I haven't done a menu planning Monday post in several weeks, but since Maggie wondered "how I do it", I thought I'd share my secret.
First, the biggest key is to plan your menu. Must happen!!
Next is to make a real grocery list and stick to it when you go shopping.
I try to plan the menu around at least one dinner that we have stuff at home already for - or at least most of the stuff needed. So stocking up when there's a good deal is key. We still eat out at least one night a week, but we've been using coupons or we share a meal - especially at Mexican.
I also do the majority of my grocery shopping at Marc's. Definitely for my produce - and I do buy fresh fruit and vegetables every week. My local farmer's market is open now I've noticed, so I think next week I'll hit that first. I go to multiple stores to get what's the best deal, and fortunately for me, all of the places I go to are in one giant circle, so I really don't go out of my way for any one store. (I go to CVS, Walgreens, BJ's, Marc's, Giant Eagle and Walmart). Sounds like a lot of running around, but really, I only drive a total of about 10 miles round trip. (my BJ's, Marc's and Giant Eagle are in the same plaza and I drive right past CVS on my way there and past Walgreens & Walmart on my way home)
I clip as many coupons as I can, but I only clip for things I really use. Once in a while I may try a new brand of something, but I generally don't sway a lot from my normal preferences.
Then the thing I've been doing lately that I haven't done before is scour the Sunday ads to see who has what on sale. So I guess the big key to these last two items is that you have to get the Sunday paper.
So this week's menu is this:
Sunday - We ate out at Gran Fiesta and shared fajitas and with drinks, our bill was only $23!
Monday - Chicken Helper (I bought 10 for 10 "Helpers" last week at GE and used 3 coupons totalling $3 off and it generated a $3 off next shopping trip coupon) I had frozen chicken breasts already at home.
Tuesday - Pierogies - bought a box of Mrs. T's this week, but had a coupon.
Wednesday - Fish Fillets - Have a bag of them in the freezer that I got from BJ's a month or so ago.
Thursday - Kilbosa - I bought it this week
Friday - Pizza, we'll either have a frozen one that I have already or use a coupon to order one - depends on our mood!!
Saturday - we'll go to our city's Homecoming Fair - junk food and Hannah's first try at carnival rides!!!
I have gotten a lot of great tips from http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ (I have the link on the side of my blog called savings tips too). The whole CVS thing is thanks to her!
This week's shopping, I got milk & giant box of triscuits at BJ's - milk is only $2.75/gallon (up from $2.50 that it had been). I had a coupon for $1.50 off the triscuits. Spent only $11.
Next was Marc's. I got most of my groceries, although this week was a light trip, used several coupons and spent $26
Next was Giant Eagle. I got strawberries, blueberries, sour cream and spagetti. Used my $3 off coupon from last week and spent only $7
Next stopped at Walgreens. Bought 3 renuzit air fresheners, had instore coupon to make them $0.79/ea and had a mfg coupon as well to combine. I picked up 2 bottles of bubbles for Hannah - not on the list, but only spent $3.50 at Walgreens!!
Last I went to Walmart and got q-tips, jar of prego, Jergens lotion ($1 coupon) and Hannah some underwear and only spent $11.
Total $59 spent for the entire week!
When you add up the coupon savings and the sale savings shown on the receipts, I saved over $15!! So I really got about $75 worth of stuff.
I'm hitting Rite Aid for Buy1 Get1 cereal later this week - that's the only store that isn't in my circle. My nearest store is only about 4 miles away, but it's in the opposite direction, but I do pass it each week day on the way home from picking up Hannah. I may also run into CVS. Savingsmom.com had a coupon for $3 off 2 Sally Hansen nail polish that are on sale for 0.99 this week, so I actually "make a dollar" to buy that - really, you don't get a dollar back, but it can act like another dollar off something else I may really need!! I also have some extra bucks that I can spend.
So you see, it's easy - you need to do a lot of planning and then LOOK for the sales and deals and before you know it, you feed your family, have all the other stuff you need and can spend just a small amount of money. Gone are the days where I buy everything I need from the general supermarket (Giant Eagle). The time I spend out shopping is sort of "my thing to do" each week, but really, I'm generally only gone for about 2 hours during Hannah's nap time on Sunday's.
So maybe this post was a complete bore to you, but maybe you got a few tips! Regardless, saving money is honestly FUN for me these days and the challenge to buy as much as I can for as little as I can is quite entertaining!!! Yeah, I know - I need to get a life, but I love the one I have!!!!
First, the biggest key is to plan your menu. Must happen!!
