Yeah, I know. Suggesting people spend MORE at the grocery store kind of goes against conventional thinking. Just this week my inbox and social media feeds have been chock-full of things like this:
25 Ways to Slash Your Grocery Bill!
Clip these Coupons and Start Saving BIG on Groceries Today!
It’s enough to make the world’s most tightfisted woman feel like she’s throwing money to the wind if she dares spend more than $30 a week to feed her family of four!
Insert eye roll here. Oh, please.
Now I am all for saving money, I believe in taking advantage of sales, and I have nothing (personal) against coupons.
But after 22 years of marriage and at least that many years of grocery shopping, I’ve come to learn a thing or two about the spending and eating habits of my family. And I’ve come to realize, too, that there have been many times along the way when spending more money at the grocery store might have been better for my family than trying so desperately to spend less.
Most families experience at least occasional lean times where every nickel must be accounted for, but it’s also true we can put a lot of time and effort and STRESS into money-saving strategies that really don’t save money in the end. Or if they do, the savings come with some pretty significant drawbacks.
That’s why evaluating our saving efforts from time to time is a GOOD IDEA.
For one thing, I’m not convinced the grocery budget is always the best place to start trimming expenses. While it’s usually the first area of spending that comes to mind when we decide to really buckle down on the budget, it’s often because we’re overspending in other areas that we begin stressing over the grocery bill. Cutting immediate expenses, (like groceries,) may seem very practical because it’s quick and relatively painless, but, truthfully, downsizing on the house, cutting out a vacation, or selling those expensive recreational vehicles could actually be much more helpful in the long run.
I’m all for saving money! But you might want to really consider the potential benefits of spending MORE money on groceries, and not less.
Consider this:
The better the variety and quality of the foods you have at home, the less likely you are to eat out.
The average American family eats out 4-5 times per week. For many families I know, that’s actually a low-ball number. Busy schedules and the need for convenience play a big part in that, but I know for myself that when I have a fridge full of good, quality foods at home, it’s easier to talk myself out of a restaurant stop or a run through the drive-thru, even on a busy night. Why would I want to stop and pick up a pizza when I have all the fixin’s for an amazing 3-cheese lasagna at home?
And if you make the extra effort to turn those better quality foods into freezer meals you can get on the table quickly, you make the decision to dine or snack at home even easier!
Which brings me to my other points…
Having better food at home encourages you to eat at home. And eating at home generally means eating healthier.
Foods prepared at home, particularly whole foods, are far less likely to be packed with all the preservatives and mystery ingredients you’ll find cram-packed in so much restaurant fare.
And while it’s probably ease and convenience that drives people to eat out much of the time, natural food stores and many regular grocery stores are offering more and better quality quick foods that are worth the investment. These may not be as good for you as a made-from-scratch whole food meal, but they’re generally better than fast food and they are worlds above things like microwaveable pizza pockets and frozen corn dogs that have mile-long ingredient lists.
Healthy snacks are another worthy investment. I love sugar snap peas, but I used to balk at the idea of paying $3 for a bag of them. When I started considering what I was spending on crunchy snacks that were TERRIBLE for me, I suddenly felt…well…..stupid. Of course it made better sense to spend more money on something that was so much healthier, especially when the healthy snacks I considered so expensive — like fruits and nuts and certain vegetables — were actually far more filling and satisfying than the cheap garbage I had been buying.
Having better food at home encourages you to eat at home. And eating at home saves money!
I read just recently that most Americans are now spending about HALF their monthly food budget eating out. Depending of course on when and where you decide to eat, restaurant meals can easily cost two to four times what the same meal would cost to cook at home.
So how does it make sense to scrimp on groceries if it only drives me to eat out more often?
So consider: Is the chintzy way I’m grocery shopping and the limited foods we have at home encouraging us to eat out more often than we need to? If the answer is yes, then my “saving money” at the grocery store may not be saving me anything at all! I might be better off in the long run paying more for groceries.
I’m not telling you to throw all caution to the wind and triple your grocery budget in the next week, but I AM encouraging you to reevaluate the way you think about both the money you spend and the foods you buy at the grocery store.
