One of my money saving strategies is planning and posting a weekly menu. I build my grocery list from it and hang it on the fridge so that everyone knows what the plan is. When we deviate from it - and trust me we do sometimes - we know that we are choosing an alternative to the perfectly good prepaid option in front of us. I use my grocery store's sale flier to choose good values and spend coupons when I can. It really helps beat the temptation to overspend and overindulge. I am a lot more likely to hit a drive through or call for pizza if I don't have a plan or the energy to make one. Of course, the menu is a tool - your tool - not a prison. If you just don't feel like meatloaf and you want to switch Tuesday's meal for Thursday's - go for it. If you have a craving for pizza on a Friday night and you choose to reschedule Friday's dinner to Sunday - feel free. You have my permission to use your planned menu as a help and not a hindrance for your family. You also have my permission to use it as an excuse. "No Caleb, we are not going to Chick Fil A for supper. We have spaghetti on our menu tonight." is a lot nicer to hear and say than, "We can't afford...I don't want..."etc.
A note about coupons: spend them (not use them) the way you would spend money. The coupon is not of value to your family if the item purchased with it is not cheaper than a similar item at another store would be without it. It is also not valuable if the product purchased with it does not benefit your family by being nutritious or practical. The goal of coupon creators is to market to your family. If you don't enjoy and approve of their product, if it doesn't fit into your lifestyle - don't buy it. I don't care how cheap the name brand, frozen, convenience packaged, preservative filled item is just this once - it's probably not cheaper than the ingredients in your pantry that you would use to make it and you are not helping to set your family's expectations where you want them if you put things on your table that you wouldn't want to see there on a regular basis.
Okay, all of that said I am now going to post my family's menu for this week. My husband and son eat lunch away from home so sometimes I don't list a meal in the middle of the day. Addie and I usually eat leftovers and Tracy and Caleb usually eat sandwiches. Enjoy!!
A note about coupons: spend them (not use them) the way you would spend money. The coupon is not of value to your family if the item purchased with it is not cheaper than a similar item at another store would be without it. It is also not valuable if the product purchased with it does not benefit your family by being nutritious or practical. The goal of coupon creators is to market to your family. If you don't enjoy and approve of their product, if it doesn't fit into your lifestyle - don't buy it. I don't care how cheap the name brand, frozen, convenience packaged, preservative filled item is just this once - it's probably not cheaper than the ingredients in your pantry that you would use to make it and you are not helping to set your family's expectations where you want them if you put things on your table that you wouldn't want to see there on a regular basis.
Okay, all of that said I am now going to post my family's menu for this week. My husband and son eat lunch away from home so sometimes I don't list a meal in the middle of the day. Addie and I usually eat leftovers and Tracy and Caleb usually eat sandwiches. Enjoy!!
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