Tips And Works: Food Budgeting Tips

Food budgeting tips - Credit: iStockPhoto.com

Next time your bank statement arrives, take a look at your debits column for the past month. Plenty of the subtractions can be attributed to an unavoidable yet expensive little habit we call eating. While it doesn’t seem like all that much, a beer here and a lobster dinner there add up in a huge way come month’s end. Here are some tips that will help you get the most out of your money when it comes to eating out and grocery shopping.

eating out

Know one good restaurant

When it comes to dining out, have a "fallback" restaurant or two. Familiarize yourself with their menus and prices, and know the best and worst nights to go; you’ll spare yourself the frustration of feeling ripped off or poorly serviced.

Plan ahead

Plan your restaurant trips rather than going at it spontaneously. Check out the menu and prices online or ask people who have been there what they thought. By knowing what to expect, you’ll almost always be guaranteed a pleasant experience and you can stay within your budget without compromise.

Beware of expensive drinks

Try to avoid getting carried away ordering drinks when you are dining out. Even moderately priced restaurants typically make a killing on drinks that come before the food is even served.

Have dinner parties

Entertain guests at home whenever possible. If you keep it simple, you can make three fancy dinners for the price of one night out at your favorite restaurant.

grocery shopping

Stick to your list

Make a list and stick to it. Grabbing goodies here and there as you go up and down each aisle will kill you at checkout time. Only pregnant women who have cravings for sweet gherkins and butter pecan ice cream have an excuse for such impulse buying.

Save money on vegetables

Buy frozen vegetables for daily use and save the fresh produce for weekends or when you have guests. When it’s in season, you can buy superb produce directly from farmers at open-air markets. You’ll generally get a better price than at supermarkets for the simple reason that farmers don’t have as many overhead costs.

Buy only what you need

Ignore the “wholesale club” philosophy of buying in bulk and purchase only what you need -- unless a product is really worth buying in large quantities. Take a minute to do the math and make sure that you’ll really be saving money by getting that six-pack of air freshener. All too often, people spend money on products that they don’t necessarily need just because they appear to be “good deals.”

Use eggs

Eggs have excellent dinner potential. They are versatile and make for a superb, cost-efficient meal. For example, an egg quiche, despite its gourmet-sounding name, is rather easy to prepare. An omelet stuffed with cream cheese and sautéed spinach looks great on a plate with an easy garnish such as a few parsley leaves. The possibilities are endless -- and inexpensive.

Shop on a full stomach

Avoid grocery shopping when you’re hungry or just after working out. You will wind up blowing money on items you don’t even necessarily like just because you’re starving.

bringing home the bacon

Training yourself to save money when it comes to grocery shopping and restaurant hopping isn’t that difficult, and it will leave you with that much more money for other things. Now drop that jumbo bag of chips and stick to your list.

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Tips And Works

Food Budgeting Tips