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Do you feel like life is overwhelming and exhausting? Do you run out of energy and focus before the day is even over? Are you ready to make a change?
Budget meal planning is vital to the health of most household budgets. Nobody looks forward to rice, pasta and beans for every meal, but sometimes a financial strain means you have to really look closely at your food intake as a place to eliminate extra expenses. These tips for busy moms to help budget meal planning become easier, are perfect for keeping you well fed and your finances in order.
Stick to what your family loves.
One of the biggest budget meal planning blunders around is trying out too many new recipes each month. Unfortunately, what looks great on a blog, television or in a magazine may not meet your families taste preferences. Stick mostly to those tried and true recipes and flavors you know everyone will eat so you aren't wasting money on food that ends up in the garbage. Try 1-2 new recipes a month and if they are enjoyed, add them to your rotation. Here's a list of our family's favorite meals.
Keep accurate track of what you have on hand.
A pantry and freezer list is a must when you are budget meal planning. Your meal plan should include items you have in stock in your pantry. Knowing what you have on hand keeps you from spending too much on items you don't need. Basically, it will keep you from making last minute stops at the grocery store and spending extra because you forgot an ingredient.
Get to know your butcher.
Whether you use a traditional butcher shop or your local grocery store meat counter, knowing the butcher is a great way to find the best deals on meats. Not only can you talk to them about the end pieces of meats that are perfect for stews and chili, but you can find out when they are running a sale, or when something is about to be marked down because it is near the end of its shelf life. These little things can save you a ton of money on meat purchases.
Create a core base of ingredients.
Many families like specific flavor profiles more than others. When you figure out what your family tends to gravitate toward, you can easily start shopping for those items in bulk. Whether it is a type of meat, produce or base like pasta or rice you can find most groceries in bulk for less than individual servings would cost.
Plan meals for leftovers.
One of the best ways to save money while meal planning is to actually plan your menu for leftovers. Not only can larger batches of some meals save money on a second evening meal, they can save money on your lunch expenses. Soups, casseroles and many one pot meals are perfect for leftovers. If your family doesn't like eating the same thing multiple times in a row, you can easily create the double batch and store it in the freezer until later in the month. Then all you have to do is thaw and reheat in the oven or slow cooker.
These budget meal planning tips are perfect for moms who are busy juggling kids and work. Not only will they help you stay on budget each month, they will provide you with great meals your entire family will enjoy.
Moms, how do you stay on budget each month when it comes to groceries? What are your tips for making food stretch further?
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Everyone wants to cut back on household expenses and these tips are perfect for seriously cutting your household expenses in half. Some are easy to accomplish while others may be drastic measures that only a few families can manage. All will help to cut back on the money you are spending each month to maintain your home.
Downsize as much as possible.
While this may seem obvious, many families overlook the bigger ways to downsize as they feel they are impossible. Things like moving to a smaller and less expensive home, selling the second family vehicle or simply decluttering items from your home that are no longer needed can easily create more money in the budget.
Limiting extra curricular activities can also be a great way to cut household expenses. This can mean limiting the number of teams your kids play on, your own gym memberships or even your weekly nights out with friends. You don't have to eliminate everything, but you can downsize your activities to a more manageable amount.
Start couponing regularly.
Simply Frugal brings you tons of coupon deals on a regular basis, and using these to save money on everything from food to household supplies can greatly cut back your household expenses. Just make sure to not get carried away and spend more than normal just because you have a coupon for something. Utilize coupons for the best deals on products you would already normally be purchasing.
Cut out extra expenses.
Check your household budget for things you are spending money on that can be eliminated. (Even if it's temporary.) This can be eating out, new clothing splurges or even special channels on cable television.
There are a lot of little purchases made each month that can add up fast.
You may also consider spending time calling insurance companies, policies and banks to try and eliminate any unnecessary monthly fees. Check your credit cards and pay off or transfer balances on those that have higher interest rates so you save a little more money each month on expenses.
Make your own household products.
One easy way to cut household expenses is to begin making your own products to use around the house. Homemade laundry detergent, fabric softener, stain remover or even homemade body scrubs and lotions can all be made for less than store bought products, and you will like the fact that they contain fewer harsh chemicals.
Monitor utility expenses and cut back when possible.
Usually next to mortgage/rent and food, utility expenses are the highest monthly bill. You can monitor these regularly and cut back by conserving water, adjusting your thermostat or even investing in solar panels or better energy efficient utility systems.
Grow your own food.
A garden is a great way to save moneyon your grocery budget. It can also be a wonderful way to cut household expenses by providing not only for the current food you need, but year round.
Can or freeze fresh fruits and vegetables you grow to use throughout the off seasons. In urban areas you may also consider raising chickens to provide your family with eggs and chicken to eat later in their lives.
Have one spouse become a stay at home parent.
This is a drastic choice, but it can easily lead to household expenses being less. If you are paying a lot each month in childcare expenses, take out or even someone to come clean your home, then it may be even more financially beneficial for one parent to stay home with the kids instead. The savings on daycare will be huge, but you can also save by being able to menu plan, keep the household running smoothly and perhaps doing some work at home projects.
These tips to cut back on household expenses are just a few of the many ways you can work your way to being more financially free. Reducing expenses is the number one way, which is obvious. How to do that can be difficult depending on your individual situation. Think outside the box and your household expenses can be cut in half.
