3 Lists to Help You Only Buy Groceries Once a Month

You make a master shopping list, weekly menu... and follow it to shop less, save money more effectively.

Grocery shopping can be expensive if you don't plan ahead. Photo: Pinterest

Below is an article by Steph Mickelson, a writer on financial freedom on the website Apartmenttherapy.

Every year, I choose a keyword to guide my lifestyle. “Optimization” is the phrase I chose for this year. I started by making a list of all the things that take up a lot of time in my life so that I could streamline them. I have a notebook with lists and instructions to make certain aspects of my daily life easier.

Then I came up with three lists that helped me go grocery shopping just once a month.

1. Master Shopping List

I write a list of everything I buy and put them into categories (things that will be used monthly like milk, canned goods, etc.). Then I stick the lists on the fridge and mark off the items that have been used up within the month.

2. List of main meals

I keep a list of all the meals I know how to make in my notebook. It is broken down into the types of nutrients needed in a meal to balance the body's nutrition. From this list, I will develop the next step.

3. Overall plan for a meal

I plan my meals for the first two weeks of the month and then repeat that plan for the next two weeks. I try my best to keep special events and occasions in mind, but a lot happens throughout the month so I have to adjust as needed.

But having a complete plan for each day saves me a lot of time and energy. Plus, removing the pressure of having to come up with different meals for the entire month and then repeating them for the first two weeks saves me a lot of energy, health (and grocery shopping time).

3 Lists to Help You Only Buy Groceries Once a Month

Making a list helps you control your shopping easier. Photo: Pinterest

Benefits of grocery shopping once a month

1. Stick to your budget

I usually shop from a list, possibly through online shopping. This reduces impulse spending and ensures I stick to my list and budget.

2. Save time

Grocery shopping can be time-consuming, so I only do it once a month. This frees up time in my weekly schedule to do other things.

3. Planning is a must

Grocery shopping once a month forces me to plan my meals for the month. This saves me time in the long run and reduces the stress of having to prepare a new meal every night.

4. Less food waste

Shopping for groceries once a month (and repeating my menu every two weeks) means I usually use everything in my fridge by the end of the month, wasting less food.

The Challenges of Grocery Shopping Once a Month

1. I will need to pay in advance

I usually plan for all of my money to go into a separate grocery account one month until we need it the following month. This allows us to have the money upfront to buy all of our groceries at once. If you don’t budget like this, this method may not work for you.

2. Some items will be sold out before the next purchase period.

Since I don’t replenish the items I run out of until the following month, I solve this by buying larger quantities of some staples like milk or bananas and other fruits.

Some fruits and vegetables last longer than others, so I use up things like lettuce, zucchini, bananas, and tomatoes at the beginning of the month and save apples, oranges, broccoli, and cauliflower for later. Buying frozen produce is also a great way to keep fruits and vegetables at their most nutritious (as they are usually frozen at peak ripeness), ready to use whenever you need them.

3. Resist the temptation to step into the grocery store

I had been grocery shopping every two weeks for years. So as the month went by, I had this nagging feeling that I needed to do something. Turns out, I had this mindset that I needed to grocery shop every two weeks.

So, I also know that resisting that urge can be difficult. But the time, money, and waste that can be saved by shopping just once a month is well worth it.

According to Ngoisao.net

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