Start Saving from Scratch – Part 2 of 6

November 8, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Going back to the drawing board provides a fresh start saving from scratch. Beginning with the basics and then working up allows the process to stay manageable. When the foundation crumbles, then one needs to start over.

In starting over, I took last week’s challenge and organized my food supply. This time around, the pantry took longer although I did not defrost my freezer. I stayed inside as much as possible this week with the drop in temperature.

In continuing this series with an organized pantry, freezer, and refrigerator, I move onto creating a menu.

Part 2: Creating a Menu

In discovering a menu plan, I have used a weekly and monthly plan. Though I no longer plan the full month in advance, I prefer to schedule our meals a week in advance on a monthly menu planner. I like the calendar in the kitchen and a place to add meals as I get inspiration.

1. Choose Meals

With my pantry, freezer, and refrigerator organized, I can “shop” from my food supply to create meals that I have in stock.

2. Assign Meals

Once I have a meal decided, I assign that meal to a day on my menu planner.

Sample Menu Plan

Sunday:

B – Egg sandwiches with fruit cups

L – Roast beef in crock pot, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and bread

D – Pancakes and bacon

Monday:

B – Cereal and fruit

L – Pizza at school

D – Baked chicken, rice, and vegetables

3. Partial Meals

After assigning the meals I can make with the ingredients at home, I might have a few days left on my planner for the week. I continue to see what parts of meals I have in my food supply. For example, to make open-faced pork chop sandwiches I might have the pork chops, cream of chicken, and milk, but I lack the hamburger buns.

For these partial meals, I add the meal to my menu planner on a day after I plan to grocery shop. I then add the remaining items needed, in this case the hamburger buns, to my weekly grocery list. I then plan hamburgers or chicken patties for another meal to use the leftover hamburger buns before they spoil.

In using time wisely to prepare for the week and to save money on food items, I use what we have at home and then write down the missing items on my grocery list for pickup during the week.

Shopping your food supply may only generate a meal or two, at first. But as you build your stockpile, you will find more and more meals in your food supply. Start where you are and work from there, and the savings will come. Happy menu planning!

Question: What type of menu planner do you prefer?

Rock Bottom Pricing: Defined and Discovered

April 21, 2011 by Tracy

Last week, while defining and explaining how to stockpile, I mentioned the term “rock bottom prices.” For example: “My rock bottom price for marinades is $.75 or less.” This means that, for me, $.75 is a low price for a marinade. If I can purchase a marinade for $.75 or less, I will stock up on marinades since I probably won’t find a lower price.

DISCOVERING MY ROCK BOTTOM PRICE

You can make this process as simple or as complex as you need to save money. I love to save money, but I also love to spend time with my family. If my budget has some wiggle room, then I might purchase a marinade on sale for $1 which is a good deal. But when my budget is tight, I will spend more time working the sales and seeking the rock bottom price for some of the extras, like a marinade. Overall, I have a simple organizational system, but you can save more by using your time gathering the information.

Simple Version: Shop the sales at 2-3 grocery stores in your area. Then supplement those purchases with items bought at the least expensive grocery store in your area. You can then compare what you pay at all the stores to find the best savings.

The least expensive grocery store in my area is Aldi. I use their cost per unit as my rock bottom price. I keep my receipts and refer to them when I need to compare deals. For example, the price of sugar at my Aldi is $2.39 for a 5 lb. bag. While at Sam’s Club today, I priced the 10 lb. bag of sugar at $5.95. After a little math, purchasing 2 – 5 lb. bags at Aldi for $4.78 is less expensive than the same weight at Sam’s Club. Having done the comparison, I chose the better deal. I picked up 2 sugars from Aldi while I was there shopping.

Maximum Savings Version: Use a pricing book, which is a journal or notebook that lists the prices you pay for items. When a sale comes along and you snag a great deal, update the pricing list with the lowest price you paid for that item. If you have the time and energy to keep up a pricing book, then do so. This system is more complex and more time-consuming, but you will see deeper savings to your budget.

Whether you choose a simple system or the maximum savings version, you need to have a price list from which to work. Next week, I will use the simple version and walk you through creating your rock bottom price list.

