Expenses of a student studying in university can be overwhelming at economy turbulent times like this. Therefore, food budgeting and planning is one of the ways to save up money more for other uses such as traveling or study materials.
It can be a little daunting to start a shopping list and start budgeting when you are never the decision maker in food shopping back at home. Well, all of you mummy’s boy or girl need to start learning to economize if you on tight budget on living cost.

No doubt that, buying fresh food and cooking is less costly compared to dine in and take outs. A sandwich from deli can easily cost from one to two pounds depending on size and fillings. As a case study, I purchased all the ingredients to make a ham sandwich from Sainsbury and calculated how much would it cost. As seen on the image, if you make your own sandwiches, it is far cheaper.

Although buying fresh food is a cheaper and healthier option, what and where you buy your food plays a part in saving your pocket from burning a hole. Try to have the habit of listing down what you need to buy before heading to supermarkets to avoid buying extras that is not on the list. The list should consists of essentials items such as milk, bread and vegetables; on the other hand items such as snacks should the last considered items of your shopping list.

Besides making a marketing list, it is useful to jot down prices of certain essential items such as milk. This is because items like this could vary in prices in different stores. Making notes will make sure you know where to get the best price for your food. Often time, many stores offer discounted price for different items every week. So do be alert on details like this.

It’s best that you stock up on discounted food that can sit in the cupboard for some time rather than paying the full price later. Occasionally when you run out of cash before the end of month, at least you’ll still be saved by the food sitting in that cupboard. Another way to get cheaper price for food is to buy in bulk, get your friends and housemate to buy certain items in bulk and divide them accordingly. For example, I would gather friends to share a box of 10 ice berg lettuce and each would cost only half of the shelf price.

It may be a hassle at first to have a small note book in hand and jotting down item prices, but after some time you’ll find marketing an easy peasy task. We should budget well for food, but never forget to practice a healthy eating habit. Always consume a balance diet of vegetables, fibers and proteins.