Is it just me or is Valentines the most ridiculous day. Flowers? Jewelry? Who thinks of these things as romantic?
I can tell you anymore married more than two seconds and with kids can tell you, the most romantic thing a man can do…
Dishes. Laundry. Mop the floor (this one is down right orgasmic for moms). I promise if I was married to a man that only showed it one day a year, I would have bigger problems.
Valentines day for kids? My kids know I love them, I show it and tell them everyday. All that happens if they have a party at school for Valentines is they make crap that you feel obligated to keep, and eat sugar that makes them act miserable after school.
How all this helps love is beyond me, I vote we just start a new tradition of Valentine’s Day chips, salsa and margaritas. Now that’s love!!!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Grocery Shopping to Save
Grocery Shopping to Save
We believe in the pantry principle. It takes time to get there but the idea is that you buy what is on sale at a great buy, and then have enough till the next sale. Example: If I can get pasta sauce for 25 cents a can with sale plus coupon I buy 20 and that will last 6 months till the next sale. Today I bought 37 peanut butters since after savings they were 89 cents a can. We use 1 a week or so that’s a good deal for us. My husband loves the morning star products but they are $3.50 a box and I find that expensive though he insists we has them. Recently there was a sale plus I used coupons and bought him 75 boxes at 66 cents each. GREAT savings.
The pantry principle is the idea that eventually you could buy most things when they are on sale and avoid full price on many items. Yes, there are many items I buy not on sale or a deal but they are low cost and practical and well thought out. Also I compare if the generic is better than a sale and get that.
My golden shopping rule: STOP GOING SO MUCH!!
It amazes me how many people shop 3-4 times a week? What could anyone need that often? We go once a week. Now its Thurday am but when the kids were little it was one night a week after they were in bed and my husband was home with them. The only time I go more than once or to more than one store is if I am near it and the ad was great. For example, there is a store next to my sons orthodontist that is expensive but often has great loss leaders or marked down stuff. So the once a month we are there I drop him, go to the store, than get him. No additional driving or cost of gas. I find many great buys that way but it only pays if you are already there. They are also the store that doubles coupons so when I clip them I keep a spot of coupons for that store that will make items really cheap or near free after they double.
Fresh items: When I shop ONCE a week I buy tons of fruits and veggies, eggs and bread. I buy what is in season and on sale, that’s what we eat. We use the fresh fruits and veggies in the first few days after I shop, sometimes in order of how well they will keep. Bananas right away while apples last all week no problem. I wash and spin the lettuce so it lasts all week. I do keep canned fruit such as mandarin oranges and pineapple in stock and also frozen veggies for if we run out.
Most people will run to the store for those few items they have run out of and spend 50 or 100 dollars. I find that if I stay away I can use what we have and have less waste. We have never gone hungry or without good nutritious meals by me waiting to shop for a day. Out of bread? Than sandwiches are on crackers, etc etc etc. You get the idea. There is always something that can be made. Not always your first choice but it sure beats blowing extra money at the store.
We believe in the pantry principle. It takes time to get there but the idea is that you buy what is on sale at a great buy, and then have enough till the next sale. Example: If I can get pasta sauce for 25 cents a can with sale plus coupon I buy 20 and that will last 6 months till the next sale. Today I bought 37 peanut butters since after savings they were 89 cents a can. We use 1 a week or so that’s a good deal for us. My husband loves the morning star products but they are $3.50 a box and I find that expensive though he insists we has them. Recently there was a sale plus I used coupons and bought him 75 boxes at 66 cents each. GREAT savings.
The pantry principle is the idea that eventually you could buy most things when they are on sale and avoid full price on many items. Yes, there are many items I buy not on sale or a deal but they are low cost and practical and well thought out. Also I compare if the generic is better than a sale and get that.
My golden shopping rule: STOP GOING SO MUCH!!
It amazes me how many people shop 3-4 times a week? What could anyone need that often? We go once a week. Now its Thurday am but when the kids were little it was one night a week after they were in bed and my husband was home with them. The only time I go more than once or to more than one store is if I am near it and the ad was great. For example, there is a store next to my sons orthodontist that is expensive but often has great loss leaders or marked down stuff. So the once a month we are there I drop him, go to the store, than get him. No additional driving or cost of gas. I find many great buys that way but it only pays if you are already there. They are also the store that doubles coupons so when I clip them I keep a spot of coupons for that store that will make items really cheap or near free after they double.
Fresh items: When I shop ONCE a week I buy tons of fruits and veggies, eggs and bread. I buy what is in season and on sale, that’s what we eat. We use the fresh fruits and veggies in the first few days after I shop, sometimes in order of how well they will keep. Bananas right away while apples last all week no problem. I wash and spin the lettuce so it lasts all week. I do keep canned fruit such as mandarin oranges and pineapple in stock and also frozen veggies for if we run out.
Most people will run to the store for those few items they have run out of and spend 50 or 100 dollars. I find that if I stay away I can use what we have and have less waste. We have never gone hungry or without good nutritious meals by me waiting to shop for a day. Out of bread? Than sandwiches are on crackers, etc etc etc. You get the idea. There is always something that can be made. Not always your first choice but it sure beats blowing extra money at the store.
Saving on Groceries
Yes yes, this topic has been done to death, I know. But bear with me, please.We have a family of 6, all big eaters. All the kids play sports plus we pack school lunches, so on any given day they out eat us.
We spend $400 a month for the 6 of us. That includes all food, health and beauty items, household items, and pet food.
