How to Budget and Save Money in the Kitchen

Kitchen and Grocery Budgeting Tips for Australian Families

Nov 2, 2008

Households can save money on groceries by keeping the kitchen organised and making simple changes to everyday shopping routines.

Reducing unnecessary waste and limiting impulse purchases at the supermarket can make a big difference to a family grocery budget.

Save Money with an Organised Kitchen

Clean out the pantry once every 2-3 months. It is easy for items to move to the back of shelves and be forgotten only to be rediscovered after the expiry date has passed. A quick clean regularly keeps this under control.

Regularly clean out the refrigerator and freezer to make sure that items that are approaching their use-by date are kept at the front and can be used in time.

Avoid throwing out half-eaten packages of breakfast cereals, crackers, biscuits, cookies, chips and other snacks by storing any leftover portions in airtight containers. This also helps to prevent pests such as ants and pantry moths spoiling food.

Use a laundry marker to note the date food is placed into plastic containers in the refrigerator. This is also useful for noting "Best Before" dates on items stored in containers in the pantry. The pen will wipe off most plastics with a warm soapy sponge, but always check before using.

Prepare a meal plan and write a shopping list based on the menu plan. Check the pantry to cross of any items that are already in stock.

Use cookbooks such as the destitute gourmet series that offer tasty, home-cooked meals with a limited family budget in mind.

Spend Less on Groceries

Always shop with and add to a shopping list. Limit trips to the supermarket to once per week if possible. Fewer shopping trips means fewer opportunities for impulse purchases that stretch the family budget.

If there is a local catering warehouse or direct to the public wholesaler, consider joining with 2-3 friends to buy in bulk. It is possible to make significant savings on breakfast cereals, snacks, detergents and cleaners and various other grocery items this way. Fresh fruit and vegetable markets often have reduced prices for bulk purchases and these items can be easily divided between families so that everyone can save.

Look at higher and lower shelves at the supermarket. Companies pay for prime shelf space at eye-level and there are often less expensive options available on other shelves. This also applies to items at the ends of the shopping rows. Always compare these prices with items stocked in the regular section.

Compare sizes and prices. It is generally cheaper to buy a larger package than two small ones.

Buy Homebrand products, which are often less expensive than branded products for similar quality and check catalogues for weekly specials.

Home cooked meals are generally less expensive than simply reheating pre-packaged and highly processed ingredients. Pre-prepared ingredients are also generally more expensive. For example, it is often cheaper to buy a block of cheese to grate rather than buying a packet of grated cheese.

Once every 2 months aim for a $30 grocery week, where items from the pantry are used up as much as possible.

Get Organised in the Kitchen and Save Money

With a little planning and some basic organisation, it is possible to reduce the amount of food that is wasted and avoid unnecessary grocery purchases. The money saved can be used for other areas of the budget or saved up for a family treat such as take-away or a meal out.

The copyright of the article How to Budget and Save Money in the Kitchen in Family Budgeting is owned by Susan Whelan. Permission to republish How to Budget and Save Money in the Kitchen in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.