In food finds
número uno I admitted spending way too much money dining out and cooking the same 5 meals repeatedly. On the hunt for new menu sources and money saving tips I have reverted to an old favorite
allrecipes.com. They have recently added a menu section, you can find planned out menus as well as search by type: low budget, gluten free, Italian, Mexican and Vegetarian just to name a few. There are some free menu features but for the full access you will need to become a member and subscribe, right now you can sign up for 2 years for just $22.95. I usually don't subscribe to things that I can otherwise get for free but so far I think it's worth it. $22.95 is what we typically pay when we go out to eat just once, definitely worth it considering that having this resource will most likely save me money many times over.
I'm no expert when it comes to saving money, by far the last person you should look to for advice. Although I am trying to lower my food expenses the largest expendable portion of my budget (next to my Comcast bill that is....I can't live without my internet or my TV for that matter, I love me some HBO!)
What I have done so far that seems to be working is first coupon clip. I am not an expert at this either but I am trying to learn and last week saved $40 on my grocery bill, if you need help check out
Coupon Mom. Second, plan out your menu! Seriously this helps. The main reason we were going out to eat was because I couldn't think of anything to make and everything that I could make I either didn't have the ingredients or it would take too long and we were hungry "now". Planning ahead, writing down your menu and pinning it to the fridge is half the battle. Next when you get home from the grocery store prep all your veggies and perishable foods immediately. I divvy up the chopped veggies into plastic bags and write what meal they go with on the bag with permanent marker. Also try cooking some things the day or 2 days before, such as rice, so that when Tuesday rolls around and stir fry is on the menu the veggies are already chopped and ready to saute all you need to do is throw in the pre-cooked rice and viola..dinner!
Now for some pictures to complete this very wordy post, here are a few items on my menu this week.
