Meal Planning Day 4: Shopping Day

Here is where the rubber meets the road and we get to see all of our hard work pay off!! You've completed the {kitchen inventory} and {store comparison worksheet} and made a {menu} for your family based first on what you have at home then by what is on sale that week at the store. The last step before you head to the store is to make a {shipping list} and gather up any coupons you plan to use.

Today's Goal: Buy all the major items that we will need for the next two weeks and stick to the budget that we have decided on ahead of time.
Printable Worksheet: Shopping List
Time: 15 minutes preparing, 1 hour at the store

Write down all the things that you plan to buy by category using one list for each store you plan to shop at.

Put any coupons you will use into an envelope and note the discount next to the corresponding item on your list.

Also, plan to bring your other coupons just in case you see something on sale/clearance that fits within your budget. And your {meal plan} if you feel it would be helpful. Stick everything into a clipboard & head out to the store.

Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind while you are shopping:

• Go to the clearance section first to see if anything is there that is on your list.
• Bring cash and decide not to spend a penny more.
• Have a little flexibility to be able to substitute or add items if they are a better price than what you had planned. For example, if you have ground beef is on your list but ground turkey is cheaper watch for that and be ready to swap items.
• Separate items that you need from items that you want in your cart to add at the end of checkout if you have money leftover. (Put a basket on the bottom of your cart for these thing)
• Don't feel obligated to buy something just because you have a coupon for it! I often end up not using at least a few of the ones I put in my envelope because the price was still too high.

When you are done checking out, celebrate what you have saved! Realize that the people on TV are on there because they are outside of the 'norm' and that most people like you and I won't save hundreds every time.

On average I save between 15-30% on my bill and I am okay with that. Knowing that I can feed my family of 5 for $300-350 a month is a realistic goal for us and one that I am proud of.

Don't forget to enter in the giveaway - one lucky reader is going to win 5 sets of coupon inserts from this weeks paper!!



Meal Planning Day 1: Kitchen Inventory - Planning meals based on what is at home
Meal Planning Day 2: Store Ads & Coupons - Planning meals based on what is on sale
Meal Planning Day 3: 14-Day Menu - Planning ahead to save money
Tomorrow: Freezer Meals - Making meals in advance to save time