How to Buy Groceries for a Large Family On a Budget

Fill your shopping cart with good things -- without breaking the bank.

When you have a large family, expenses add up quickly. Costs for clothing, cars and vacations go through the roof, but no expense category takes a bigger chunk out of the average family's budget than groceries. Even when you're on a tight budget, you don't have to struggle to buy groceries for a large family if you use some good old-fashioned common sense.

Things You'll Need

• Notebook and pen
• Coupons

Instructions

1. Determine a reasonable monthly budget for groceries. The amount you budget depends on average grocery prices in your hometown and your family's available monthly income. Keep a tally of your receipts, and adjust your budget over time as necessary.

2. Make a price book. Take a notebook and pen with you to the stores where you purchase groceries. Use it to track regular and sale prices of everyday items you buy, jotting down prices as you shop. The price book will give you an easy way to recognize whether a particular item is really a good price at any given time. It takes most of the guess workout of comparison shopping and keeps you aware of sales cycles at your local stores.

3. Buy in bulk. Purchase from bulk bins at stores where you shop, including health food stores -- items such as flour, nuts, cereals and others can be good buys. Look for large packages at your local super store. Join a price club or warehouse store that specializes in discounts by the case. Bulk buying is a common way to cut costs when buying groceries for a large family; however, make certain you compare the unit price to be sure that the big package is actually a better value.

4. Stock up when you see a good sale. Your price book can help you assess when a particular item is being sold at a steal. When you find such a deal, stock up. If you have a chest freezer, store meat and frozen foods purchased when the price is at rock-bottom.

5. Clip coupons, print them out from free online coupon sites and swap them with friends and families to get discounts off the foods you buy regularly. Take advantage of stores that double and even triple the face value of manufacturer's coupons.

6. Purchase generics and store brands. Most store brands are less expensive than name brands, even when you have a coupon, and it's often often difficult to tell the difference between them. Some store brands are just not the same, but you can continue to purchase your favorite brand of those specific items.

7. Stick to basic and nutritious food items. For example, rolled oats are less expensive than breakfast cereals, more filling and have more nutritional value. Cut back on, or cut out, convenience food such as box mixes, prepared foods, snacks, soda and candy.

8. Consider non-traditional sources for basics and staples, such as drugstores, dollar stores and health food stores. Remember to record these store prices in your price book for easy comparison shopping so you always get the best deal.

Tips & Warnings

• If you live in an area where double coupons are offered, you can combine this with the above strategies for even more dramatic savings.

• Consider non-traditional sources for basics, such as drugstores and health food stores.

• Let your kids help plan the menu. They'll be more excited about meal time if they had a hand in the process.

References

• Lots of Kids: Cutting Costs on Groceries for Large Families