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Step #4
Plan.
Plan your trips. Plan your menus.
It's really that simple--but for me it is a relatively new concept.
Confession: I'm a reformed impulsive grocery store shopper--and I'd usually make the huge mistake of going H-U-N-G-R-Y. I try not to do this anymore--it makes for a much smaller bill.
1. Review sales/coupons
2. Plan menu around sales/coupons
3. Review your pantry, refrigerator to determine what ingredients you already have--instead of buying another jar of mayo in case you are out (oh yes, I've had 3 jars of mayo in my refrigerator at once because of my poor shopping habits)
My grocery bill for the week was the lowest it's ever been for our 2 adult household--$31.00. I didn't even use coupons on this trip.
My purchases?
Chicken Drumsticks (about 8 large drumsticks)
Tomatoes
Wheat Angel Hair Noodles
Tortillas
Eggs
Avacados
Salami
Ramen Noodles
Carrots
Bananas
Apples
In my pantry?
Lentils
Bread
Cereal
Garlic
In my freezer?
Fish
Edamame
In my garden?
Basil
The plan:
Breakfast-cereal, fruit
Lunch-Ramen noodles, salami sandwiches, carrots, egg sandwiches, leftovers
Dinners-Baked Drumsticks (2 meals) , Fish/Edamame, Lentil Tacos/Avacado, Cappellini, Toast/Eggs/Fruit (breakfast for dinner), dinner out one night
A little planning goes a long way.
A helpful site? http://www.supercook.com/ (just type in what ingredients you have in the pantry, and the matching recipes will appear)
I know there are more experienced planners out there--feel free to share your tips in the comments section!
What tools help you plan meals? How do you plan your shopping trips?
4 comments:
These are some really great money saving tips. Wow $31.00. That's great!
$31! wow!
We plan a weekly menu, factoring in lunch making for our 3 school-aged kids, lunches for the rest, and dinners nightly. Sometimes if we know that some recipes will yield leftovers we'll plan on a dinner of leftovers. But for the most part, we do shopping once a week, and with our big family, we get A LOT but save a lot since we have a plan :)
I hardly go to the grocery store any more. I only go if I have some REALLY good coupons.
Otherwise everything we buy is in bulk.
We save a lot more money that way.
I used to be a horrible grocery shopper. Never used coupons, never looked at prices, and went shopping on an empty stomach.
I think we cut our grocery bill by 75%
Great savings. Menu planning really can do wonders on saving.
I love the site that hosts the weekly Menu Plan Monday, Organizing Junkie. I get lots of ideas from other people's menu plans to spice up the meals in my own home!
:)
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