Personal Price Limits

You may have noticed on social media that I’ve started using the hashtag #AustralianBudgeting. This is a result of the posts I’ve seen (on Pinterest mostly, but they’re everywhere) about paying down debt, living on a small income, or general budgeting. While the posts often do have good tips in them, they’re nearly always written for American audiences, so the tips and realities are simply different here in Australia because we have different variables (aka we earn more but it costs more to live here, we don’t have the ability to coupon, things like that).

 

Like most financial bloggers, I’m not a qualified expert in this field. But I do believe that you can learn a lot from observing other people and applying what works for you to your life – that’s why I post my grocery receipts and talk about this stuff. Trial and error, not copy and paste, people. 

 

Today I wanted to talk about some products that I have personal price limits on when I go grocery shopping. These are based on my personal observation of sales patterns. Basically what it means is that I know these items will be available on sale somewhat regularly at x price, so I don’t buy them until they are at that price. When they do meet my criteria, I stock up on them. Pretty basic budgeting technique.

 

Note: Your ability to shop this way does depend on how tight of a budget you’re on. If you’re barely scraping by, this probably won’t be practical for you. If you’re on a tight/low budget but have a generally safe set amount of income, you can do this.

 

I don’t keep these personal price limits written down – I just know the prices that I am willing to pay for these items. They’re saved the old-fashioned way, in my head. You might have them as a list in your preferred notes app, or printed and taped to the back of the notepad you use for grocery shopping. Whatever works for you.

 

Personal Price Limits

 

  • Chicken Breast – $10/kg
  • Chicken Drumsticks or Wings – $3/kg
  • Juice – $1/L
  • Toilet paper – 50c/roll
  • Natures Valley muesli bars – $3/box
  • Minced Beef – $8/kg

 

Why Have Personal Price Limits?

 

You’ve seen some of the things that I have a personal price limit on. I’d like to delve a bit further into the why. Which is basically one big one.

 

Make Your Budget Work For You

 

Like I said above, there are many great tips on the internet about budgeting, but they don’t take into account your personal situation. A Pinterest post saying that you can feed your family on $200/month is fine in some countries or locations, but will probably not relevant to an Australian reader. Unless you live on bread and peanut butter for every meal. Which (again, I’m not a doctor), you probably shouldn’t do.

 

My list isn’t exhaustive, but it’s an indicator of things I buy often.

 

Do you have personal price limits? Give an example!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 Replies to “Personal Price Limits”

  1. Now that you say it, I think I do, but I’ve never consciously thought of them as Personal Price Limits. Most of mine are in the veggie section, examples include cherry tomatoes $3 punnet, bananas $4 (because I can’t live without bananas) and most other fruit $4 per kilo – I usually just buy what’s cheapest. When it comes to other supermarket shopping and household supplies, I keep an eye out for when it’s super cheap and then I bulk buy! And yes, I agree, while delicious, man (or woman come to that) cannot live on peanut butter alone!

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      I’ve actually been really bad at tracking the veggie store prices. I just figure veggies are good so I should buy them anyway.

  2. I don’t, but I should. What a great idea! Thank you

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      Only if it works for you…and aren’t you supposed to be not online much? 🙂

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