Spending plans are a money management tool designed to help you manage your purchases and control spending.

When you plan the purchase, you know how much money you budgeted for spending, giving you much more control over your spending. You can set a limit on the amount you will spend. This way, you are much more likely to save money on your purchases because you can take sale items into account.

Grocery stores are recurring revenue systems. Stores make money week after week, often from the same consumers. A grocery spending plan, a list you take with you to the store, is your best weapon against a system designed to encourage you to spend more than you really want. A shopping list helps you curb impulse spending.

A tip to save money: do not taste food during your purchases. And if you try, remember you don’t have to buy that calorie-laden, lip-smacking, hip- and butt-swelling treat. It’s a marketing tactic! Don’t fall into the trap.

Another tip to save money and health: do most of your shopping from the perimeter of the store. Stay on the edge where fruits, vegetables, and nutritious things live. Items high in fat and sugar and low in nutritional value are at the center of the store.

Make a shopping list before you go shopping. You will spend less and have what you need to prepare delicious and healthy meals for the week. Every week is different; Make a new list for each trip.

If you want to bet on frugality, and why not, look for coupons and sale items. Advertisers spend billions a year to get you into stores to buy sale items and all other freebies at full price. She is a sensible person with money who takes the time to check the newspaper before her weekly shopping spree. Buy only what is on your list. You’ll save money, eat better and healthier, and lose a few pounds too. It’s a win-win way of managing your life, money, and health.

Check your spending regularly. After the first month, review your progress. Have your food spending decreased since the months before you began to rely on a grocery list? Are you eating more of your store-bought foods instead of throwing away fruits and vegetables because you didn’t include them in your meal plans? What about your children? Are they wasting less and eating better?

What benefits have you experienced from preparing your grocery spending plans? Let me know.