For today, I want to tackle the importance of meal planning.
I can't stress enough the importance of making a meal plan for the
week. This is a great way to save money, and you don't even have to use coupons if you don't want to!
In my former "before coupon clipping life", I used to be one that said "I don't feel like _____ tonight", and end up ordering takeout. Imagine my shock after I started clipping coupons. I went back through my checkbook and couldn't quite believe that we had spent almost $300 in one month on restaurant bills! What a waste of money.
I now know that meal planning makes a big difference. And when I plan meals that center around what my family likes, it is very easy to do.
When I make a meal plan, it is always subject to change. Let's face it, life is full of change. Stuff happens- like a doctor appointment or unplanned company and you need to roll with the punches. If you don't' "feel" like eating the planned food on a certain day, mix it up. I would much rather have it on the calendar and know that I have all the ingredients in the house than be wondering what I should make.
For my family, I keep the meals easy. I know we always end up with chicken at least
once, pork, pizza, and some sort of red meat dish. Beyond that is just
figuring what to add to it. I also write it out on the calendar too. Then even hubby could start dinner and help out. I also keep the basics stocked. For us the basics are sides like rice, potatoes, etc, and veggies (canned, fresh and frozen).
Lastly, I shop the grocery store each week in order to take advantage of the sale cycles. I check what is on sale, compare it to what I have and make the meal plan. Then I write out my shopping list from there. When I'm in the store, I keep my eyes open for non-advertised sales and clearance items. I always leave a little room in my budget for that!
I hope that I was able to show you some options for saving money on your groceries. Please feel free to leave comments and/or your ideas on this post!
I just thought I'd pipe in on something that's worked well for me especially on those days when you don't feel like having what you planned.
ReplyDeletewww.supercook.com
it takes about 5-10 minutes to fully set up your free account and get to the point where it tells you meal ideas based on what you have in your house...customized to your pantry cause you start by typing in what you have in your house...and it gives you a list of items in case you get a brain freeze. anyway, its handy cause it might just be a new twist on an old favorite but it might be a new thing you never thought of...either way, it gives you fun ideas that don't require additional shopping.