ONE YEAR OF MEAL PLANNING....

THIS WEEKEND IT IS ONE FULL YEAR OF CONSISTENT MEAL PLANNING. HERE ARE A FEW THOUGHTS LOOKING OVER THE YEAR....
-AVERAGE SAVED PER MONTH $300-$400  I KNOW I CAN DO MORE THAN THAT SO AFTER NEXT YEAR I HOPE THE NUMBERS ARE HIGHER

-LEARNED THAT IT TAKES CONSISTENCY , AND DISCIPLINE ......STICK TO YOUR PLAN AND IF YOU WAVER GET BACK ON TRACK RIGHT AWAY......ONCE YOUR LIST IS DONE STAY OUT OF THE GROCERY STORE AND NEVER GO IN WITHOUT A LIST

-INCLUDE "JUNK" IN YOUR PLAN......BUY THE JUNK FOOD YOU LIKE AND HAVE IT ON HAND TO PREVENT THE RUNS TO THE STORE FOR A TREAT ON SATURDAY NIGHT........AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT WE DID ALL TOO OFTEN

-COOK FROM SCRATCH....MUCH CHEAPER NOT TOO MENTION HEALTHIER THAN THE BOXED READY TO THROW IN THE OVEN STUFF.  IT DOESN'T TAKE ALOT LONGER TO THROW SOME CHICKEN IN SOME SHAKE AND BAKE AND PUT IT IN THE OVEN THAN READY TO HEAT STRIPS THAT ARE MARINATED IN SALT TO PRESERVE THEM. ......COOK FROM SCRATCH.....

-SAME CATEGORY AS ABOVE.....BAKE YOUR COOKIES OR CAKE RATHER THAN BUY THEM.....MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE

-THE LONGER THE PERIOD OF TIME YOU CAN MAKE A MEAL PLAN FOR THE MORE YOU WILL SAVE........FOR EXAMPLE....IF I PLAN FOR FOUR WEEKS RATHER THAN TWO I WILL SAVE BY BUYING MY MEAT IN VALUE PACKS TRAYS RATHER THAN SMALLER PORTIONS.......I PLANNED OUT TWO WEEKS FOR A LONG TIME AND I AM NOW FOUR TO SIX AND I DO BETTER MONEY-WISE ON THE LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.

-USE COUPONS WHEN POSSIBLE....KEEP YOUR EYE OPEN FOR COUPONS ON ITEMS YOU USE AND COLLECT THEM....

-PLAN ACCORDING TO THE SEASON.....SUMMER....SALADS, CORN ON THE COB, TOASTED TOMATO SANDWICHES...THESE SHOULD BE ON THE PLAN OFTEN WHILE ITS REASONABLE PRICES.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO MEAL PLAN....OWN IT....WORK AT IT AND PERFECT IT TO WORK WITH YOUR FAMILY. IT'S NOT FOR EVERYONE BUT FOR ME I CHOOSE TO HELP MY HUSBAND , BY USING THE MONEY HE WORKS SO HARD TO MAKE IN A WISE MANNER TO BENEFIT OUR LIFE TOGETHER.   WE WANT TO SHOW OUR GRATITUDE TO THE LORD FOR ALL HIS BLESSINGS ....NOT BEING WASTEFUL OR UNDISCIPLINED ......

OVER-ALL IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE AND IT'S BEEN A HOOT! FUN TO SEE MY PLANNING AND RESEARCH WORK FOR THE BETTER EACH MONTH. STILL HAVE ALOT I CAN DO BETTER ON BUT THAT'S THE FUN OF IT........
TRY IT! YOU'LL BE SURPRISED AT THE RESULTS.