This is going to be an all-inclusive post on how to shop for food, clothes/shoes, toiletries/house supplies, and makeup on a budget. Here we go!
1. Shop after you’ve eaten a fulfilling meal. If you shop on an empty stomach, you’re going to buy more food than you’ll need and it’ll probably be food that isn’t good for you.
2. If you’re shopping for a week or two, have a menu already for those weeks of the foods you’re going to eat. Know the ingredients you’ll need for these foods.
3. From the menu you’ve created, make a grocery list before entering the store. Stick to this list like it’s a lifeline and you’re stranded on an island. If you don’t get sidetracked, you probably won’t be tempted to buy foods you don’t need.
4. Try to limit yourself to only going to the grocer’s once or twice a week. If you go more often, the more money you’re going to end up spending.
5. Shop in a store that you know well. If you’re shopping in a store where you’re unfamiliar with the layout, you’ll get sidetracked from your list and be more tempted to buy food that you won’t need.
6. You should probably be cleaning out your fridge and pantry every couple of weeks or so. This allows you to see what you’ve got and use it up before if expires and before you buy anything else.
7. On the same note, keep your fridge and pantry fairly organized. If you’ve got a mess, it’s going to be hard for you to keep track of what you do and don’t have and you’re going to have a hard time making an accurate shopping list. Don’t waste money by buying something you didn’t know you already had because your fridge is a wreck.
8. If your grocery store offers coupons, use them! Even if they’re only saving you pennies, the pennies will add up. Take the money you save at the end of every month and put it towards other expenses such as bills, pamper yourself with it, or deposit it into a savings account.
9. Don’t use coupons to buy something if you’re not going to use it. However, if you plan your meals for the week around coupons, you can definitely save big $$, be the judge of when to use coupons or not. Similarly, if things are buy one get one half off and their easy to store and non-perishables like granola bars and you always eat granola bars for snacks, buy as many as you can afford or as many as you need. Be the judge of when to use coupons and/or bulk sales.
10. Use the calculator app on your phone to keep track of how much money you’re spending. This will help you to stick to your budget/grocery list and keep you from overspending. Don’t forget to allow for taxes!
11. Cook meals that you can get three or four servings out of like spaghetti and soup. Freeze these leftovers and reheat them when you’re ready for your next meal. It’s an amazing money saver. Leftovers are my life.
12. Foods that are fairly cheap and versatile:
eggs – scrambled, hard-boiled, fried, they go with anything
potatoes – buy a sack of them instead of the instant packs, they’ll last forever and you can make mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, fried potatoes, sliced potatoes, diced potatoes in soups, the list is forever
Apples — these last forever on the counter, you can eat them with yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, peanut butter, or alone
Pasta noodles – you can do anything with pasta noodles and the carbs are filling
Any type of canned beans – green beans, black eyed peas, pinto beans, brown beans, they’re all delicious, buy what you like and they can be eaten alone as a side, in soups, or topped on other foods, again protein is filling and definitely cheaper than meat
Canned vegetables in general – wash them in cold water before cooking to get rid of all the extra salts and other ingredients they add to canned goods that aren’t good for you
Rice – I’m not a fan of rice but it is cheap and you can literally do anything with it
13. Use store savings cards. Even if you don’t care about the points (I don’t), the cards will usually get you discounts on some items and allow you to get items on sale that people without cards wouldn’t.
14. If you eat/can afford meat, buy meat when it goes on sale and freeze it until you’re going to use it.
15. If you’re dead set on buying produce, get it while it’s in season and refrain from buying something when it’s not in season. Instead, use the produce that is. Produce and when they’re in season:
Apples: late summer through fall
Apricots: late spring through early summer
Artichokes: spring and again in early fall
Boysenberries: early summer
Broccoli: fall and winter
Brussels Sprouts: late fall and winter
Butternut Squash: fall and winter
Cantaloupes: winter and early spring
Cauliflower: fall and winter
Cherries: late spring and summer
Eggplant: summer and early fall
Grapefruit: winter and spring
Grapes: late summer and early fall
Green Beans: summer and early fall
Horseradish: fall and winter
Kiwis: winter through spring
Leeks: fall through spring
Lemons: winter and spring
Limes: late summer and fall
Melons: summer and early fall
Mushrooms: spring through fall
Potatoes: spring through summer
Okra: late summer and early fall
Onions: spring through fall
Oranges: winter and spring
Rutabagas: fall and winter
Strawberries: spring and summer
Sweet potatoes: fall and winter
Turnips: fall through spring
16. Pay attention when you’re at the register. Things may get rung up too many times or may not register that they’re on sale. My mom swears by this.
17. if at all possible, shop with cash. If you don’t have more cash than what your budget is, then you can’t go over.
1. Buy clothes when they’re out of season. You need winter clothes? Go online in the summer and stock up on what you’ll need.
