Russians were offered a monthly grocery purchase strategy

Financial freedom is a goal that attracts many, and its basis is not high incomes, but the competent management of resources. Olga Matveeva, a financial consultant for X5's Package service, told Izvestia on September 23 how to build a budget without boring restrictions and a constant sense of oppression.

According to her, the most effective thing you can do for your financial well—being is to switch to monthly purchase planning. We are talking about a strategy that, as calculations show, can save a family of three more than 100 thousand rubles a year.

"Start by making a sample menu for the month — it's enough to determine the main dishes that you will cook. Based on this menu, a clear shopping list is formed. With this, you go to the store at the beginning of the month and buy basic products: cereals, pasta, canned food, vegetable oil, sugar, flour and frozen food. Everything that can be stored for a long time. But fresh food — milk, bread, fruits and vegetables — should be purchased once a week," the expert added.

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The sources of the money saved become obvious upon closer examination. First, the biggest source of savings is eliminating impulsive purchases. An extra pack of cookies, a chocolate bar "for mood", unnecessary yogurt for the promotion — it is these small expenses that imperceptibly "eat up" 15-20% of the budget, which is about 5.2 thousand rubles per month.

"Secondly, you start to buy more consciously, giving preference to large packages. Let's compare prices: a kilogram of buckwheat in a small pack will cost an average of 170 rubles, and in a large five—kilogram package it will cost only 110 rubles per kilogram. It's the same story with rice, pasta, sugar, and butter. A family can easily save another 2-3 thousand rubles a month on groceries alone," the expert noted.

In addition, urgent purchases disappear. When there is a strategic supply of cereals or stew on the shelf, you will not have to go to the nearest round-the-clock minimarket, where prices are traditionally inflated due to high rental and logistics costs, which will save about another 750 rubles.

In total, the monthly savings due to planning alone reach 8.5 thousand rubles, and in a year it is already 102 thousand rubles.

"Meal planning is not about living a boring life on a schedule, but about gaining control over your budget and getting rid of daily stress. Try to start by making a plan for just one week, and you will see for yourself how much easier and less costly your life can become," the financial consultant summed up.

Earlier, on August 1, eCredit experts (part of Auto.<url>") told Izvestia about the frequent cases of Russians making a large down payment when buying a car on credit. It was clarified that in the first six months of 2025, the share of car loans with a contribution of more than 50% increased to 37%, and the share of those who take out a loan with a minimum contribution (0-10%) decreased to 8%.

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