How I Keep my Grocery Bill at $300 Per Month

A few tips to save money the next time you go to the store!

Author

Michela Allocca
June 17, 2025

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MONEY
3 Ways I Reduce my Grocery Shopping Bill

I aim to keep my grocery bill at about $300 per month. This is actually a bit higher than it used to be (I used to target $250) and the reason is twofold:

  1. Groceries are more expensive now

  2. I eat at home more than I used to

All this to say, I have mastered a few key tricks that help me reduce my bill wherever I can. Obviously, if I need (or want) to spend more, I will. But my target each month is about $300.

A few quick caveats:

  • I’m only shopping for myself! I live alone, so unless I am hosting someone my groceries are just for me

  • I eat a plant-based diet. Since I don’t buy meat/dairy/eggs I naturally spend less

I track my monthly grocery spend using the Personal Finance Dashboard which makes it easy to see any patterns or trends, and adjust my budget as needed.

Let’s get into it - and if you have a tip to share, please send it my way! I also share an example of my weekly grocery shop in this video I recently posted on youtube!

1️⃣ I plan my meals in advance

I never really used to do this, and I often found that a few days after going to the store I was fumbling around for meals to make. This is easily avoidable by spending 10 minutes before going to the store to map out your meals.

I follow the 3-2-1 method - meaning I plan out 3 dinners to cook, 2 lunches, and then 1 breakfast that I eat all week. Then I will use any leftover ingredients to fill the gaps. This usually lasts me about 5 days, and I’ll do a mini-restock over the weekend.

I also like to shop my pantry as part of this process. This helps inform me of what I already have and I’ll do my best to plan my meals around any ingredients I need to use up so I don’t have to buy them!

2️⃣ I shop at lower-priced stores

I never used to be an Aldi girl, but I lately have become obsessed with Aldi. I also transparently REALLY love the Whole Foods 365 brand. It’s actually a lot less expensive than many conventional grocery stores.

I’ve found that the typical stores (Jewel here in Chicago and Stop&Shop back in Massachusetts) are INSANELY overpriced and expensive, even compared to Whole Foods.

So if you have the option to go to a “lower” budget store (like an Aldi) in your neighborhood, do it. I don’t buy everything from there, but I do buy most of groceries and it’s helped a ton with cost reduction.

3️⃣ I focus on pantry staples

I plan most of my reals around lower-cost pantry staples, like rice, beans, potatoes, breads, and pastas.

I know this may sound “sad” but it’s not. It actually provides a ton of variety in my meals, and since these ingredients last a long time in the pantry and are just less expensive, it makes it easier for me to stretch ingredients.

A few of my favorite meals to make are chili, sweet potato & chickpea curry, chickpea salad, and all types of soups and stews. I share some recipes over on my personal instagram page (@michela_alloccaa) so if you’re curious about them follow me over there!

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RESOURCES
What’s Happening This Week at Break Your Budget

  • This week on Don’t Depend on Daddy: I sat down with my friend Christina and learned all about what it means to be Minimalist-ish! We had a fabulous conversation about striking the balance between shopping and saving, how to build out a sustainable wardrobe, and so much more!

  • Grocery Shopping on a Budget: If you enjoyed todays newsletter, you’ll like this video. I take you with me while I plan out my meals for the week and grocery shop on a budget!

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xoxo,

Michela