteract this, she encourages her family to drink water as their primary beverage. While it may take some adjustment, her children have come to enjoy water, which also contributes to overall health.
10. Buy Direct from Farmers
Whenever possible, she tries to cut out the middleman by purchasing directly from local farmers. Previously, she raised her own livestock and found that buying a whole cow or hog not only saves money but also provides quality meat for her family. For those interested in fresh produce, sourcing locally can often yield better prices and fresher options.
Overall, while grocery shopping for a large family can be daunting, employing these strategies can make it significantly more manageable. Her tips highlight the importance of planning, organization, and making informed choices to effectively control food expenses while feeding a bustling household.
This article was initially published in September 2021 and has since been updated to reflect the latest insights and experiences of the author.
