1.) Disorganization=overspending. A written plan will guide your spending. If you don’t have a meal plan for at least one week you’re going to overspend.
2.) Go to the Grocery Store only on the weekends. I try to go to the store once every 2-3 weeks and only on the weekend. Really. I don’t own a car so when I go it’s a fairly involved process because I go to 3 different stores for different things. While time consuming it has kept my grocery costs low and the quality of my food high. For example: I purchase about 90% of my meat (chicken/steak) from Whole Foods. Whole Foods is expensive so I am eating a heck of a lot less meat than before. This is better for my health and and my wallet and the quality of the meat is really good. For chicken I purchase packets of chicken thighs/wings that cost between $2.75-$3.50. At this point I am eating meat just on the weekends as I am trying to eat a lot less meat in general. No, it’s not that hard. Just have to have a well thought out plan. Here is an example of a week’s menu:
Breakfast options: oatmeal, breakfast smoothie made with (almond milk, flax seed, banana, unsweetened chocolate powder and protein powder, apple with nut butter, or yogurt
Lunch options: Chana masala, soup of some kind, salad, pb&j, or left overs
Dinner: tacos, chicken and a salad, slow cooker meals, lamb and potatoes, giant salad
snacks-nuts and dried fruit, fresh fruit, crackers and nut butter
3.) Use cash-when I set up a cash envelope system it helped curb my spending
4.) Well Stocked Pantry is your best friend-I was able to stop going to the grocery store for so long because my pantry was so well stocked.
Spices, grains, seafood, meat, canned beans, canned tomatoes, canned coconut milk, and Better than Bouillon.
5.) Shopping when hungry-you always seem to buy a can of Spam or pork rinds when you’re hungry. Eat a light snack before shopping.
6.) Coupons– Extreme couponers are amazing but I just don’t have the time (or energy) to devote to finding all of those deals.
7.) Recipes are your friend! If you aren’t the best cook, no worries. Check out youtube and watch video tutorials. But, don’t feel like you can’t change the recipe. The video above called for fresh herbs. If you didn’t have any what would you do? Use dried herbs that are already in your pantry. They don’t even have to be the same as what they were using in the recipe. They have to be to your taste, because you’re the one eating the food.
8.)Slow Cooker-buy one! The night before throw in an piece of inexpensive meat , chop up onions, potatoes, carrots, some garlic, throw in some herbs, a tsp of better than bouillon and some water. Put it in the fridge. Take it out turn it on come home to some fresh cooked delicious food. Life is good.
9.) Check your pantry-Before you go to the store make sure you check your larder. You want to avoid purchasing the same items.
Latest posts by Michelle (see all)
- How Work Policies Against Black Women Birthed a Love of the Soft Life - 20 March, 2024
- How Taylor Swift’s IP Victory Could Change the Business of Music - 28 February, 2024
- Why Don’t More Personal Finance Content Creators Talk About Policy - 16 January, 2024
Leave a Reply