Tired of overspending on your groceries?
One of the easiest ways to save money on groceries is to create a budget.
Mint, a budget tracking app, has come up with a food budget calculator to help you gauge how much you should be spending on groceries.
Try This Free Grocery Budget Calculator
For guidance, Mint used the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) monthly food plan, which outlines nutritious meals at different cost levels based on dietary recommendations.
The calculator will prompt you to enter the following data:
- Number of members in your household
- Age of each household member
- Gluten-free or meatless dietary needs for each household member
- Number of meals each household member eats out (or orders from takeout) each week
After you enter the information, you’ll be shown two amounts that make up a moderate grocery budget:
- A weekly grocery cost
- A monthly grocery cost
To see other cost outcomes, Mint’s grocery budget calculator allows you to choose different lifestyles including “Thrifty,” “Cost-Conscious” and “Generous.”
Try Mint’s food budget calculator here.
How Much Should Your Monthly Grocery Budget Be?
Here is a chart from Mint that shows the monthly grocery budget it suggests. Compare the chart below to the total you got using the grocery budget calculator.
| Family Size | Suggested Monthly Budget |
| 1 Person | $251 |
| 2 People | $553 |
| 3 People | $722 |
| 4 People | $892 |
When I put my information into the calculator, it said that my household should spend around $522 a month on food. That’s pretty good, considering that it’s a little cheaper than what the table suggests for two people.
What about you? Is the monthly grocery budget for your family size higher than the amount listed above? If so, here are some ways you can save:
How To Grocery Shop on a Budget
What about you? Is the monthly grocery budget for your family size higher than the amount listed above? If so, here are some ways you can save:
Look for Store Promotions and Deals
Many grocery stores have sales flyers called “Weekly Ads” that tell you what’s on sale. Use this to plan a meal for your family for the days ahead.
For example, this weekly ad from Kroger shows current reduced pricing on many items on the aisle.
Our team at ClarkDeals.com also frequently rounds up the best weekly deals from grocery stores like Aldi.
Choose Store Brand Items Over Name Brands
Money expert Clark Howard says many people pass over the store brand items because they believe they’re inferior.
“Try a store brand just once the next time you’re at the supermarket. If you like what you buy, you save money that time and every time going forward when you buy it again,” Clark says.
Download Grocery Apps
There are quite a few apps that can help you save money on groceries. For instance, if you’re an Amazon Prime member (like I am) who shops at Whole Foods, you can get discounts on select items when you shop.
Other grocery apps allow you to get cash back on your purchases. Read our guide on the best grocery apps. For more tips, check out Team Clark’s guide to save money on groceries.
