If your senior loved one or parents recently moved in with your family, it can be a challenging transition for everyone. One obstacle is how to stretch your budget to accommodate additional mouths to feed. In this blog post, we discuss some tips and tricks you can try to stretch your meal budget, as well as some of the reasons a senior may have for needing to move in with their family.
Reasons Your Senior Relative Might Need to Move In
There are many reasons why your senior loved one may have moved in with your family. These reasons include:
Financial Reasons
Sometimes, your senior parents might struggle to afford their own home. They might also have difficulty managing their finances. These difficulties can be due to mounting medical bills or the climbing cost of living. Financial reasons are one of the most common causes of this arrangement.
Health Reasons
Often, health reasons require your senior loved one to move in with other family members. They may need help with daily tasks or need supervision due to cognitive decline. Once your senior parents move in with you, it's easier to monitor their overall health. You can also provide them with reminders to take medication and encourage physical activity recommended by their doctor.
Social Reasons
Aging can sometimes be isolating, and senior relatives may move in for companionship. Not only can your family spend time with them, but this also makes it easier to help your senior parent visit a community senior center or make plans with their friends.
Ways to Stretch Your Meal Budget
Here are some ways to stretch your meal budget when your senior loved one moves in:
Meal Planning
Planning out meals in advance can help save money by making sure you only buy what you need. It's easy to overspend when you aren't sure of what you plan to cook in the next few days. Use your meal planning to generate a grocery list and avoid impulse buys.
Bulk Shopping
Buying in bulk is a great way to save money, as long as you don't buy more than you need. You can use bulk shopping to stock up on staple items such as rice, pasta, cereal, and other items with longer shelf lives.
Couponing
Using coupons and finding deals when shopping can help save money on groceries. It's easy to find coupons online, in the mail, and in the Wednesday and Sunday edition of your local newspaper. However, you need to be careful not to buy items you don't need or more expensive brands just because there's a coupon.
Growing Your Food
Growing fruits and vegetables in your yard can drastically cut down on food costs. If you have the space, you can plant items that you use most often in your meals. Herbs are also an easy item to grow.
Senior Helpers Milford-Franklin Can Plan and Prep Meals with Your Senior Loved One
With some creative meal planning and cost-saving strategies, you can stretch your grocery budget to include your senior loved one. Senior Helpers Milford-Franklin provides support and assistance with daily activities in Milford, Franklin, Stoughton, Webster, Foxboro, and Sharon. Check out all the ways we can offer care for your senior parents now!