Now that you have a list of meals and grocery items that you'd like to incorporate into your monthly menu, it's time to find out how much everything is going to cost. This is my list that I came up with a couple of years ago when I did this for myself. Some things are slightly out of date- but still shows a good representation of the cost of food. There are a lot of things on this list that are cheaper now, like grains. There are also several items that are more expensive, like canned goods. Overall, I've noticed that on average groceries are substantially cheaper right now than they were two years ago. Remember when wheat went up to $30 for a 45lb bucket?! You can now buy it for about $14/bucket. Phew! But keep in mind, food is definitely on the rise again, so now is a good time to stock up.
So on to Step Two:
Make a Master Price List
Food Prices 2
Just in case you've never made a price list for every little grocery item that you buy before. here are some pointers. First, gather all of your receipts. Anything at all that may have any type of grocery item on it. If you haven't been saving them then start now! By saving your receipts you will not only be able to keep track of food prices, but you'll be able to see just how much you are currently spending on groceries. I know I've asked a lot of people how much they spend each month and there are quite a few who didn't even know. Write down everything, even if it's not a regular purchase.
If you are one who normally writes out a shopping list already, then start saving those and fill in the prices of food as you cross them off your list. You could even just bring a pen and notepad with you to the store. When you see an item that you normally (or even occasionally) purchase, write down the price per ounce or pound or however you normally buy it.
Also make a notation whether the price is a "normal" price or not. Normal to me is always a sale because with some careful planning, you'll never have to buy anything that's not on sale. I can usually count on ground beef, for example, going on sale somewhere for aout $2/pound at least once per month, so that's the price I use on my list.
Once you've started keeping track of prices, make sure you have a way to organize your information that's easy for you. I just make a table on my word processor which makes it easy to delete and add rows as necessary. Excel would be easy too. I just don't have it, therefor I do not use it. I know... ridiculous...
In addition to my computer file, I print a copy to keep in my grocery folder. This way I can bring the list with me on grocery trips and update prices as I go. I can also use it to gauge the quality of a sale. Is it a deal or a steal? Nothing else will do!
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