2. Check around several different websites and stores when buying clothes. Oftentimes I can find the same item I need somewhere for cheaper than somewhere else.
3. If a store you like has an app and you’re sure of your size, get the app. I have the Charlotte Russe app and they’re always having app-exclusive sales on shoes and other clothing.
4. Buy items that are versatile and you can make many outfits with. My must have versatile items (you don’t have to have them all, these are just some options):
Jeans: light-wash, dark-wash, black, boyfriend, and distressed
Basic business attire: solid colored slacks, solid colored pencil skirt(s)
Dresses: black bodycon, gray or white bodycon, and t-shirt
Solid colored items: shirts, body suits, camisoles, sweaters, halter tops, leggings
Good winter coat (invest on a good one, it’ll save money in the long run)
Shorts: light-wash and dark-wash
Skirts: skater, leather, blue jean
Simple pair of white/black/grey heels
Solid colored pair of flats
Solid colored pair of sandals
A pair of comfy shoes like Nike’s, Converse, Vans, etc.
5. Don’t buy all the latest trends. If you buy them the year afterwards, no one is going to care. You should only be buying what pleases you anyways so if you’re buying it just because it’s the latest fashion, you’re wasting money.
6. Don’t be afraid to buy your clothes from thrift stores, consignment shops, or yard sales. I find great pieces from these places all the time. It can be very hit or miss but it’s always worth the look.
7. Declutter your closet and the beginning of every season. If you’ve got something you wore only once or twice or something that still has tags on it at the bottom of your closet, get rid of it. Sell it or donate it.
8. Take care of your clothes and shoes to keep them looking good and lasting longer.
9. Know when to buy quality. If you’re messy and always getting stains on your shirts, you don’t have to buy the best quality shirts out there. Get something cheap and comfy if you’re going to have to throw it out later.
10. Shop sales racks first. I got a shirt from Old Navy once for a dollar on the sales racks. The sales racks are my (and your) best friend.
Walmart (seriously they’re stepping up their quality, I bought some slacks and pencil skirt from here a while ago and they’re still good, I don’t recommend their shoes though)
Local thrift stores and yard sales
12. Places others have recommended to shop but I haven’t tried yet:
Toiletries and House Supplies
1. Things to buy from a dollar store/dollar tree:
Cards for occasions, party supplies, and gift wrap and bags
Reading glasses (not prescription glasses)
Hair accessories and necessities
Dishware, cookware, and decorative vases or bowls
Storage containers for food and other storage bins
Personal items such as pads or tampons
Band-aids and other first-aid items
Not everything on this list may be available at your dollar store or may even be a better deal than your local Walmart or other retail store so check around.
2. Again, use coupons and store cards to your advantage!
3. Shop for school supplies when there’s no-tax weekend. It’ll save you so much $$
4. Same as with clothes and shoes, check around many stores to find the best prices on goods and then make a shopping list once a week and hit up all the stores for the specific goods they have the best deals on.
5. Make a specific shopping list for what you need and stick to it.
6. Keep all of your personal products and your cleaning cabinet organizes so you know what you do and don’t have and can avoid buying duplicates in case you’re tight on money.
1. I watched a ton of YouTube videos for drug store hauls and dupes.
2. Ask your friends and family if they have any recommendations for drug store steals and deals.
3. Try to avoid high end makeup if you can. You can usually find a drugstore dupe of almost if not the same quality and for way cheaper.
4. If you want to splurge on yourself and buy high end makeup, don’t buy it when it first comes out. Sometimes the items will go on sale online a while after they come out and all the hype has gone down.
5. Not only for makeup but for clothes and shoes as well, shop on cyber Monday or Black Friday to get ultimate money savings
Where to get quality makeup for a low price:
Brushes: E.L.F., Ecotools, Morphe, BH Cosmetics
Lipstick: NYX, Colourpop, Maybelline
Eyeshadows: NYX, Colourpop, Morphe, Coastal Scents
Setting Spray: NYX, Milani, Hard Candy
Highlighters: Rimmel, LA Girl, Maybelline, Milani
Loose Powder and Under Eye Concealer: E.L.F., Maybelline, NYC
Foundation: L’Oreal, E.L.F, Cover Girl
Bronzer: Milani, Essence, Makeup Revolution
Contour: Makeup Revolution, BH Cosmetics
Places to get a variety of stuff for good quality but may be hit or miss or be of varying price ranges:
Catrice Cosmetics: good products but limited in options
Chi Chi: good for large palettes
BH Cosmetics: good for a variety of everything but may be hit or miss
Coastal Scents: good for eyeshadows
LA Girl: good for lipsticks and highlighters
Makeup Revolution: good for a variety of things but different price ranges
NYX: good for a variety of things but may be hit or miss
This post has taken me forever with all of the research, I hope everyone can get a use out of this. Enjoy!
jacobvanloon
theartofmadeline
areudirty
yousharknotpass
izzy806
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