Report: Shopping With Budget Lady Part 3

The Grocery Store: A

When I first got married I knew that this would be the biggest temptation. After being raised in a large family and then being a starving student…I just wanted to put what ever I felt like in the grocery cart and to fill it clear full without regard. I wanted everything from the “expensive snacks” to shaving gel. Now since I have had that I’ve been able to do that enough, it would be nice to think things through and spend the money I save on things that last. So here are some ideas:

1. Never Shop Hungry.
2. Make a list and stick with it. (But add a little in your budget for things you may have forgotten to put on it)
3. Meal Plan – get an idea of what your family likes to eat and plan for the month. This is great because not only does it help with the budget but no one likes to come up with something to eat at the last minute. It is so much easier to make it through the “Bewitching hour” when you have some ideas.
4. Make the most of your freezer – Freezer meals are the best. When you make dinner make extra. You usually make more than you need anyway. Make enough for two meals and then freeze the rest for later. To keep the best flavor, cool off quickly in the fridge then when it is completely cool add, put it in a freezer bag, let all the air out, seal and stick it in your freezer.
5. Bake your own bread products, tortillas, bagels, bread, dessert bread, pizza dough (pizza’s can be frozen too.) It is so less expensive.
6. Use less meat. Most family recipes call for a pound of beef or more. It can be cut down to 1/4 of a pound. You still get the same flavor and save a ton. And following the Word of Wisdom is a nice bonus. So if you get beef  for $2.50 a pound and you get you use that same pound to make four meals you end up only spending $0.62 cents a meal for the meat. That is a big difference.
7. Look for small veggies and fruits. So you can keep serving sizes small and lessen the waste. Plus you are paying by the pound so the cost is better distributed.
8. Buy what is in season and on sale. Beef was on sale and chicken was not so we only bought beef this trip and I will make all my freezer meals this time out of beef and buy in bulk when chicken goes on sale.

Grocery shopping now days is the easy part. Coming home and making sure I make the best use of what I bought is the hard part. So far I’ve frozen half the beef in 1/4 lb pieces for chili and spaghetti, then with the rest I made taco meat and froze that. Today we will be baking bread and making pizza’s for dinner tonight and for dinner next week. Next I will make some casseroles, eat one for dinner and freeze the rest.