Grocery Shopping After Getting Out of Debt?

Answer 1

Grocery shopping after getting out of debt can actually be stressful. Some people find it tempting to walk into a grocery store and be faced with the opportunity to buy hundreds of items. If you have recently achieved a debt-free life, then be extra careful every time you visit a grocery store. Always be sure to have a game plan in place.

The first step in creating a game plan for the grocery store visit is to set a budget. State a financial figure and do not depart from it at all costs. For example, perhaps you go to the grocery store twice a month. At the beginning of the month, state a rule to yourself. For example, say, "I will not spend more than $100 at the grocery store each time I go this month." You may also want to limit yourself to the number of times you walk into the grocery store. Doing this will make you conscious of the rules that you have set forth for yourself. Having a declared intention will make it more difficult for you to stray from the budgeting lifestyle.

Next, be an active planner of your grocery store list. So many people walk into a grocery store and are passive shoppers. They only buy what instantly appeals to them and fail to consider the price of the item. Before you walk into a grocery store, sit down and plan out a list for 5 or 10 minutes. Consider the types of healthy foods you need to be most productive in your job at work. Healthy foods are usually less expensive than processed foods. Be sure to list lots of fruits and vegetables in your list of foods to purchase. Also, you may want to consider coming up with a few meals to create that can last you throughout the week. This way, you can take leftovers to your job and not have to go out to eat.

After you have created your list of foods, the next step will be to stick to the list. When you are at the grocery store, always opt to buy the cheap brand of a food item. The cheaper brand usually tastes just as great as the more recognized brands of food. A lot of the "no name" brands also have guarantees on their products. If you do not like the taste of a "no name" brand of food that you purchased, then you can return it.