Everybody is looking for ways to save money and cut expenses these days. We have all quit driving are cars unnecessarily and many are even car pooling or using public transportation. Many are cutting back on cable television options and eating at home more often. One of the easiest places to cut back is on your monthly grocery budget. It takes just a little bit of time to plan weekly menus but the results are significant.

Weekly menu planning will allow you to budget and stick to a set amount that will be spent at the grocery store. You won’t find yourself stopping at the grocery store just for one item and walking out with several bags of things that you didn’t realize you needed until you walked through the doors. If you aren’t in the store, you can’t spend money. Menu planning will save you lots of time and plenty of money and is not hard to do.

Start out by writing out a list of four or five main courses that your family would like to eat during the coming week. When you first start menu planning it may be best to select family favorites. Once you have listed your main course idea start adding side dishes that compliment the meals. Now is the time to try to make a well-balanced meal by using a good source of protein, a starch and at least one vegetable or fruit in each meal plan.

Now that you have completed four or five dinner menus, write down what you will be eating for breakfast. You don’t have to plan a fancy meal for breakfast, cereal is fine, just be sure to include it in your plan.

If you or any other family members eat lunch at home or pack a lunch, write down what will be eaten for lunch. You can save additional money if you or other family members take lunch from home even a few days a week. If this is part of your plan, include it on your list.

By now, you should have five days worth or meals written down. Now look at your list to determine if there will be any leftovers that can be used on the remaining two days of your plan. If so, write them down. If there will not be any leftovers or you are using them for lunches, you will need to come up with a few more ideas.

Now you should have a plan for an entire week of meals that can be prepared at home. It is now time to make your grocery list. Go down the list and write down everything that will be needed to prepare each meal. After you have done that go to your refrigerator and your pantry and take inventory of what you already have on hand, crossing out what you do not need. By taking stock of what you already have on hand, you will be prepared to cook whatever is on your list and you will eliminate buying something that you don’t need.

Now that you have your grocery list completed, take a minute or two to write down the non-food items that you need when you do your shopping. Do you need shampoo or mouthwash? Whatever it is, write it down.

Now you are ready to go to the store. Buy only the things that are on your list. You have gone to a good deal of effort to prepare this list so stick to it. Don’t purchase anything that is not on your list. Whenever possible buy in bulk, you will save money this way. If you will be using three pounds of hamburger for three different meals, buy a three-pound chub instead three individual packages. The savings can really start to add up this way.

Be sure to post the meal plan on the refrigerator so you will not forget what you planned. If something did not work out so well remove it from the list so you will not use it again. Once you do this for a few weeks, it will become habit. If you learn to keep staples on hand that you use often you can lessen your weekly shopping considerably and just stock the pantry about once a month. You will soon enjoy the extra time you have and will notice that mealtime is less stressful than ever before.

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