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Does the $300 a Month Shopping Plan Still Work?
Thirteen years ago, I wrote a little book called Super Shopper. It outlined how I fed my family of five for $70 a week. It was very popular, selling out in just a couple of days. Then, in 2010 I wrote Eat Well, Save More - feed four people for $80 a week, the updated version of Super Shopper. This book outlined how I feed my family of five for $80 a week (kids grow, inflation is a pest - the grocery budget has to be flexible). Then Wendy posted in the forum that grocery shopping made her smile.
And the $300 a Month Food Challenge was born!
Since then the challenge, and Super Shopper, have gone crazy. You'll hear it mentioned on blogs, on Facebook, on TV and radio.
Safe to say it is one of the most popular forum threads EVER!
There are thousands of fans, cheering each other on and working their grocery spending to benefit their budgets.
And not surprisingly, it has its share of negative feedback.
Here are some of the complaints that regularly end up in my inbox.
You can't possibly eat organic for $300 a month!
Can't you? It really depends on how much effort you are prepared to put into eating organic. But the challenge has never claimed to be organic. Frankly it is really, really hard to find truly organic produce. Even when you grow your own chances are it isn't truly organic - it can easily be contaminated by whatever neighbours or even your local council are using in their yards. Having a totally organic diet and lifestyle would be amazing, but I firmly believe you can have a healthy diet without the expense of an organic label.
These prices are lower than I can find in my area.
Great! I put a lot of effort into making sure I pay the lowest possible price for the best possible quality when I do my grocery shopping, so chances are I do find lower prices. But I haven't always had the advantage of multiple supermarkets, greengrocers, butchers, health food stores and bulk stores close by. For a long time I had to travel at least a 240km round trip to get to a decent sized supermarket. If my prices are lower than yours you just need to be more creative with your shopping. Plan to do big shops when you are in an area with cheaper prices (I did two huge shops a year when we went to Sydney, just for the lower prices). If you aren't shopping at Aldi yet (and you have one in your area) you are spending money you don't need to spend. Try Aldi, I highly recommend checking it out.
Your prices are out of date – there’s no way you could do this now!
Maybe they are - for everyday shopping. But I still pay $3.89/kg for chicken fillets, 30c/kg for carrots and onions, $2.49/kg for whole chickens. I just shop around, watch prices and stock up when something is at my best buy price. If you stock up, the wait for the sales you will always get your groceries much cheaper. I'm not brand or store loyal, I go where the price is best for my budget.
Of course the cost of living is going to be higher in some areas. I understand that. We are all different, live in different areas, have different lifestyles, needs, wants, likes and budgets. That's why the $300 a month food challenge has flexible rules.
The rules are simple, easy to follow and easy to adapt. If you want totally organic, then you still follow the rules; your monthly grocery budget will be more, but you'll still be saving money. If you have dietary restrictions, the rules are the same; you'll spend more (or in some cases less!) and still be saving money. If you live in a remote area, only have a small choice in supermarkets, work full time or part-time, have children or don't have children - the rules are the same!
You simply adapt them to suit your needs, wants, budget and situation.
Here are some simple tips that will save you grocery money, wherever you live and whatever budget you set:
1. Don't be store or brand loyal. Aldi has consistently been the cheapest supermarket, so shop there and skip Coles and Woolworths for regular shopping unless it is for the rare grocery item Aldi doesn't stock. No Aldi (or Coles or Woolworths)? Look for discount grocery stores and small, independent grocers where the sales can be absolutely fantastic.
2. Learn the sale cycle for your basic grocery needs and shop to it. Most things come on sale in either four or six week cycles. Some things, such as baking needs, come on sale once a year during November/December; some snack foods come on sale for school holidays and football grand final time. Get familiar with the sale cycle to save even more.
3. Meal plan and cook from scratch and you'll save a bundle. Buying ingredients gives you options. When you have options you don't need to buy convenience foods or resort to takeaway.
4. Stockpile! You don't need to be worried about the zombie apocalypse, but you do need to be worried about paying full price when you don't need to. Even a small stockpile (one or two months of groceries) is insurance against slow sales, price hikes, illness, bad weather, strikes, holidays and dozens of other common events. Stocking up on the non-perishables that you use regularly when they are on sale is money in the bank. There are a lot of things that will keep just in the pantry, fridge and freezer for a long, long time, giving you plenty of opportunities to use them.