Do you use an organizational system, like a pricing list, to help you compare, have a general idea within $1 or $2, or really don’t care as long as the item is on sale? I’d love to hear how you save money and time as you gather items to feed your family.

Stockpile: Pasta and Vegetables

April 14, 2011 by Tracy

The term “stockpile” refers to items that have been purchased at rock bottom prices prior to needing the item. Some people use their garage, pantry, and linen closets to house their stockpile. I have a few places where my stockpile resides: pantry, outside freezer, garage, under the sink in the Master bathroom, and the Master bathroom linen closet. I keep food in the pantry, outside freezer, and the garage; and I place the toiletry and personal items under the sinks and in the linen closet of my Master bathroom. When I arrive home from shopping, I have a designated place to put my free to really inexpensive items that we will be using in the future.

When I find a great deal on items we need, I buy ahead and place those items in one of the locations of my stockpile. For example, on Monday I shopped at Publix. (These sales prices ended on Tuesday and are no longer available. This breakdown is an example of using the sales to add to my stockpile.)

Here’s what I purchased:

4 boxes of Mueller’s Pasta – on sale buy one get one free or $.69 each. I used 2 coupons for $1 off 2 boxes which made them $.19 each. I consider $.25 or less a rock bottom price for pasta.

1 bottle Ken’s Steak House marinade (16 oz.) – on sale buy one get one free or $1.49 each. I used $1 off coupon from newspaper which brought the cost to $.49. With grilling season around the corner, this teriyaki marinade on chicken is a family favorite. My rock bottom price for marinades is $.75 or less. If I had had more coupons, I would have purchase more.

6 bags of Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers – on sale buy one get one free or $1.19 each. I used 2 coupons for $1 off 2 bags which made 4 of the bags $.69 each. I also used 2 coupons for $.50 off one bag. Since this coupon doubled, I was able to get 2 bags for $.19 each. My goal is to purchase frozen vegetables for less than $1 per bag. This sale pairs with the coupons reached my rock bottom price.

2 containers of Friendship Sour Cream – on sale for $1.25 each. I used 2 coupons for $.55 each off which doubled. My final cost was $.70 each. My rock bottom price is $.99 for sour cream.

My total for these 13 items came to $5.57. I saved $20.69 with sales and coupons which was a savings of 79%. After celebrating my savings, I placed the pasta and marinade in my pantry, the sour cream in the refrigerator, and the frozen vegetables in my outside freezer. As I plan my menu, I now have an assortment of pasta and vegetables from which to choose as I feed my family.

Unlike some, my stockpile will not feed my family for 2 years. Since the sales typically run in a 6-week rotation, I can purchase at rock bottom prices enough items to last me the next 6 weeks. I will usually purchase only as many items for which I have coupons to get that rock bottom price. Since I am willing to wait for a sale, I will be patient and not make my broccoli and cheese soup until the half and half and cheese goes on sale.

You can stockpile even if you don’t have a lot of space. Just purchasing one extra item at a rock bottom price will be a savings to your grocery budget. Start small as you find a system that works for you!

Next week, I will explain more about rock bottom prices, and how I determine that price for my family.

Feeding my Family

February 17, 2011 by Tracy

Thursday mornings are my low point of the week. I just battle getting up and going. Since I know this time is difficult for me, I do not plan activities or appointments on Thursdays instead I try to stay at home. If nothing else gets accomplished on Thursday morning, my 12-month old gets to nap in her crib.

Having a morning at home really helps to get some basic cleaning done. I spent a little less than an hour this morning picking up the downstairs, vacuuming the floor, cleaning up the breakfast dishes, and preparing for dinner tonight. By having my dinner planned, I am bypassing the 4 o’clock anxiety I get when I have no idea what to make for dinner. I work hard to keep my menu planning up-to-date, but life does happen. There are days when I hit that wall of “what do I do for dinner?” That’s when I turn to my stockpile and put together a meal to feed my family.

What’s a stockpile? Well, come back on Thursdays as I share my food tips including menu planning, grocery shopping, couponing, stockpiling, recipes, and more.