It's so important to plan ahead for meals when you're trying to budget every dollar. I put in a chunk of time to lay out the meals for the entire week, got my grocery list together, and headed out for the store. This was going to be great! No quick stops at the store for some prepared, deli meal this week. This is great!
When I got home and started to put my groceries in the pantry, I noticed a reoccurring theme. There it was. Duplicate items purchased today at full price instead of the reduced price that I had paid before. I hadn't remembered that I already had some items that I needed, so bought them again. I sure didn't need to spend the money on those things again. And I sure didn't need to pay full price for them when I can always find a sale. What a tremendous waste of money.
I think it's time for a plan to get my pantry set up so that I don't buy food when I don't need it and when it's not on sale. A 4 step plan should work for me. Let's see if it will work for you, too.
Step 1: Empty Your Pantry. Take a couple hours to clean and wipe out your pantry. You'll need a few boxes and a strong cup of coffee. Begin by taking every food item out of your pantry or cupboards. Look for expiration dates and damaged goods and throw them out. Wipe down the shelves and doors.
Step 2: Sort Items From Your Pantry. Take time to examine your pantry items and sort them by type. You can use categories like tomato products, broth, crackers, sauces, noodles, salad dressings, baking goods, or whatever you think. Same with the spices, but I think it's easiest to arrange them alphabetically so you can sort through all the duplicate spices and throw out the old ones. Be sure to, once again, examine the packages and throw out anything that is beyond an expiration date.
Step 3: Create A Working List Of Basic Items. Writing down what you have in your pantry and keeping track of the items as you buy and use them seems like work. Well, it is, at first, but once you start using it, you'll save time and money just knowing what you already have in the pantry. Using a column and row type paper, list your most often used items and the number you have in the pantry. Then as you use them, cross one off, and as you buy them add what you buy. This method is very easy once you get the hang of it.
Step 4: Grocery Shop Using Your List. If you already have a supply of the basics that you bought when they were are a special price, you're all set. Why would you want to accidentally buy the same items at full price because you forgot you had some? That's why referring to your new list will save you money. Stock up on your staples, like pasta, rice, canned tomatoes, and soup, when the price is right and eliminate that duplicate purchase at full price.
In a perfect world we know what we have in our pantry and only buy food when we need it and it's always at a sale price. Since we don't live in that dream world, we all end up with food lost in the far recesses of the cupboard or pantry shelves. Once your pantry items are inventoried, categorized, and listed, your grocery shopping trips should never again yield a gross of unneeded, duplicated, and overpriced surprises. - 15634
When I got home and started to put my groceries in the pantry, I noticed a reoccurring theme. There it was. Duplicate items purchased today at full price instead of the reduced price that I had paid before. I hadn't remembered that I already had some items that I needed, so bought them again. I sure didn't need to spend the money on those things again. And I sure didn't need to pay full price for them when I can always find a sale. What a tremendous waste of money.
I think it's time for a plan to get my pantry set up so that I don't buy food when I don't need it and when it's not on sale. A 4 step plan should work for me. Let's see if it will work for you, too.
Step 1: Empty Your Pantry. Take a couple hours to clean and wipe out your pantry. You'll need a few boxes and a strong cup of coffee. Begin by taking every food item out of your pantry or cupboards. Look for expiration dates and damaged goods and throw them out. Wipe down the shelves and doors.
Step 2: Sort Items From Your Pantry. Take time to examine your pantry items and sort them by type. You can use categories like tomato products, broth, crackers, sauces, noodles, salad dressings, baking goods, or whatever you think. Same with the spices, but I think it's easiest to arrange them alphabetically so you can sort through all the duplicate spices and throw out the old ones. Be sure to, once again, examine the packages and throw out anything that is beyond an expiration date.
Step 3: Create A Working List Of Basic Items. Writing down what you have in your pantry and keeping track of the items as you buy and use them seems like work. Well, it is, at first, but once you start using it, you'll save time and money just knowing what you already have in the pantry. Using a column and row type paper, list your most often used items and the number you have in the pantry. Then as you use them, cross one off, and as you buy them add what you buy. This method is very easy once you get the hang of it.
Step 4: Grocery Shop Using Your List. If you already have a supply of the basics that you bought when they were are a special price, you're all set. Why would you want to accidentally buy the same items at full price because you forgot you had some? That's why referring to your new list will save you money. Stock up on your staples, like pasta, rice, canned tomatoes, and soup, when the price is right and eliminate that duplicate purchase at full price.
In a perfect world we know what we have in our pantry and only buy food when we need it and it's always at a sale price. Since we don't live in that dream world, we all end up with food lost in the far recesses of the cupboard or pantry shelves. Once your pantry items are inventoried, categorized, and listed, your grocery shopping trips should never again yield a gross of unneeded, duplicated, and overpriced surprises. - 15634
About the Author:
Nicole Dean is the mostly-sane mom behind ShowMomtheMoney.com - a fun and informative resource to help moms achieve success working from home. She welcomes you to learn more ways to save money in her Frugal Meal Tips section. Be sure to sign up for her free tutorial for work at home moms.
