Many of us have the same experiences when it comes to feeding a family. Any snacks or drinks we plan to have last through the week will be gone within three days. There will be at least two additional runs to the grocery store during the week. And each month, the grocery runs get progressively more expensive.
How do we, as parents, keep our fridges and pantries stocked with healthy foods that fit our dietary requirements and not exceed our weekly or monthly food budget? Ask Becky Guiles, known across her social media platforms as Freebie Lady. Becky has developed money-saving techniques that save her $1,000 monthly on groceries for her family.
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Becky developed a method for serious savings.
The frugal-minded mom shared her five easy steps for grocery savings with Good Morning America. The method to her money saving is broken down into: budget, organize, reuse, eliminate waste, and simplify or "B.O.R.E.S."
“B.O.R.E.S. is the method that I have used to cut our groceries down from $1,200 to $1,400 a month to only $400 a month," she said, noting that it's simple enough that anyone can do it.
She explained her method.
Budget Based on Family Members
She suggests setting a budget per person, per month. Her grocery budget is currently $100 per family member, but that is a jumping-off point based on the age of your kids and or dietary requirements. Feeding teens, eating strictly organic, or gluten-free may cost more.
Organization Is Key
Being organized means that before she shops, Becky assesses the contents of her pantry for expired items and things they’re just “not going to eat.” "And that'll just kind of give you a clear plate for what you have and what you need to get," the money-saving maven told Good Morning America.
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Think About What You Have & How You'll Use It
Reuse and eliminate waste are two steps that feed into each other. She suggests finding alternate ways to use food that’s near the end of its original purpose, including turning chip crumbs into breading or stale bread into croutons.
When it comes to eliminating waste, Becky shares her mindset. "Every time you throw food away, you're actually throwing money away," she said. "Once you start thinking about food like that, it totally changes your mindset."
Simplicity Rules
Lastly, Becky encourages her followers to keep it simple, “the more you do it, the more you are going to save."
Becky suggests simplifying things like meal plans and ingredients to help stay on budget.
