Budgeting/Saving Money
Feeding a family can be expensive. If you're like me, you like to find ways to get the most for your money.Bountiful Baskets is a great way to get fresh produce for a cheap price. I also like that it helps you add more fruits and vegetables into your diet. The way it works is you visit the site below. Create an account. Click on the state you live in and it brings up a list of different locations to pick your produce up from and when they will be delivering to that location. Select the site. Then you can place your order. On the pick up date that it lists, you go to the site you signed up for and you get one basket of fruit and one of vegetables. The cost is $15.00 for both baskets. They also have an organic choice for $25.00- Check it out, I think it is well worth it!
Plan your menu's
Another great way, that I like to save money, is to plan my menu's for the entire month. I use my calendar to plan my meals. I keep it on the side of my fridge so that I never have to wonder what is for dinner. I buy all of my ingredients once a month, with the exception of fresh ingredients.
When planning my meals I look at all of the ads that were sent to my house. I write down all of the things under the stores name that I feel are great deals.
Then I look at what is on sale and decide what kinds of dinners I can make with those ingredients.
Then I look through my coupon organizer for other coupons that will help to save additional money on those items.
*I buy my meat in bulk when it is on sale, I separate it into what I need for each meal, and then wrap each portion tight in saran wrap or freezer paper- meat stays good for a long time when frozen. Usually I have enough meat, that I don't have to buy more until I find another great sale. It's also great, because you usually have the meat you need for any meal.
*Stock up on items when they are on sale, try to get enough of the product that it will last until the next sale.
* Take advantage of case lot sales. A lot of my recipes use different kinds of soups, beans, tomatoes, rice etc- most of the things that they sell at a case lot sale. Stock up on these items so that you get a great deal on them, and so you will always have them when you need them.
* Buy your bread on sale! Bread can be frozen.
* I try to freeze or bottle fresh fruits and vegetables, when they are on sale, or when I pick them out of my garden. This saves a lot of money down the road. Most fruits/vegetables need to be blanched before freezing them in a freezer bag. I made soup this winter that called for zucchini. I had zucchini out the ears from my garden during the summer, that I diced up and froze. It saved me a lot of money to be able to pull out a bag of frozen zucchini out of my freezer. It tasted great!
* Learn how to use coupons to your advantage. I like the website:
http://www.grocerysmarts.com/
The passport code is g84ctw. This site lists all of the adds for an area and then rates them with a star system, so you can find the best deals. It also tells you what coupons you can use with each deal if there is one.
Another great site is:
http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/
I have a friend who does a meal plan every week with the Bountiful Baskets produce, to ensure you use it all. Plus she is a healthy woman!!! Google Healthy Mom's Kitchen, she is awesome!!
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