How to write a grocery budget and stick to it. #frugal #shopping #costoflivingcrisis #budget #tips

You can get clever with shopping to get your budget under control. Let me show you my tips and tricks.

Frugal Queen in France

We are a British couple living in Brittany on a budget.
Frugal recipes, days out, home renovations and day to day making do in France.

We’ll give you hints, tips, advice and an insight into our life in France.

Equipment used
Camera : iPhone
Editing : iMovie on a Mac mini

Music:
YouTube Copyright Free
Epidemic Sound

YouTube Audio Library
Apple iMovie*

[keagancornell]

Hi Jane and Mike. I've been following your channel for about 2 years now. As usual, I've been reading the comments. I see so many people commenting that they're retirees. I'm not retired. I'm nowhere near that - I'm only 27. I've always been a pretty naturally frugal/money aware person so most of your content "isn't news to me" but I just wanted to let you know that younger people like me also watch your content. Keep up the great work 😊 👍

[marypeterson]

Not wasting food is our biggest money saver.

[katherinerichardson]

When I started budgeting, I checked out how much we were spending on just foods, and then we analyzed and categorized each item into 3 rows of love, like, not too crazy about it. That 15 minute discussion helped us cut our food budget considerably. From time to time, we go through the food list to see if the foods stay on or go off the main list. We do try new items when the item is on sale to see if it can be incorporated into our monthly shopping. You made some good points on what goes on a shopping list. Thank you for sharing.

[rik]

I like that you advocate a realistic budget. Food is a huge part of staying healthy and skimping on it is not wise. But one can still be smart about buying good quality food.

[elizabethallan]

When I started budgeting I reduced my grocery budget by £50 a month until I got to a level I was comfotable with. I ended up halving my budget.

[carolined]

Budgetting is a learning curve and then stick to it.

[SuzanneT-ih]

Great video today. We are like you and Mike. We spend $400.00 per month on groceries $50.00 extra’s which would include furnace filters, fence cleaner, etc.. We spend $20.00 per month on personal items such as toothpaste, deodorant, etc.. We cook fresh and eat meat, fish, veggies and by as much generic as possible. When I buy laundry detergents, toothpaste, etc. I go to a store in the US called Ollie’s. Ollie’s sells our soaps, toothpaste, etc. for half the price as the grocery stores and Walmart sells it for. I am glad to know that there are others that spend $400.00 per month on a household of 2 retirees. Thank you for the video!

[michelehagerman]

My best tip is to do grocery pickup or delivery. I do delivery since I have mobility issues. I don’t go into the grocery store ever. I go a big shop twice a month. Since I’m not going into a store, if I forget something, I do without until my next shop.

[justjet]

I make lists and only buy loss leaders and sales. I have $100 budget monthly. I have a red wallet just for groceries and put the cash in it. When its gone, its done till the next check. Some months I actually have some left and I just roll it over into the next month. Its harder now with these rising prices but with planning I can stay on budget.

[andreaskokandich]

I’ve learned to order online & see exactly how much it will be. Then go pick it up. That saves me from buying extra items.

[Judith-bt]

This past weeks I have "found" two new grocery stores with exceptional prices. The stores have been there for years. One of the stores has excellent organic produce prices and the other has overall good prices. So in my laziness, ease and comfort I have been shopping at a national store just a few minutes from home. I will continue to shop there for loss leader bargains. However there are two new to me stores for price savings. I think the smart thing for me to do is to question everything on the budget. Complacency costs too much! Sincerely, Judy V

[lindajacquot]

I absolutely LOVE the furry girls cuddling at the end! One way I separate food from cleaning and paper items is that I order the latter online through an environmentally friendly company. My paper goods are made of bamboo, and I don't see a huge difference in price over what I get in the store. Most of my cleaning supplies I buy from this company as well, and again, prices are comparable - and often lower than what I find the same and similar items in the store. I get free shipping, and a discount for ordering regularly. Best of all, I don't lug in rolls and rolls of awkward paper goods in from the car because it comes right to my door. I reuse the packaging, and once I buy an item, I buy the refill for it instead of spending more on yet another spray bottle.

[rachelkieffer]

When I started my journey two years ago to get out of debt and create a better financial future, I started by tracking everything I earned and everything I spent. I was shocked to see that we consistently spent more than we made and our grocery and food expenses were more than $2000 a month for a family of 3 (plus 5 pets). I immediately reduce 95% of our eating out and take away expenses and started to plan meals and make a shopping list. I try to stick to a budget of $700 a month but we usually go over it by $100 to $200. We do have many dietary requirements, we eat kosher, I am gluten free, my son has food sensory issues and all my pet food is home made. We also eat very healthy to prevent health issues that run in the family, so lots of plant based fresh and organic and good quality food. I can probably reduce my grocery bill further by more careful meal planning and a more strict shopping list, it is a work in progress.

[tutuluvsminnie]

I have been writing down everything we spend for 20 years. I consider eating out entertainment and rarely go out for food except for vacations. We have not focused on how much we spend but on what we buy and improving our diet. Meal planning and cooking more from scratch, and eating food n season helps. We have two full size fridge and freezers and that allows us to buy in bulk and divide up and freeze in meal size portions. Maintaining your inventory becomes a new job but it can save so much money.
I think the biggest saving habit is not buying snacks and desserts and if you want a dessert, cook it from scratch. I bake a sweet when we have company and usually freeze half or send leftover cake home with guests (if they want it ).
It helps me to send my husband to the store with a very precise list because he wont buy on impulse

[akhiker]

I’m catching up on the videos and getting back on my budget. Enjoyed the video as always.

[traceyelliott]

You are so correct in recognizing some of us have dietary restrictions that can effect our grocery budgets! I can't use pasta, beans or even make my own breads to bulk my meals, but i have learned i can use cabbage and other veggies to add to my proteins. I've also learned to make my own simple cleaning/laundry solutions that saves money!
Thank you again for a very helpful video!

[elizaC]

Yay, another video with Jane and Mike😊. I constantly learn new tips and tricks from you two. And at 62, I am always happy to keep learning new skills.

[clydare]

Happy Friday Jane, Mike and furry friends. Great content as always.
I am retired living on a state pension, mortgage and debt free, driving an old Honda. I allow €100 per week for everything. I live with my two cats so cat food and litter has to come out of this. Ireland is a super expensive country so it can be challenging to manage on this amount. Every penny I save is a penny more for when I can’t do my side hustles any more 😢

[sharonparsons]

I couldn’t sleep, so I’m up and looking at YouTube.
Thanks for another great video.
You have given me ‘food for thought’ regarding my food budget……I am thinking I am able to rethink my percentages.
Sharon from Australia 🇦🇺 🦘

[LauraMacMillan-elkc]

Latest strategy: change our definition of a treat; like adding a small can of pineapple or peaches to the rice for a sweet and sour stir fry, instead of a fancy expensive dessert. Just a little something to make our meal a bit more special - but only once in a while. I'm still trying out this strategy but I think it holds lots of possibilities.