A blog I read regularly, Frugal for Life, has had great advice on making Frugal Living a way of life instead of just a “phase” for over three years now. The site owner, Dawn, has a contest going with a chance for a prize of up to $50! This post is my entry in the contest.
We save money by doing our own cooking. Saving money this way doesn’t have to take a lot of time - just planning!
Prepare menus for as long as you have between paychecks. If you buy in bulk, plan your menus based on what you already have on hand. Then, shop to the plan. Prepare one shopping list for items that will keep for the entire period, then buy them all at once. Prepare a second list for items you will need to buy in the interim that won’t keep for the duration (such as milk and fresh vegetables). Minimize trips to the grocery store.
It can save 20-30 minutes of prep time during the week to have your meat already browned and seasoned before you make that chili or casserole. Take an hour or two on the weekend and cook up three pounds of ground beef, seasoning it with onion and garlic. Divide into meal size packages and freeze. Do the same with chicken thighs (cheap!).
Prepare enough for lunch the next day for the working adults. Pack lunches for the next day when you clean up after dinner. You save even more by not eating lunch out, either.
Ooo - sounds so frugal and organized.
Yeah, I talk a good game. You should have seen us yesterday, though.
It works if you work it. If you don’t…it doesn’t work.