Holiday Financials pt 2

Save your precious money through the holiday seasons with planning! Planning your baking, and meal menu will save your grocery budget.


As someone who has done this off and on, for many years...you will be amazed by how much this saves. I always encourage people to find their favorite recipes, a few new ones, and some quick "I don't feel like cooking" recipes too. For our household, our game plan: On a sheet a paper, I number each line to represent the number of days in the month. Then I go through recipes, meals that are tried and true, a few quick meal ideas, breakfast and lunch ideas, and even snacks/baking ideas. My paper ends up looking like a mess, but when I type up the final copy, it all makes sense. My page set up:
Meal # column(date) Breakfast Lunch Supper Snack
(EXAMPLE)
Dec. 1 Ceral - Left over from supper - pork chops, potatoes - peanut butter cake

Dec. 2 pancakes - pork chops - fried chicken, baked potatoes - left over snacks

Dec. 3 scrambled eggs - chicken salad - sloppy joes/tator tots - cookies

Dec. 4 muffins - taco salad with meat from last night-hot dogs/chips- left overs


As you can see, we use left overs from supper to cover the next days lunches, snacks made up every other day or two gives me a break from constant cooking, and quick meals mean less time to prepare/cook and less time I am in the kitchen.

Menu planning works well, so you can make a grocery list ahead of time. This save several trips to the store and will keep you from buying items you really don't need every trip. Using the example above for a grocery list:

ceral, pork chops, potatoes, peanut butter, flour, sugar, milk, pancake mix, chicken, eggs, mayo, bread, hamburger, buns, tator tots, manwhich, chocolate chips, cinnamon, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, salt, muffin mixes, lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, hot sauce, hot dogs, chips.

The key is to look at each recipe. Decide what you will need to fix each meal, each snack, etc. Make a list. I keep lists going monthly that I add to as I run out of something. I section mine off: Food, Supplies, Animals. That way I can keep track pretty easily.

When you go to the store, you will be better prepared to only purchase what is on your list. When I budget for groceries, I figure $100 per person, per month for food/supplies.

Now, looking to supplies. This is an area a little more tricky for me. We have pets, and I make most of my own soaps and cleaners. So, my list looks like this:

fels-naptha, washing soda, borax, dish soap, shampoo, body soap, vinegar, baking soda, epsom salts, razors, toliet paper, paper towels, cat litter, dog & cat treats, fish food, pullups, wipes, notebooks, sponges, deodorant, toothpaste, tooth brushes, vitamins, foil, wax paper, plastic wrap.

I also buy what I can in bulk. I always figure the cost per ounce on items for this. I buy flour, sugar, baking soda, epsom salts, and spices in bulk form. In my area, it is so much cheaper to purchase in bulk, and I can get my raw/organic products for less than the other stuff. Initially, learning quirky ways to save, and plan will be work. Once you get the hang of it though, it becomes not only frugal, but fun for the whole family to get involved. Since we are notorious label readers, and we home school, our grocery shopping trips become a huge learning experience for both kids. Not only do we read labels, the oldest keeps a running total of products(grocery math), the youngest is learning frugality early, and my husband and I have to set examples for the kids, by not splurging and following the list.

We are very fortunate to live in an area highly concentrated with Mennonite and Amish families. Each of them offer different stores that allow us to purchase the way they do. So, even if you do not have this convienence, still look into small/local owned groceries, and even consider places like Dollar General for a few items. Although many believe the mom and pop places charge more, check them out any way! Remember that money spent at these mom and pop places are supporting those families....not corporations!

There is a quick thought for your grocery budget!
~Salli~