Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Plan Your Dinners Ahead of Time and Save Money!

Do you go to the grocery store and spend more money than you had originally intended to spend? Do you give yourself a grocery budget and by the time you walk out of the store you have exceded it? Do you make a list of what you need but then buy ten other items that looks appealing?

This is a great trick that I picked up from my mom. I am sure that many others use this method but I have to share it with you because I find it extremely useful. I used to go to the grocery store every week and walk out of the store feeling ashamed of all the useless items that I really did not need. I would, even at times, avoid telling my husband how much I spent because it was rediculous. Finally, I decided that I needed to take my mother's advice and create a menu for the week. This has really helped keep my grocery budget in check and I am even in and out of the store a lot quicker.

Here is what you should do...
Make a list of the days of the week. I start on Sunday and end on Saturday. (This is because I usually go to the store on Saturday mornings). On each day I write down the main course and whatever sides we will be having. This way, I know exactly what ingredients I will need for each meal. I then write down on my grocery list all of the items that I do not already have in the house. I even go into further detail by grouping items in my list as to where I will find them in the store. This may sound silly but I really do not like being at the grocery store for very long and this saves me A LOT of time. When I am done, I stick mine right on the fridge so that I can see what to plan for the next day.

Try this trick and let me know what you think!

  • Sunday             Braised Pot Roast & Salt Potatoes
  • Monday            Portabella Mushroom Burgers & Sweet Potato Fries
  • Tuesday           Breakfast Night
  • Wednesday      Salmon Cakes (Yogurt Dipping Sauce) & Soy Green Beans      
  • Thursday         Lasagna & Salad
  • Friday              Take-out Night
  • Saturday          Smoked Pork Shoulder, Cole Slaw, Corn Casserole

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