6 Smart Tips for Building a Better Grocery Budget

Shrinking products, rising prices at the market and beyond: Shoppers have been feeling the pinch at the register for some time now. And whether it’s a new feeling or a long-lasting one, creating a grocery budget can help you feel more in control over your finances.

Budgeting “takes away the anxiety of worrying about money,” said Dasha Kennedy, known as the Broke Black Girl, a financial education platform. “Even if the income may not be where I want it to be, if there’s ever a situation, at least I know what is going on, and I know what I can do next.”

And while it may not be the most glamorous point of discussion, building a budget you can stick to can be a way of achieving your goals and putting money toward other needs.

“If there are some things you want to do, having a budget will help you know how you can make that happen,” Ms. Kennedy said.

Getting started can be daunting if you’ve never done it before, but it can be done, even if you’re not the most disciplined of savers. Below are a few tips and techniques from experts on how to set yourself up for success.

Get a Sense of Your Spending

Beth Moncel of the blog Budget Bytes calls evaluating your spending “the most important step” when you’re starting to budget.