We live on a budget, a tight one. I feed my family, on less than 400 a month for food. This means finding more than just a weekly sale.
Costs vary upon region as well as the markets and stores. We live in the rural Midwest. We shop for the majority of our foods at ALDI stores. Our ALDI is clean and incredible affordable. Yes, you bag your own groceries and need a quarter for a cart, but the bang for your buck makes it worthwhile.
It’s more than just finding the cheap store however. Meal planning, knowing your needs, staples, and luxuries, keeps food cost low. We don’t waste a lot (and we don’t eat a lot of leftovers either).
Bi-weekly I plan the meals for the next two weeks and then I plan our shopping list accordingly. I take into account what we already have along with what we love to eat. I price items and fit the total cost according to the allotted budget for that trip.
Surprisingly, this takes very little time. I’m a list-maker; I take a shopping list for every trip. A little planning ahead goes a long way to saving money. As this blog expands, I’ll share the total cost for each meal. I’ve fed my family dinner on less than ten dollars.