This weekend we will be starting a little experiment with our meal planning and grocery shopping. I am going do my menu this weekend and will be planning for the entire month! We haven’t been able to purchase our second fridge as we are finishing up painting another of coat of paint on the pantry floor. Therefore, we will not be able to buy all the perishables due to lack of storage space. But I will have the menu planned and will buy all the nonperishables.
I found a new menu planning blog/ cooking mom that I love! Check out Mommy’s Kitchen. She does monthly menu planning and I think I can save more money by only shopping once a month instead of the two times I do now. So we will see…… I will let you know how it goes.
Part of my motivation is I really like my weekends to just do things with family and I hate having to use two days a month to shop. I have a feeling it will take me a bit more time to menu plan for an entire month, but we will see!
I also plan a menu once a month and shop once a month. It is easier, and it really does save money. When I did weekly shopping, I spent about $100 a week. When I switched to once a month, I printed a blank calendar and planned a menu. Then I made a detailed shopping list, including paper goods and detergents, and went to our local grocery store. I ended up spending $288. I was shocked! Once a month shopping is tedious (take someone else with you!) but worth it!
That’s great. Let me know how it goes. I want to start doing that soon. I have done meal planning for two weeks before and a month.