Going grocery shopping as a college student can be a difficult task at times. Even if you are not going to the store with an extensive list, it is easy to purchase items you already have or impulse buy if no plan is in place. Unfortunately, most of us do not have the dollars to spend on absolutely whatever we want in the grocery store. In order to combat this and spend less in the grocery store, you will most likely have to have some sort of game plan going in that you can refer to so that you are not overspending. Although it may seem difficult to buy a sufficient amount of food, especially if you are living off-campus, it is definitely possible on a budget if planned properly. Here are some tips that may help you when you decide to go grocery shopping next!

P.L.A.N.

P – Prepare

• Prepare before you go to the store. This could include a few different things that will help you be ready and prepared for the shopping trip. The first thing is figure out what you eat or usually consume in a week or two. This will help you when putting together a list of what you normally eat instead of random things that may just sound good in the moment. A second thing that could be helpful is figuring out what you are able to cook based on the appliances you have, how much time you will have to prepare food or meals, and what kinds of foods will be best for you depending on your situation or habits. A third helpful planning tool is to look at the weekly adds, whether that be paper adds, webpage adds, or store apps, for the stores you will be shopping at. Create your meal plans and snacks around what is on sale, and also consider mobile coupons if available.  Lastly, it is very helpful to have an estimated budget or amount that you want to either spend or keep the total cost under in order to truly grocery shop on a budget.

L – Load

• When you first go to the store, load up. Load up on the things that maybe come in bulk or that you would not buy often. This could include things like flour, sugar, spices, baking soda, and other common ingredients like baking needs or seasonings. This way, you will have these for a while and do not have to keep spending money randomly on long-term necessities. Loading up on things that you regularly use can also be a strategy if you know you are going to buy something frequently. If it is on sale or there is a promotion, this is a great time to implement this strategy as you will save money…as long as you don’t view the extra food in the house as an opportunity to indulge 😉. One thing you will want to note in the “Load” section, is that while this can help you over the long term, it is likely that you will spend significantly more on this first shopping trip than future trips, so plan the budget accordingly.

A – Apps

• Grocery shopping apps can be extremely useful at times as well. Apps like AnyList, Mealime, Cozi, and a simple Notes page on your phone can be useful for a few reasons. The first reason is they can help organize your list into different sections. These sections can either include necessities/wants or they can simply be split up into different areas of the store as you navigate your way through. Apps like Cozi can have a list that is used by different people on their phones through a “family account”. This can be helpful if your roommate(s) wants to join in on the grocery shopping as you work together to master this tactic.

N – Next

• What’s next? It is important to keep these habits going as you go on your next grocery shopping trip. Forming these habits as a college student can help you stay under a budget as you work through these few years potentially with a lower amount of funds than you may have later. Learning your own best personal way to grocery shop as a college student is going to be important if you are trying to save dollars while also buy the things that you need for your home or dorm. Habits in these few years will form to guide you through your next few years after graduation as well. So remember, enjoy this new process and P.L.A.N. well!

Source:

Millard, S. (2021, October 28). Your Guide to Grocery Shopping in College. Retrieved from CXcollegeexpress: https://www.collegexpress.com/articles-and-advice/student-life/articles/college-health-safety/your-guide-grocery-shopping-college/