Ok, so now that I have a kitched again and a baby on the way I need to learn how to not just be frugal but really cheap, a penny pinching, tightwad. I have clipped the coupons from Sunday's paper and have been told about a couple websites (coupons.com & savvyshopper.com) to find coupons from. I work at Smith's so I can get the ad for the week, and try to plan accordingly. But thats as far as I have gotten in the money saving, smart planning, menu making ways.
I need some help.
I would love some tips from all of you savvy shoppers and busy mom's or even just full time workers, I need to save time and cook at home but where do you find the time to do it? Let alone plan it out.
I wish I could to the neighborhood meal thing like the Hicken's but I don't have friends that live close enough by to make that work... So I am on my own...
Please any suggestions would be awesome!!!
(And Corrine - according to Hillary I need to go shopping and planning with you, she said you are the best around!)
3 comments:
I would definitely say let Corrine take you shopping. The other advice I would have is plan your weekly menu out so that you can get ingredients that can be used in more than one meal...like plan a few meals with chicken and buy a big bag of frozen chicken instead of a 1 lb pkg, or make a few meals with hamburger and buy a bigger pkg of it and split it up when you get home and freeze some of it. Two really good, but different chicken meals that both require Ritz crackers are Yogurt chicken and Poppy Seed chicken, they require some of the same ingredients, but they're different enough that you don't feel like you're having the same meal twice. (The recipes for both are on the recipe blog) Also, take advantage of left overs, alot of times we'll make a few extra pieces of chicken or whatever and then the next night we'll eat the leftovers-saves money, food and time.
Making a weekly menu is a HUGE help though, that way you know before you get home what you're going to make so you don't have to take extra time to figure it out.
It takes a lot of planning, but once you get into the habit you'll be great at it! Good luck!!!
I compare all of the ads to each other. I also go shopping on the first day of the sale or the night before (they sometimes set it up the nite before) and I combine coupons whenever possible. I map out my shopping before I go so I can make a circle that ends at my house. You can check out Channel 13 News at their website. They have a savvy shopper kinda thing on there and it tells you where to look for coupons. Best of Luck.
We love having a menu. If you aren't trying to figure out what to have when you are tired and hungry, it makes it easier not to eat out. We do a 2 week menu, with things that can last in the fridge or freezer for the 2nd week. We also have Breakfast for Dinner Fridays. I bet you can figure that out from the title. We allow one night out in the 2 weeks because something will always come up. Even if it is not on the planned night, we can adjust the menu. Buying in bulk helps, if you can keep food on hand, then it is easier not to go out. If you have a crock pot, use it! you can put it in the morning, then when you come home tired, it is ready to eat. Try new menu items, so you don't get bored. That is why I love the recipe blog. We plan our menu just before we go to the store, it doesn't take long. I am always happy to help with anything you need.
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