Next is to make a real grocery list and stick to it when you go shopping.
I try to plan the menu around at least one dinner that we have stuff at home already for - or at least most of the stuff needed. So stocking up when there's a good deal is key. We still eat out at least one night a week, but we've been using coupons or we share a meal - especially at Mexican.
I also do the majority of my grocery shopping at Marc's. Definitely for my produce - and I do buy fresh fruit and vegetables every week. My local farmer's market is open now I've noticed, so I think next week I'll hit that first. I go to multiple stores to get what's the best deal, and fortunately for me, all of the places I go to are in one giant circle, so I really don't go out of my way for any one store. (I go to CVS, Walgreens, BJ's, Marc's, Giant Eagle and Walmart). Sounds like a lot of running around, but really, I only drive a total of about 10 miles round trip. (my BJ's, Marc's and Giant Eagle are in the same plaza and I drive right past CVS on my way there and past Walgreens & Walmart on my way home)
I clip as many coupons as I can, but I only clip for things I really use. Once in a while I may try a new brand of something, but I generally don't sway a lot from my normal preferences.
Then the thing I've been doing lately that I haven't done before is scour the Sunday ads to see who has what on sale. So I guess the big key to these last two items is that you have to get the Sunday paper.
So this week's menu is this:
Sunday - We ate out at Gran Fiesta and shared fajitas and with drinks, our bill was only $23!
Monday - Chicken Helper (I bought 10 for 10 "Helpers" last week at GE and used 3 coupons totalling $3 off and it generated a $3 off next shopping trip coupon) I had frozen chicken breasts already at home.
Tuesday - Pierogies - bought a box of Mrs. T's this week, but had a coupon.
Wednesday - Fish Fillets - Have a bag of them in the freezer that I got from BJ's a month or so ago.
Thursday - Kilbosa - I bought it this week
Friday - Pizza, we'll either have a frozen one that I have already or use a coupon to order one - depends on our mood!!
Saturday - we'll go to our city's Homecoming Fair - junk food and Hannah's first try at carnival rides!!!
I have gotten a lot of great tips from http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ (I have the link on the side of my blog called savings tips too). The whole CVS thing is thanks to her!
This week's shopping, I got milk & giant box of triscuits at BJ's - milk is only $2.75/gallon (up from $2.50 that it had been). I had a coupon for $1.50 off the triscuits. Spent only $11.
Next was Marc's. I got most of my groceries, although this week was a light trip, used several coupons and spent $26
Next was Giant Eagle. I got strawberries, blueberries, sour cream and spagetti. Used my $3 off coupon from last week and spent only $7
Next stopped at Walgreens. Bought 3 renuzit air fresheners, had instore coupon to make them $0.79/ea and had a mfg coupon as well to combine. I picked up 2 bottles of bubbles for Hannah - not on the list, but only spent $3.50 at Walgreens!!
Last I went to Walmart and got q-tips, jar of prego, Jergens lotion ($1 coupon) and Hannah some underwear and only spent $11.
Total $59 spent for the entire week!
When you add up the coupon savings and the sale savings shown on the receipts, I saved over $15!! So I really got about $75 worth of stuff.
I'm hitting Rite Aid for Buy1 Get1 cereal later this week - that's the only store that isn't in my circle. My nearest store is only about 4 miles away, but it's in the opposite direction, but I do pass it each week day on the way home from picking up Hannah. I may also run into CVS. Savingsmom.com had a coupon for $3 off 2 Sally Hansen nail polish that are on sale for 0.99 this week, so I actually "make a dollar" to buy that - really, you don't get a dollar back, but it can act like another dollar off something else I may really need!! I also have some extra bucks that I can spend.
So you see, it's easy - you need to do a lot of planning and then LOOK for the sales and deals and before you know it, you feed your family, have all the other stuff you need and can spend just a small amount of money. Gone are the days where I buy everything I need from the general supermarket (Giant Eagle). The time I spend out shopping is sort of "my thing to do" each week, but really, I'm generally only gone for about 2 hours during Hannah's nap time on Sunday's.
So maybe this post was a complete bore to you, but maybe you got a few tips! Regardless, saving money is honestly FUN for me these days and the challenge to buy as much as I can for as little as I can is quite entertaining!!! Yeah, I know - I need to get a life, but I love the one I have!!!!
2 comments:
Wow, you really did answer that questions! Amazing. Yeah, it sounds like a lot of planning...and you've always been a good planner....um....wonder what one thing I could try next week is....?
Waaay impressed with all your shopping around! I'm trying to plan our meals but I'll do well one week and then stink the next two. :)
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