When bulk (and sale) buying costs you more...

We've all heard the advice to take advantage of sales. Especially at the grocery store, when a product we already buy is on sale. Did you know this could be ruining your budget?

Here's an example. Our family uses 9 cups of organic, frozen blueberries each week in our daily smoothies. That's a lot of blueberries. So when they are on sale, I'd like to buy up the whole rack! We know we are going to use them (eventually). But what happens when that purchase puts me over my weekly food budget?

 

If you consistently go over your weekly budget, then your annual costs will be more. Your "budget" then becomes a fantasy and is useless. If you are only $10 over budget each week, that comes to $520 per year (or a plane ticket to Hawai'i). How much were you over budget this week?

 

Sticking to your weekly food budget applies to all purchases.  Do not be tempted to over buy when you see sales and bulk pricing. Most people can't adjust from week to week to accommodate $10 over one week and $10 under the next. The excuse, "But I will use them," just doesn't work. You either hit a budget or you don't.

 

If you have children shopping trips can be great educational tools on life-skills, budgeting, saving money for items, and living within your means.

 

Next time you see ground beef, blueberries, milk, or coffee on sale, make sure you don't over buy - stick to your budget!