Strategy for saving

These days I only have about $300 a month to spend on groceries between me and Kevin. That breaks down to about $75 a week, but often - when it's a non-pay-week, we only have about $40 to spend. Needless to say, grocery shopping takes a lot of strategy.

I'm getting pretty at it, though - I only spent $25 on groceries this week!

First, I have a list of monthly staples that I buy the first of each month. This includes things like flour, sugar, yeast, pancake mix, oatmeal, cream of wheat, pasta, beans, etc. Because it involves a lot of packaged items, this monthly trip also involves a lot of coupons. Target is great for this because they have their own coupons and they honor manufacturer's coupons. A really good deal will involve two coupons and it happens a lot!

Since March's bulk shopping was $100, that leaves me with about $40 a week for the weekly necessities. I shop every weekend because I eat so many fresh foods. I can't stand to throw food away so shopping each week is important.

Each Friday or Saturday morning, I take the week's grocery ads (I receive ads from all the nearby grocery stores in Wednesday's mail) and look for trends in sales. If chicken breasts are on sale, I take note. Same for various fruits, veggies, etc. Then, I grab my cook books and settle in for a planning session.

I write down each day and plan lunch and dinner. Often lunch involves leftovers, but not always. Obviously, this is part of my calorie planning for the day as well. If I plan a dinner that is heavier in calories (like pasta), then I know to go light for lunch that day and lighter for the next day's dinner.

I look at the weather forecast for the next week (seriously) in case the weather will likely spark a craving. If it's going to snow, I plan for chili. If it's going to be warm and pretty I plan for grilling. This is pretty important, to be honest, because if the plan isn't fun it's not worth it and you won't stick to it. Also, if I will be menstruating that week, I make sure to buy foods that will help make that less painful (fodder for a another blog soon!). I also take the contents of my pantry in it's current state into consideration.

Then, I make a grocery list based on the week's meals. Once I have my list, I search for coupons and map out which grocery store has the best deals for what I need. I'm not crazy enough (yet) to go to fifteen different stores, but I am willing to hit up two if that will mean big savings. Usually weekly shopping involves the local discount grocery store and the main store. But at the beginning of the month, Target gets added, too.

I spent two hours Friday morning planning meals for the next two weeks.  There happen to be a lot of black eyed peas in my freezer, so I decided to use those on Meatless Monday (black eyed pea chili = yum!).  Also, since Mardi Gras is this week, I planned something special for that dinner (red beans and rice!). A lot of my meals involve beans. They are a cheap protein I can buy in bulk during a larger-budget week and they last a long time.

Sure, it takes time and is a little OCD, but I have been able to cut my grocery expenses in half. I live mostly on borrowed money so the more I save now - the less I'll have to pay back later!