Ok…there is one key to my grocery budget: PLANNING
It is ALL about the planning. Sunday night is leftovers and we eat all the left over’s from the week. Sound bad? The kids love it! I make a buffet, make salad or veggies or whatever is needed, maybe some homemade bread. The rest is all the left over’s from the week and they get to make their plates as they want them. I save all leftover (from pan not from plates). Even a few bites left in a pan makes a nice side for one person on leftover night. It is also nice by the end of the weekend to not have to think about dinner or really even cook when I am already looking at all we have to do on Monday.
At that Sunday dinner I make a menu for the week. I do just breakfast and dinner but some people do all meals including snacks and even late night snacks for teens that like to eat after dinner one more time. I look at what we have and plan meals based on that. The kids also put in requests and I try to do what I can with their input. We even set a night that my 14 year old cooks, with my help a little but he likes planning that night. We then know each day what we are eating and the 5pm dinner panic doesn’t happen.
This also allows you to do things the night before. Example: If you are having pasta the next night and want garlic bread with it, that night as you are doing the dinner dishes you throw the bread in the bread maker. Then run it so its run during a time of day that the house isn’t as hot and electric costs are cheaper. Then its done for dinner the next night. You can also take 5 minutes in the am to pull out what you may need for that night such as items to thaw, etc. If you are at work and kids are home and old enough to help then they can do things like wash lettuce, make bread or defrost things for you before you get home. Easy to know what to what to pull out when the menu is made in advance.
We do not throw away food. Plain and simple. If there are 2 bites of veggies left in a pan no one will eat then they go into a glass jar I have frozen in the freezer. When its full of scraps like that we make a soup. I consider that free soup since that last spoon full would have been trashed or eaten by someone already full that didn’t really want or need it.
As far as snacks, we buy the snack foods we like such a pretzels in large bags and the kids make individual servings of each in plastic containers we have saved from yogurt that have lids. Then when we need to grab and go we can without the cost of individual snack items. Must less trash and waste also since we re-use all the containers. I also keep re-usable bottles in the fridge for each kid so we can grab and go and not be tempted to buy when we are out and we won’t use disposable water bottles. I also make frozen juice and put it in those so its like taking a juice box but reusable and much cheaper. I even make homemade “snack mix” (like chex mix) out of the last handful of chips or nuts, etc in the bag. Many would throw away, I add it to snack mix and the kids like that as a mid day snack. A cheap but great snack is also air popped popcorn. I add nuts and raisins and it’s a healthy and cheap snack. I know I talk a lot about snacks but I find that’s where a lot of peoples money goes down the drain.
I will ramble more on this topic later, as discuss making things homemade and is it really cost effective.
We spend $400 a month for the 6 of us. That includes all food, health and beauty items, household items, and pet food.
Ok…there is one key to my grocery budget: PLANNING
It is ALL about the planning. Sunday night is leftovers and we eat all the left over’s from the week. Sound bad? The kids love it! I make a buffet, make salad or veggies or whatever is needed, maybe some homemade bread. The rest is all the left over’s from the week and they get to make their plates as they want them. I save all leftover (from pan not from plates). Even a few bites left in a pan makes a nice side for one person on leftover night. It is also nice by the end of the weekend to not have to think about dinner or really even cook when I am already looking at all we have to do on Monday.
At that Sunday dinner I make a menu for the week. I do just breakfast and dinner but some people do all meals including snacks and even late night snacks for teens that like to eat after dinner one more time. I look at what we have and plan meals based on that. The kids also put in requests and I try to do what I can with their input. We even set a night that my 14 year old cooks, with my help a little but he likes planning that night. We then know each day what we are eating and the 5pm dinner panic doesn’t happen.
This also allows you to do things the night before. Example: If you are having pasta the next night and want garlic bread with it, that night as you are doing the dinner dishes you throw the bread in the bread maker. Then run it so its run during a time of day that the house isn’t as hot and electric costs are cheaper. Then its done for dinner the next night. You can also take 5 minutes in the am to pull out what you may need for that night such as items to thaw, etc. If you are at work and kids are home and old enough to help then they can do things like wash lettuce, make bread or defrost things for you before you get home. Easy to know what to what to pull out when the menu is made in advance.
We do not throw away food. Plain and simple. If there are 2 bites of veggies left in a pan no one will eat then they go into a glass jar I have frozen in the freezer. When its full of scraps like that we make a soup. I consider that free soup since that last spoon full would have been trashed or eaten by someone already full that didn’t really want or need it.
As far as snacks, we buy the snack foods we like such a pretzels in large bags and the kids make individual servings of each in plastic containers we have saved from yogurt that have lids. Then when we need to grab and go we can without the cost of individual snack items. Must less trash and waste also since we re-use all the containers. I also keep re-usable bottles in the fridge for each kid so we can grab and go and not be tempted to buy when we are out and we won’t use disposable water bottles. I also make frozen juice and put it in those so its like taking a juice box but reusable and much cheaper. I even make homemade “snack mix” (like chex mix) out of the last handful of chips or nuts, etc in the bag. Many would throw away, I add it to snack mix and the kids like that as a mid day snack. A cheap but great snack is also air popped popcorn. I add nuts and raisins and it’s a healthy and cheap snack. I know I talk a lot about snacks but I find that’s where a lot of peoples money goes down the drain.
I will ramble more on this topic later, as discuss making things homemade and is it really cost effective.
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