by TD Small

Created on: August 03, 2009   Last Updated: August 04, 2009

Even the most organized person can save time and money by simply planning ahead when it comes to meals and grocery shopping. Making a weekly menu will not only decrease the nighttime stress that occurs when you walk in the door and are greeted by cries of, What's for dinner?, but it can also decrease the amount of money you spend on groceries. By taking the time to plan ahead you can watch your food cost decrease while your bank balance increases.

Menu planning is not a hard as it sounds. By following just a few simple steps, you will become a menu planning aficionado and have all of your friends envious of the nutritious meals your make for your family.

In most areas of the U.S., grocery stores advertise weekly specials on certain days of the week. Get familiar with what days these advertisements come out in your area, look for them, and put them aside to help with your weekly meal planning. Start by looking at what staples are on sale and what staples you need. Compare sales prices between a couple of stores in your area and see which store has the most savings for you this week. If a store happens to have a frequent shopper card or discount, don't be shy; take advantage of every discount you can get. Coupons can make a big difference between eating sloppy Joes and minute steaks, but don't rely on coupons to give you the best deal, always comparison shop. The store brands or maybe even a different brand may be even less expensive, but not advertised.

What meat items are on sale this week? What meals will your family be eating at home and what days/nights will all or some of you be away? You won't be saving any money if you buy food to feed your family for seven days and then only five days of the food gets eaten before it spoils and needs to be tossed. What cuts of meat can you buy that can stretch into meals for two days? Planning for leftovers when possible, can save money on lunches or can be planned as another night's meal. The leftovers of a beef roast can be transformed into BBQ beef sandwiches.

After perusing the advertisements look for coupons online and in the mail and anywhere else you can find them to help cut costs, but again only use the coupons if they are truly saving you money on something you would have purchased any way. Most families have a few staples that should be kept on hand, just because they are well liked and easy to make in a pinch. Some examples might be boxed macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and sauce, cereal, canned soups, vegetables, and fruits; whatever your family likes. The best time to stock up on these items is when you find coupons and store discounts. By keeping your pantry stocked with whatever food items your family just can't live without, you will soon find that even if the neighbor kid stays for dinner, your stress level doesn't need to rise.

Of course is you're going to start stocking up on food bargains you will need to designate an area that is the staple shelf and put your overstocked items there where you won't forget them, but they aren't in the way.

By developing the habit of menu planning and then taking advantage of grocery store discounts and weekly specials, clipping coupons, and stocking up on staples when they are on sale, you will find that by planning ahead you not only save time fixing dinner when you get home, but you will also save dollars and reduce stress.

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