The downfall to budgeting is that when I see how much I’m actually spending on things it inevitably leads to guilt over the amount I’m spending. If I set a goal and I don’t hit that goal, I’ve failed. I see posts all the time about how much people save by couponing or doing freezer meals—both of which I’m a fan—and then I feel bad if I spend more than they did. Well, I’m getting off the guilt train at this stop. If you feel grocery guilt too, get off the train with me. I’ve figured out that there are three guiding factors that determine your grocery budget. Depending on what season of life you are in or if you have dietary restrictions, you may not even have control over them. Think about where you fall on these factors at this point in your life and accept it if you can’t change them. You are no longer allowed to feel guilt over how much you do or don’t spend, starting now.
The first factor is TIME. How much time do you have or want to give to meal planning, meal prep, and grocery shopping? We pay for convenience, but sometimes that’s our only option. I’m not just talking about pre-packaged dinners or frozen lasagnas. Shredded chicken recipes are an important staple in my family. When I have time I roast a whole chicken—or parts of a chicken—myself. It’s about half the price of pre-cooked chicken. I just need the time to roast it. If I just can’t squeeze that in, I use a few rotisserie chickens instead. It costs more, but if there isn’t time to save money, there just isn’t time. If you have young kids, busy teenagers, or just a demanding life outside of cooking, you probably don’t have time either. So stop feeling guilty about paying for pre-cooked foods. You’re finding the time to eat at home, and that’s enough.
The second factor is MONEY. No matter how you look at it, if you have a target to hit, you may not always have the luxury of choosing foods based on convenience or even preference. You are still not allowed to feel guilt over this. Even if you don’t always—or ever—get the organic produce, even if you sometimes—or always—get non-BPA free cans, you are eating at home. You’re making your budget work. Be proud!
The third factor is PREFERENCE. If you have food allergies or dietary preferences, this is going to be your dominant factor, and you don’t have the option to change that. Did you cringe in the paragraph above when I mentioned conventional produce and non-BPA free cans? If so, your preferences most likely take precedent over the other factors. Personally, I am an emotional eater and there are times when a boxed brownie mix is non-negotiable. If it were going to cause me extended grief and a week of unmet cravings, I’d rather just get the darn brownie mix, even if it were a few extra dollars on my grocery bill. Whatever your situation, don’t feel guilty; you’re not a diva. This is just where you are in life. Plan your grocery budget accordingly.
No one is 100% in one factor alone. We all have some of each of these factors influencing us. The combination that makes up your unique self determines what your grocery budget should be. Below is a quiz to help you determine where you fall on the budget map. Once you see where you land, you can start to understand the challenges you face and you can stop stressing and feeling guilty for spending more or less than everyone else. As your circumstances change, your percentage will change. So if you take this quiz a few years down the road, you may get a different result.
1. You are making refried beans this week, which do you choose?
a. 2 cans of beans with easy open pop tops for $3.00
b. Store brand dry beans for $1.50
c. 2 cans organic beans in BPA free cans for $5.00
2. You won a contest, which would you rather have as a prize?
a. 2 weeks worth of freezer meals already made for you
b. $250 cash
c. A 3 month subscription to an organic vegetable/fruit CSA
3. You have eggs on your list which ones do you get?
a. Whichever is closest to the check out
b. The cheapest ones
c. The organic and free range ones/I have my own laying hens at home
4. Your friend invites you to a new restaurant in town, which is your most pressing concern?
a. How long will we have to wait for a table? /Do we have reservations?
b. What is the price range?
c. Will they have something I can eat?
5. You have a recipe calling for shredded chicken, which do you choose
a. 2 pre-cooked rotisserie chickens $8.00
b. A 10 lb. bag of chicken leg quarters $6.00
c. A whole raw organic chicken for $12.00
6. Why do you choose water at a restaurant?
a. They brought it when I sat down and I didn’t want to wait for them to bring another drink
b. It’s free!
c. It’s healthy!
7. You need to make a salad for dinner this week. Which do you choose?
a. A pre-packaged salad with dressing included $3.00
b. A head of iceberg lettuce and the store brand ranch that was on sale $2.00
c. A tub of organic baby kale and organic dressing $8.00
8. Which bread do you choose?
a. Anything is fine, I just want to get through this
b. Whichever is on sale
c. Gluten free bread for me
9. You are at the movie theater, why did you sneak in your own snacks?
a. I didn’t have time to stand in line
b. I’m not paying $5.00 for a handful of M&M’s
c. I can’t eat anything they sell
10. Which of these do you feel is your most precious resource?
a. Time
b. Money
c. Preferences
If you haven’t figured it out, A’s are TIME, B’s are MONEY, and C’s are PREFERENCES. The scoring is easy; there are 10 questions so each one is 10%. So if you have 4 A’s, 5 B’s, and 1 C, you are 40% Time, 50% Money, 10% Preferences. You can read about what your percentages mean below.
TIME
Low (0% – 30%) You’ve got the time; you can do what you want!
Mid (40% – 60%) Sometimes you need convenience, but you can usually make the time.
High (70% – 100%) Hats off to you for even cooking anything. You are busy. Do whatever you need to do with no guilt. Search for fast recipes online. Maybe add paper plates to your list to save time on clean up.
MONEY
Low (0% – 30%) Money isn’t a factor to you, so you can pay for the convenience you need or for the particular items you really need/want.
Mid (40% – 60%) If you’re tight that week, you buy the store brand. When you’re not, it’s name brands for you. Just know where you are in your budget and make the choices to save money when needed.
High (70% – 100%) You are a penny pincher and that’s a good thing. Stick to that budget and work those coupons. Search for cheap recipes online.
PREFERENCES
Low (0% – 30%) You are too busy or too money conscious to worry about anyone’s preferences. You get what you get and you don’t fuss a bit.
Mid (40% – 60%) For the most part your preferences don’t drive your grocery cart, but some items are non-negotiable.
High (70% – 100%) You have your guidelines on specific things you need and price or budget doesn’t matter. Keep on keepin’ on. Your budget isn’t flexible, but you are happy with your food. Search for recipes based on your preferences.
I know my numbers, now what do I do with them?
This quiz is about knowing your unique needs. So now that you do, you can stop feeling guilty for not being able to spend $4 per meal using organic grass-fed beef. You can be more understanding of yourself, and you can budget accordingly. If you are high on preferences, you are going to have a higher budget than most people, so give yourself a higher budget in the food category. Likewise if you have a high percentage for time, you’re going to need a little more money in your budget than others. Pay attention to your schedule. If it’s a week when all of your kids have after school activities every night and your husband is working late and not able to help, you’re going to need more convenience foods. If you have a high percentage for money, maybe try couponing, shop store sales, and always get the store brand when it’s cheaper.
I have found that no matter where I am on these factors, freezer meals have helped me keep it all together. I am happy to share some of the meals that work well for me. When I post recipes on here I will note some possible substitutions based on these factors. Whatever your percentage, you can find ways to save and make smart decisions on purchases, and to do that it helps to know where you are coming from. I hope this quiz helped you do that.