It may be that spending MORE on groceries could be the key to spending less and living healthier.
Love this so much & it is so true!!!
Aliesha
I wish I had learned some of this YEARS ago, back in the days when I was driving myself crazy trying to save money. (And probably saving NOTHING!) But I know better now…thank heavens! 🙂
Thanks for reading, Aliesha!
This was against the grain but excellent.
Thanks so much, Laura. 🙂
You must be a fly on the wall in our house!!! Haha. We have just been re-evaluating our food budget and have decided the very exact thing! We were blowing almost as much on eating out as we were groceries! We are doing an experiment this month..not eating out AT ALL ! I know that's extreme but we needed to do something! Yes, I am spending more on groceries, but it's kinda fun buying "special" items I wouldn't buy before because we couldn't "afford" it. It is fun eating at home when the food is there! Lol. We've also decided to entertain more at home instead of going out to eat after church with friends. The kids love that!
That's great, Angela. I can tell you I've always had a weakness for fine cheeses, but, just like you said, I always told myself I couldn't afford them. Now I allow myself a little indulgence or two here and there and it's amazing how much more often I would rather just go home for a snack of smoked gouda or my favorite muenster, which saves money in the end and is certainly better for me than a quick fast food burger and fries!
Sometimes we just don't really stop to think through some of our silly penny-pinching habits. They DON'T always make as much sense as we think they do!
Great points and interesting article. The problem for us though, is that eating out oddly enough, actually is often cheaper or equal for us. My challenge at the grocery store is actually being able to obtain a nice variety of foods that will go a long way without spoiling or going stale. $40 translated into groceries is terribly disheartening, but when its what you've got it's all you can do. Sometimes in those situations we can stretch money more by eating out with deals my husband finds (he's incredible at this). I live for the day however, when we can walk out of a grocery store with a cart load conducive to turning this habit around. That may be awhile… Lol.
The larger your family, the harder it becomes to eat out for less money than you can cook. We don't eat out often, especially as a family, but every time we do I tell my husband we won't be able to do it for much longer, especially as much as my oldest boy can eat!
For couples and families with very small kids, I understand the shopping and cooking can be more of a challenge because foods are often portioned in family-sized amounts. It's so hard to adjust recipes to work without leaving a lot of waste. That's one of those things it can take time to learn. But, for us at least, there's no question that eating at home is cheaper, and buying better foods helps us do that more.
Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to comment!
Such a balanced refreshing perspective!! Thanks!! Found you via Friendshp Friday.
So glad you found me! Thanks for dropping by and reading 🙂
Thanks for the perspective. We've had times in our lives when we had to eat on a shoestring. It wasn't nearly as enjoyable as when we spend a little more. I thank God for His blessings and buy food that will be healthy and enjoyable for my family. (Plus, my son has some medical conditions that require a particular diet!)
I know food allergies and medical conditions can really affect the grocery budget! We, too, have been through those really lean times when we had to be very cautious at the grocery. Even now I try very hard to pay attention to sales and take advantage of them when possible. I think the most important thing I've learned over the years is that trying so hard to save $2 isn't always worth it, and often it only winds up costing me more in other areas.
So glad you stopped by today!
Hi, Tanya! These are so true. My family very rarely eats out- like, 3 times a year maybe. Our family raises a large majority of our own food- meat, vegetables, etc- everything from scratch, lots of canning, you name it. By doing this, I have been able to spend more on the "good stuff"- the expensive, organic stuff that I used to never even consider because who can afford it? Living without certain things can certainly allow you to spend more on the better things :). And so much of it is mental, too. Realizing the value behind a home raised chicken vs. a factory one, for example.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Erin
http://www.yellowbirchhobbyfarm.com
Only 3 times a year?? You are my hero, Erin! We usually only eat out maybe once or twice on weekends, but we sometimes go through exceptionally busy stretches where it becomes more often than that and I really hate it. Most of the times I would much rather be at home and eat at home, not to mention the fact I know it's healthier and less costly for my family! But having better quality foods at home helps so much with that.
Thanks for reading, Erin!
