For the next three weeks, we're sharing a short series on budgeting. This week we're focusing on the kitchen. Some of these things I do, and others I don't, but they seem to work for my friends.
Budgeting: Kitchen Style
- Keep track of what things cost.
I'm in the process of starting a price spreadsheet to help me keep track of what prices are doing. I know that a lot of ladies shop at different stores to make sure that they get better prices, and a price book helps them to determine what to buy where.
- Shop sales and then buy two
I don't tend to do this. Some of my friends shop at different stores so that they can buy things on sale. That doesn't fit my life, and I tend to buy most things in the WM brand anyways. However, if something is on sale, buy more than one.
- Use coupons
I use some coupons, but there are some that rock with them. Again, I like to buy the WM brand of a number of things.
- Menu planning
This is big with me. I plan my menus a week at a time and then shop for them. Now I do keep a stock of side dishes and veggies. But the main dishes are planned out, as are special sides (like stuffing). One of the biggest helps with this is I'm able to plan my meals on what meat I can get cheaply. Also, if we are craving a meal that is "expensive" (that's in quotes cause my standard for expensive is anything but), I can plan cheaper meals for other days.
- Don't buy what you won't eat
Even if something is on sale, if your family won't eat it, it's wasted money. If we want to try something, we buy the smallest something that we can find. We try it and if we like it, we'll buy a bigger size or multiples of it.
I hope you'll join us next Friday for the next installment of our Budgeting series. I'll be sharing Budgeting: Heating Style.
Great tips, Michelle! I know this will sound strange to most people, but I don't do the shopping for our family, my husband does. For the past twenty years, we've had anywhere up to eight kids in our home. It was just more practical for me to stay home with the kids and Brian shop...and he's a great shopper. He always buys in quantity when there's a sale. Most of our shopping is done at one store, but when another has their case lot sale, he goes there and stocks up on things like cereal, canned goods and juice.
ReplyDeleteWe've never really gotten into using coupons, but I know some who are really good with this too.
I've also never planned meals ahead...that's crazy I know, with all these kids!
thanks for this. We are so tight this month and I really am trying hard to make the money stretch. Any and all ideas are welcome!
ReplyDeleteThese are good tips! Thanks for posting
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