To get a clear picture of your current grocery expenditure, you can review past receipts, check your credit card statements, or use a budget app. But creating an effective grocery budget involves more than just knowing your spending patterns. It's essential to understand average grocery costs to establish a benchmark, factoring in inflation and rising food prices, and identify areas for potential savings.

Figuring out the typical monthly grocery bill in Singapore can be tricky, as it's heavily influenced by personal and household factors. For a general overview, the Department of Statistics' Household Expenditure Survey 20231 provides insight into this. 

According to the report, households in Singapore spend an average of S$456 monthly on groceries, mainly for food and non-alcoholic drinks.

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However, it's important to understand that this is just an average. Your actual grocery expenses can vary significantly depending on where you choose to shop, such as NTUC FairPrice versus Cold Storage, whether you prefer wet markets or supermarkets, and how often you cook at home versus order food delivery. 

Therefore, while average grocery costs can be a helpful reference point, they shouldn't be the sole determinant of your individual budget.

How much should you be spending on groceries?

Determining your ideal monthly grocery budget involves considering various factors, including your shopping habits, dietary needs, and household size. Here are some guidelines to help you plan ahead, and even keep within a strict budget:

Follow HealthHub's grocery shopping tips

A helpful way to start saving on groceries is to personalise your budget based on your weekly or monthly food plans and specific dietary needs. 

HealthHub² advises to plan your family's meals and snacks in advance, allowing you to create a focused shopping list, streamline your purchases, and help you find economical buys. Then, incorporate cost-saving measures such as choosing unbranded items, buying in bulk, and opting for local and seasonal produce.

In addition, focus on a balanced mix of essential food groups, including grains, such as rice, a dietary staple, and noodles, proteins like tofu, a versatile and affordable option of fish or meat, and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. It's also important to acknowledge the diverse culinary landscape of Singapore. Be sure to consider halal food options, vegetarian choices, and ingredients commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, ensuring your grocery choices cater to your specific cultural preferences (if any).

Create a grocery budget

To effectively manage your grocery spending, you can adapt the 50/30/20 budget, a popular budgeting framework, to your financial situation in Singapore.

For instance, if your monthly take-home pay is S$3,500, you could divide your income as follows:

• S$1,750 for needs, accounting for essential expenses such as rent, groceries, transportation, utilities, and other necessities.

• S$1,050 for wants, including discretionary spending on dining out, entertainment, subscriptions, and other non-essential items.

• S$700 for your savings goals and debt repayment.

When considering groceries within this framework, it's useful to distinguish between essential food items and discretionary purchases. While basic food items are classified under “needs,” premium items such as imported snacks or alcoholic beverages might be categorised as “wants.”

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If food expenses are straining your budget, consider methods to economise on groceries. These simple ways to save on groceries are a great starting point:

• Adopt a structured approach to meal planning, perhaps drawing inspiration from HealthHub's suggested meal planning and grocery shopping tips to ensure nutritious and cost-effective meals throughout the week or month.

• Leverage technology by using local apps like FairPrice, RedMart, or Shopee to compare prices across different retailers and identify the best deals on your desired items.

• Opt for store-brand or house-brand products, such as NTUC Housebrand and Giant's Meadows, as they often offer significant cost savings compared to branded alternatives.

• Be on the lookout for "Yellow Sticker" or similar clearance discounts on fresh produce or meat, which are commonly offered by supermarkets in Singapore to reduce food waste.

• Explore wet markets for potentially better prices on fresh fish, vegetables, and other ingredients, offering a more economical alternative to supermarkets.

• Maximise your savings by utilising credit cards with cashback rewards or using apps like ShopBack to earn cashback on your grocery purchases.

• Consider participating in community group buys or seeking out bulk discounts, which can be a cost-effective way to purchase certain items, especially non-perishable goods.

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Life's unpredictable, and your financial situation, what you spend on, and how you spend it are likely to change. So, to keep your finances in check, it's a good idea to review your grocery budget monthly and adapt it as needed.

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