So very true! Many don't think this way. They also forget to think about the long run, when eating out causes health issues that are going to cost them hundred's of thousands of dollars in doctor bills and medicine. Thank you so very much for sharing! Visiting you from Mama Moments Monday.
Thanks for dropping by, Mandy. Sometimes our extreme couponing/savings-crazed society blinds people to the long term consequences of living and spending and eating the way they do. I know from personal experience it can sometimes be tough to get out of that thinking!
Great points! I try to be a responsible steward when it comes to the grocery expenditures, but I agree that part of that involves getting food that is healthful and of good quality. We're willing to spend a little extra on organic dairy, good meats, fresh produce to supplement the garden, etc….
I've found some products and produce are worth the extra expense. And buying them usually pays for itself in other ways.
Thanks for reading, Amy!
I totally agree. I of course want to spend as little as possible but only when I can do so with sticking to healthy food. It's amazing how small of a percent we spend on food now compared the past. I see it as an investment in our health.
It can be so easy to spend a lot on junk foods that are convenient and quick to prepare, but they are horrible for your health and encourage such bad habits all the way around. Healthy foods are definitely worth the extra investment.
You make some really good points here! And it's true that sometimes we can get too hung up on saving money on groceries and loose focus of what's really important and helpful.
The thing is, I think that you can save money AND eat healthy, while eating the majority of your food at home. In fact, I feel like that is one of the biggest misconceptions that people have about couponing/saving money on groceries. We live in a low grocery budget, but we eat well and do not eat out very often. The key is to watch for deals on the healthy things and stock up when they are on sale. Also, make your own food as much as possible. By eliminating packaged foods, you save money AND eat healthier. There are also lots of coupon saving apps that allow you to save money on things like fruit, produce and milk each week. Buying things like oatmeal, flour, sugar etc. in bulk will usually give you nice savings too. And of course, if you are able to learn to can, you can save a lot of money that way too! Really, these are just common sense things, but things people often don't think about when they go to cut their grocery spending.
I agree with you whole-heartedly, Lydia. Stocking up on healthy foods when they go on sale is a wonderful idea and I do that as often as I can. Unfortunately, a lot of things like fresh produce can't be bought in bulk and not all of it can be canned or frozen.
And a lot of people like myself have real space issues: I would love to buy more products in bulk, but I don't have anywhere to store it if I do! I canned green beans this summer, but halfway regretted it when I had jars of beans EVERYWHERE until we could eat several jars and make places to stow the rest. As much as I would love to can and preserve more, I'm too limited on space to do much of it. Not to mention there are so many vegetables I prefer so much fresh. Canning and even freezing totally changes the taste and texture of so many vegetables. While there are some things I can cook that aren't affected by that, there are so many other meals that, for me anyway, demand fresh-from-the-market produce. Having that isn't always cheap, but it's always GOOD!
Thanks for reading, Lydia!
Tanya…This is a great piece. And I agree because we eat healthy and sometimes that means paying a little more here and there for the better things we enjoy. I do stick a budget but I give myself some leeway when shopping. Thank you for sharing at Monday's Musings.
Buying better, healthier foods is not usually the cheaper way to go, but it pays off in other ways! Thanks so much for the opportunity to link up, Naomi.
This wasn't what I expected to read, but it's so well said and true. My husband often teasingly complains that there are only ingredients in our cupboards. We don't eat out much though, and because many of my children can cook and bake they often make meals and snacks when I'm busy. A breakfast out for our family of ten easily costs over $100. I can make a pancake and egg breakfast for our family about $15 including real maple syrup.
Having "only ingredients" in your cupboards sounds pretty familiar! I actually freed up a lot of cabinet space when I stopped buying some of the garbage I used to buy.
Feeding my family of 6 at a restaurant is expensive enough, so I can't imagine a family of 10. Learning to buy better so we can eat better and less expensively has come slowly for me, I'm afraid, but it's been a good lesson to learn.
Thanks for reading, Jennifer!
I love to cook and we are retired with lots of prep time. Thanks for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop
Lots of prep time is ALWAYS a good thing. Thanks so much for reading!