Our personal financial journey starts from our very own kitchen. In the past, women in the kitchen have always been regarded as Lakshmis for championing savings at micro-level. Under all circumstances, they would artfully tuck away extra cash without compromising on the food they would serve on the platter. Most of the times, such funds would be used for an emergency in the family. Our modern Lakshmis however, brave both the kitchen and the office with equal passion and elan. Misses are obvious because when deadlines loom over, we do not spend adequate time bargaining for those vegetables for a better price. In fact, not only women professionals, men who live alone can also benefit from these “kitchen-tricks” that’ll help Manage Personal Finances with much ease and convenience.
So, here are the 7 ways by which you can save on your grocery bill-
1. Check the fridge and the general food storage:
Knowing what is there in the fridge and what is not is half the battle won. So check your fridge every time before you head out for shopping. It not only saves time, but also tells you what you need to buy. Surplus food items with short life span can result into wastage.
2. List the items of purchase:
Listing down the items of purchase is a great practice. This way we can avoid being a spendthrift and also maintain a monthly budget that will safeguard our finances from misuse. The obvious advantage is that you’ll never have to work hard to recall what your spouse had mentioned for purchase.
3. Label your kitchen containers:
There have been situations when despite creating a list we end up wasting food. For example, if you are unable to figure out the container for the pulses, you may list it anew and buy again. Or for that matter, you may consider the jar of salt for milk powder leading to over-purchase. Hence, labeling your jar helps.
4. Do not go out shopping with a hungry stomach:
Our grandparents often say that do not go out empty stomach because hunger can mislead us. Indeed so. Imagine how you may succumb to a range of tasty food leading to overspending. Not only personal finances, this will affect your health as well.
5. Adhere to your known list of fruits and vegetables:
When Rebecca (name changed on request) saw those amazing wood apples, she didn’t care for her list of purchase. Later, when she came home, she was unsure of what to do or how to go about savoring the fruit. Such situations lead to both financial and emotional disappointment.
6. Being mindful of seasonal fruits and vegetables
This is a great strategy. This only helps you save money, but also supports local farmers who bring to you fresh vegetables and fruits that involve lower processing costs unlike the exotic and imported ones.
7. Get your grocery from the local markets
Visiting super-malls is as much about conveniences as much about taxes. For example, the VAT (value added taxes) that you pay at the POS (point of sales), when accumulated over a period of time can become a small fixed deposit. As such that extra 14.5 percent if donated through proper channel can save a child’s life.
Conclusion:
Small things can often lead to humble beginnings. The sooner we acknowledge that, the better it is for our finances. It won’t be an exaggeration if we say that the kitchen that feeds our stomach can also feed our finances if we are mindful about our spending habits.
