Let's Get Organized!

Alright folks... Christmas break is officially over and 2013 is in full swing!

I am excited to begin the new year by tackling some organizing projects (hint: one of them is the desk where I am sitting right now - blech! It's in need of some major attention!) and re-visit some other organizing topics that are timeless and will always require updating and reminding.

First up: Menu Planning Organization!

I know, I know... it doesn't sound very interesting. But if you think about it, it's probably where you spend the majority of your money every single week. If you were able to cut down on your weekly grocery shopping bill this year, just imagine what you could do with that money you saved!

It could go to one of the kid's college funds, go to a great charity you believe in, hire a once-a-month housekeeper, or go towards a vacation fund. You just may be surprised how much money you can save with a little planning.

I've done a similar post on this topic before and you can read it here if you'd like. Or you can just read on and pretend like you've never heard any of these tips before. :)

#1: Don't ignore your grocery store's weekly circular, newspaper coupons, and competitor coupons.

You may be saying, "Stacy, I am NOT a coupon clipper." And that's okay. I'm not either. You will never see me on one of those reality shows about extreme couponing. I just don't have time for it. But what I do have time for, is a quick review of my grocery store's weekly circular flyer (I shop at Publix and you can view it online), and a quick flip through the weekly Sunday coupons.

I probably spend maybe 10 minutes doing this on Sunday evening. I peruse the Publix flyer to see if anything that we use on a weekly basis is BOGO, or on major sale (e.g. their boneless skinless chicken breasts go on sale for 1.99/lb every couple of months and I buy at least 12 packages of them). There's no shame in loading up on BOGO or sale items IF YOU WILL USE THEM.

That means, just because you have a $2.00 off coupon and the item is BOGO but you NEVER use that product that you should go buy 20 of them. That's the opposite of being organized. That's creating clutter.

Then have a designated place for your coupons. I use a simple little accordian file that fits all of my coupons perfectly. You can buy this at any office supply store and most Walmarts & Targets.

After I quickly go through the Sunday coupons and cut out any that seem worth the effort on products that I know we use, I get out my weekly menu chart and a notepad to make a grocery list.

(I buy these menu planning charts at Michael's crafts, but I've also seen them in the Dollar Spot at Target and other craft stores.)

Then, I literally go stand in front of my pantry, freezer, and refrigerator and see what I have on hand to make that week's meals. I really hate buying meat/chicken if it's not on sale, so usually I have plenty in the freezer that I have purchased when it was on sale. That will start my menu process.

Here's an example of how I'll start my planning:
1. Chicken on Monday
2. Meatless meal on Tuesday
3. Meat/beef on Wednesday
4. Chicken again on Thursday
5. Order out on Friday (I really hate to cook on Fridays)
Then I usually don't plan out Saturday or Sunday too much because we end up getting together with friends, or eating late, or just having leftovers or something easy.

Once I decide which days we're having what, I will create a menu on the chart and create a shopping list from there.

(Another tip: try to make your grocery list in order of where the items are in the store. It will go much faster and you won't be back-tracking through the store to get the OJ back in produce when you're way over in frozen foods.)

These may all seem like logical "Well, duh!" ideas, but trust me, if you follow them and really stick to them, you WILL save money. Promise!

Recap:
1. Buy meat/chicken when it's on sale and freeze it! This will save you SO much money! And don't ignore competitor coupons - e.g. Sweetbay had a $10 off coupon in today's paper, and Publix will accept it too!

2. Quickly reference your grocery store's weekly flyer to see what's on sale and then use those items for your menu that week if possible.

3. Make a list and STICK TO IT: that goes for both your menu and your grocery list. Try to stick to them as closely as possible and it will alleviate a lot of stress at 5 p.m. when you're wondering "What the heck am I going to make for dinner tonight?!?!"

4. Give yourself some wiggle room. Don't plan out every single night or you'll create a different kind of stress, and that is not the point of this exercise. :)

5. Enjoy the money you are saving and be proud of yourself! It will feel good to be organized, use the food that you already have in your pantry/freezer, and create some good home-cooked meals in the process.

I hope this is helpful for you & your family. I have lots of recipe ideas on this blog too, if you need any fresh ideas for 2013. I will also be sharing some new recipes this year and hope they continue to inspire you to cook at home.

Yay for being organized in 2013!