How often do you go grocery shopping? Would you believe me if I said I only grocery shop once a month? Seriously, I do. If you want to see what one month of grocery shopping looks like, click here. I know this way would not work for everyone but it works for us. I have found that shopping once a month saves me not only time but also money. I make out a list (yes, it is usually 3 pages long) and I stick to my list almost to the "t".
How do I do this? Easy. I have a weekly breakfast and supper menu and we pretty much stick to it. For example:
Breakfasts:
Sunday: French Toast Casserole
Monday: Pumpkin pie in a bowl or Homemade instant oatmeal
Tuesday: Sausage & egg casserole
Wednesday: Apple Muffins (two times a month) and the other two times is Biscuits & Gravy
Thursday: Pumpkin pie in a bowl
Friday: Sausage & egg casserole
Saturday: Pancakes or waffles & sausage
Lunches:
Sandwiches or left-overs and homemade TV Dinners (fend for yourself, basically)
Supper:
Sunday: Roast (two times a month) and Rotisserie chicken (two times a month)
Monday: Enchiladas & mexican rice
Tuesday: Chicken fried rice
Wednesday: Spaghetti & garlic bread
Thursday: Mexican pie, Mexican Lasagna or Taco Pasta
Friday: Pizza & salad
Saturday: Tater Tot casserole
The "Pumpkin pie in a bowl" I make up just once a week. I make up enough for Monday & Thursday and for snacks in between. It is very filling and very nutritious.. Same thing for the "sausage and egg casserole".
The majority of the things I make is homemade and made from scratch so it is very economical. My meals usually cost under $1.00 a person to make. The only really expensive meal is our Sunday supper but I like to treat my family at least one day a week. The biscuits, our bread, tortillas, even the pizza dough I make. Same for sauces--all homemade.
By having the same menu, I know exactly how much of each staple and food item I will need for a month. I also know the approximate cost. That way if I find something on sale, that allows me a little extra "cash" to play with. Or in other words, I might buy some potato chips or ice cream as a treat for the family. Or a soda pop. No, we do not usually drink "pop" in our home. Our kids drink kool-aid, milk or water. Even our teenager. No complaints. :-)
Well, I explained why we do not need to buy bread during the month. Because I make my own bread. But even when we did not make our own bread, we just bought enough for a month and froze the rest. Same for milk. I buy powdered milk and we use it in all recipes and cooking. The 2% milk we buy we use for drinking. We buy enough for the month and freeze it and pull it out when I need it.
I find that only going to the store once a month, I save money by not impulse buying everytime I go to the store, etc. So, how often do you shop?
How do I do this? Easy. I have a weekly breakfast and supper menu and we pretty much stick to it. For example:
Breakfasts:
Sunday: French Toast Casserole
Monday: Pumpkin pie in a bowl or Homemade instant oatmeal
Tuesday: Sausage & egg casserole
Wednesday: Apple Muffins (two times a month) and the other two times is Biscuits & Gravy
Thursday: Pumpkin pie in a bowl
Friday: Sausage & egg casserole
Saturday: Pancakes or waffles & sausage
Lunches:
Sandwiches or left-overs and homemade TV Dinners (fend for yourself, basically)
Supper:
Sunday: Roast (two times a month) and Rotisserie chicken (two times a month)
Monday: Enchiladas & mexican rice
Tuesday: Chicken fried rice
Wednesday: Spaghetti & garlic bread
Thursday: Mexican pie, Mexican Lasagna or Taco Pasta
Friday: Pizza & salad
Saturday: Tater Tot casserole
The "Pumpkin pie in a bowl" I make up just once a week. I make up enough for Monday & Thursday and for snacks in between. It is very filling and very nutritious.. Same thing for the "sausage and egg casserole".
The majority of the things I make is homemade and made from scratch so it is very economical. My meals usually cost under $1.00 a person to make. The only really expensive meal is our Sunday supper but I like to treat my family at least one day a week. The biscuits, our bread, tortillas, even the pizza dough I make. Same for sauces--all homemade.
By having the same menu, I know exactly how much of each staple and food item I will need for a month. I also know the approximate cost. That way if I find something on sale, that allows me a little extra "cash" to play with. Or in other words, I might buy some potato chips or ice cream as a treat for the family. Or a soda pop. No, we do not usually drink "pop" in our home. Our kids drink kool-aid, milk or water. Even our teenager. No complaints. :-)
Well, I explained why we do not need to buy bread during the month. Because I make my own bread. But even when we did not make our own bread, we just bought enough for a month and froze the rest. Same for milk. I buy powdered milk and we use it in all recipes and cooking. The 2% milk we buy we use for drinking. We buy enough for the month and freeze it and pull it out when I need it.
I find that only going to the store once a month, I save money by not impulse buying everytime I go to the store, etc. So, how often do you shop?
Other frugal posts:
How a Family of 4 lives off of $1300 a month
How to Save $
How NOT to waste in the Kitchen
How a Family of 4 lives off of $1300 a month
How to Save $
How NOT to waste in the Kitchen