You can make the $300 a month food challenge work. …But it’s up to you to find the determination to make it happen.
And the $300 a Month Food Challenge was born!
Since then the challenge, and Super Shopper, have gone crazy. You'll hear it mentioned on blogs, on Facebook, on TV and radio.
Safe to say it is one of the most popular forum threads EVER!
There are thousands of fans, cheering each other on and working their grocery spending to benefit their budgets.
And not surprisingly, it has its share of negative feedback.
Here are some of the complaints that regularly end up in my inbox.
You can't possibly eat organic for $300 a month!
Can't you? It really depends on how much effort you are prepared to put into eating organic. But the challenge has never claimed to be organic. Frankly it is really, really hard to find truly organic produce. Even when you grow your own chances are it isn't truly organic - it can easily be contaminated by whatever neighbours or even your local council are using in their yards. Having a totally organic diet and lifestyle would be amazing, but I firmly believe you can have a healthy diet without the expense of an organic label.
These prices are lower than I can find in my area.
Great! I put a lot of effort into making sure I pay the lowest possible price for the best possible quality when I do my grocery shopping, so chances are I do find lower prices. But I haven't always had the advantage of multiple supermarkets, greengrocers, butchers, health food stores and bulk stores close by. For a long time I had to travel at least a 240km round trip to get to a decent sized supermarket. If my prices are lower than yours you just need to be more creative with your shopping. Plan to do big shops when you are in an area with cheaper prices (I did two huge shops a year when we went to Sydney, just for the lower prices). If you aren't shopping at Aldi yet (and you have one in your area) you are spending money you don't need to spend. Try Aldi, I highly recommend checking it out.
Your prices are out of date – there’s no way you could do this now!
Maybe they are - for everyday shopping. But I still pay $3.89/kg for chicken fillets, 30c/kg for carrots and onions, $2.49/kg for whole chickens. I just shop around, watch prices and stock up when something is at my best buy price. If you stock up, the wait for the sales you will always get your groceries much cheaper. I'm not brand or store loyal, I go where the price is best for my budget.
Of course the cost of living is going to be higher in some areas. I understand that. We are all different, live in different areas, have different lifestyles, needs, wants, likes and budgets. That's why the $300 a month food challenge has flexible rules.
The rules are simple, easy to follow and easy to adapt. If you want totally organic, then you still follow the rules; your monthly grocery budget will be more, but you'll still be saving money. If you have dietary restrictions, the rules are the same; you'll spend more (or in some cases less!) and still be saving money. If you live in a remote area, only have a small choice in supermarkets, work full time or part-time, have children or don't have children - the rules are the same!
You simply adapt them to suit your needs, wants, budget and situation.
Here are some simple tips that will save you grocery money, wherever you live and whatever budget you set:
1. Don't be store or brand loyal. Aldi has consistently been the cheapest supermarket, so shop there and skip Coles and Woolworths for regular shopping unless it is for the rare grocery item Aldi doesn't stock. No Aldi (or Coles or Woolworths)? Look for discount grocery stores and small, independent grocers where the sales can be absolutely fantastic.
2. Learn the sale cycle for your basic grocery needs and shop to it. Most things come on sale in either four or six week cycles. Some things, such as baking needs, come on sale once a year during November/December; some snack foods come on sale for school holidays and football grand final time. Get familiar with the sale cycle to save even more.
3. Meal plan and cook from scratch and you'll save a bundle. Buying ingredients gives you options. When you have options you don't need to buy convenience foods or resort to takeaway.
4. Stockpile! You don't need to be worried about the zombie apocalypse, but you do need to be worried about paying full price when you don't need to. Even a small stockpile (one or two months of groceries) is insurance against slow sales, price hikes, illness, bad weather, strikes, holidays and dozens of other common events. Stocking up on the non-perishables that you use regularly when they are on sale is money in the bank. There are a lot of things that will keep just in the pantry, fridge and freezer for a long, long time, giving you plenty of opportunities to use them.
You can make the $300 a month food challenge work. …But it’s up to you to find the determination to make it happen.