Okay! So, you all want to know how I
did my thirty day DINNER meal plan and am saving money right!? Here ya go! REMEMBER… I AM NOT
PROFESSIONAL.....YET J
First things first,
if you don’t have food storage, I highly recommend it, even if it’s a little
here and there! Most of my savings come
from it! I hit case lot sales like they are going out of style. The key to my
method of my 30 day meal plan and food storage is STORE WHAT YOU USE, AND USE
WHAT YOU STORE. This means, buying extra spaghetti noodles and sauce or any
other ingredients you can store that you eat regularly. Smiths has a great 10
for 10 sale quite often (I haven’t figured out their sale cycle yet.) but buying
a can or bag more of something that is on sale and isn't going to expire saved
you that extra trip to the store for one item, then you end up spending more.
Next- This is
where the process gets a little frustrating, but in a surprising way. How many
of you keep your bank statements and file them? I do, and if you don’t, you
should start. I went through and added up all the amounts that we were spending
on groceries. Some from Walmart have diapers included, and since I knew which
ones those were, I took out 25.00 a box. Anyway- any little bill you might see
if it’s from $2.00 at your local store, to $200.00 at Walmart, add them up.
Most likely food was bought during this time whether it was from the deli or
not. (Small amounts add up just as much!). If you don’t have your statements, start
saving your receipts NOW. They help you as well.
After you have added
up everything for the last 2 months (2 separate totals, one for each month),
then go through your fridge. How much of that is still sitting in your fridge,
and how much of it has expired? Seriously, if you think I’m crazy that’s fine,
but I realized that I bought stuff from 2 months ago, that was still sitting in
my fridge, untouched and expired ( you know, shoved to the back). Go through
you pantry as well. How much of that money that you spent on your food, did you
waste? Mine was roughly 60.00 bucks or more worth (pantry and fridge) with some
still usable.
This is where the fun
begins. Along with going through your pantry and your fridge, write down
things you have that you can create meals with. So for instance, if you have a
can of spaghetti sauce write it down, it can be used in a meal. If you have
chicken in your fridge/freezer and you haven’t made plans for it and it’s not
expired, you can use it in a meal. Everything you think you can make a meal out
of, write it down.
PINTEREST is my
obsession/getting creative. I went on to Pinterest and found a 30 day
dinner meal plan sheet that also had a section for a grocery list that was
separated into different categories (dairy, meats, fresh produce etc.) and
printed it. With the stuff I found in my home that needed to be used, I had to
start thinking of meals. I looked for simple meals that were yummy, and not too
expensive. I also looked for meals that didn’t have some random ingredient that
I didn't know what it I was, because I don’t care to much for searching for
something because I don’t know if it’s in the fresh produce, or the seasonings
(get my drift? It’s a waste of time). Anyway, after I created meals, I put them
on the sheet I found on Pinterest. Then, I went through each meal. Also,
remember to keep left overs as a meal! If you’re like my family, you’ll have
them!
For example: I found spaghetti sauce. Well, obviously, I can
make spaghetti. So, I need noodles and hamburger (if I have to buy hamburger, I
buy extra, separate it out in to pound sizes, plastic wrap it , put it in to a
freezer bag and freeze it.). Then write down what you need in the category it
goes under.
After your meals are created, start looking for coupons for some if
not all of those items, check stores to see if they are having a sale on
multiple items (no need to run to a million stores for one item each, you’ll
spend more in gas.) Truth is- some stores may seem like they are having a sale,
yet really, they aren’t cheaper than another store, so I check prices a lot.
After you have found coupons, print and clip them, download them to your phone,
whatever. Even the littlest of 60 cents can save you that much more money. But
that doesn't mean buy something just because there is a coupon for it, you won’t
save anything. Also, if you know you eat something more often, try to print
extra coupons so that you can buy extra cans, or bags of it, but make sure to
check expiration dates!
Buying things that are going out of the sale date: Every store has product
coming in and out like crazy. I look for items that are going to be going out
of the “sale by date”. Most likely they are going to be cheaper. I try to find
the meat that is more on sale, and I take it home and freeze it. Also, another
tip if you like pork chops, buy a big pork loin. You can cut pork chops out of
it, saran wrap them, and put them in a
freezer bag with no air in it, and freeze it. I always get 5 meals out of
them! Look for bigger ones on sale!
2 WEEKS WORTH: I need to mention
that when I go shopping, I am shopping for the first 2 weeks of my meal plan,
then I go again in another 2 weeks. If there are things I know that will last
longer, I will buy them so that I have them, but things like lettuce and other
fresh produce don’t last a long time, so I break that stuff up in to 2
different weeks making sure I’ll use them for the first upcoming meals.
STICK TO THE LIST! I understand you still have to buy shampoos,
underwear, and other home needs, but put them on your list. When I go shopping
for groceries, I only buy what is on my list. Sticking to your list is the only
way to save, and don’t go shopping hungry, because everything sounds good.
CASH ONLY: I take cash when I go shopping. I add up roughly the
amount and take 10-15 bucks extra of what I think I’ll need, and that is all I
use. If you go in with your card and you don’t stick to your list, you’ll end
up spending more than expected and if you spend less than good for you.
TO GET THE 30 DAY MEAL PLAN SHEET : http://frugalliving.about.com/od/grocerysavings/tp/Free-Meal-Planners.htm
TO ORGANIZE FINANCES LIKE I DO YOU CAN FOLLOW: http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/2014/01/printable_budget_binder/
