The kitchen is one of the most flexible areas of finance to a stay at home mom.  As we consider our many duties at home, we need to understand the importance of balancing resourcefulness with variety and nutrition.  Cutting the grocery bill is a task that calls for serious study and practice.

In this post I have two lists of money-saving tips and then two cost-efficient menus.

Please add any advice you may have in this area as it will benefit us to learn from each other!

• Buy discount. Explore your area for a “bent and dent” grocery store. There are great bargains to be found at such stores if you are fortunate enough to have one in your area.  I buy organic salad dressings for $1, Gain laundry detergent for $5/gallon (concentrated), almond butter for .79, just to name a few.

Aldi has saved us hundreds of dollars a month. If you have one, run to it. Not only that, we can get in and out in 30 minutes and I don’t have decision-making overload.

• Stockpile on great sales. I’m not so good at this, as I’m always thinking “how little can I spend on this grocery trip”, but when you come across a great buy, it’s much better to stock up!

• Eat first.  Never go grocery shopping hungry. It really will increase your spending!

• Shop less often. Stretch your grocery trips out as far as you can. It is better to buy monthly than weekly, because you usually buy more than what’s on the list (impulse purchases) and you spend more gas and time as well.

• Garden. If it is possible, keep a garden. There are lots of things to learn in this area, as some people have managed to grow a garden almost year round. It will greatly reduce your grocery bill and even more importantly, it will benefit your family’s health.  (Note:  there are some produce items that are basically just as cheap to buy at a farmer’s market than to grow.  Consider that when planting.)  Think ahead too.  Freezing and canning for the winter is an important part of resourcefulness.

• Free food. We have an abundance of blackberries around our house.  No, picking isn’t easy.  But it’s free!  (My kids actually love to pick.)  We bake pies, make blackberry jam and syrup, and freeze berries to make jams and butters later for Christmas presents.  Not free but cheap, we also take advantage of the u-pick farms around.  Blueberries are $4/gallon and we love stocking up!

• Coupons. I am not good with coupons. I know there are great savings to be had, but I seem to lack the skills of finding the right coupons. This is the part where I say “HELP” to all you coupon experts out there 🙂 I will offer this link I found (and there are many on the Internet) that seemed to have some good coupon resources, including free printable coupons.  I know MoneySavingMom is a great resource too.

Menu Planning.

Menu planning is crucial to saving on the grocery budget. Some very organized people (my not being one of them), have all their menus written out for the month and plan their grocery list around those. I plan for the week. Amy Dacyczyn of The Tightwad Gazette suggests that you first buy your groceries, based on what’s on sale, and THEN plan your menu around your food. That makes more sense to me.

Regardless of your menu-planning style, it is important to regularly plan frugal, inexpensive meals, that are still fairly nutritious (this definition will vary from family to family), and that your family enjoys. I am going to list a few of our favorite frugal meals, and then I hope to hear some of yours!

Crockpot Mexican Chicken

This is the best of all the worlds–delicious, cheap and super easy!

1. Put 1 lb. bag of black or pinto beans in crockpot.
2. Pour 3 1/2 cups water in.
3. Pour 1 jar salsa and stir.
4. Place 3 or 4 frozen chicken breasts on top.
5. Cook on high for about 5 hours or on low for 7 or 8.
6. When chicken shreds easily, shred and add taco seasonings.
7. Serve with cheese, sour cream, guacamole and chips.

Creamy Chicken Pasta

1/3 diced chicken from whole, boiled chicken (save broth)

1/2 to 1 onion, chopped

chopped tomatoes

1 stick butter

Approx. 4 heaping Tbls. flour

garlic powder

parmesan cheese

milk

Pasta–shells, penne, noodles, etc.

Desired vegetables

Directions:

Put water on to boil and cook pasta.

After chicken is cooked and de-boned, divide into thirds, freeze two portions and set aside the other. White sauce: Place a stick of butter in skillet, melt and then add flour. Stir until bubbly and sticky. Pour chicken broth in while stirring, one cup at a time until sauce is thick. Pour about a cup of milk until creamy. Add garlic powder and parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

In another skillet, on med heat, add 2 Tbls. olive oil or butter. Add chopped onions and chicken. Saute until onions are slightly tender. Add any additional desired vegetables (I use frozen mixed vegetables.)

Drain pasta, and pour all three together, tossing and sprinkling with parsley or desired seasonings. You may also serve creamy sauce on the side.

Note about pasta: The options are endless for pasta recipes and it would take me all day to list the different versions we use. This is where a homemaker needs to learn what spices/combinations go well together and begin experimenting. Different meats, meatless versions, different sauces and spices–pasta dishes are the frugal family’s best friend!

I have several frugal recipes listed HERE as well, on our website (including a delightful milk shake recipe made without ice cream!)

A Note About Bread

Homemade bread is a wonderful addition to every meal. It is a great filler, it is inexpensive and it is healthy. I personally use a bread machine, but many large families have graduated to a mixer to make multiple batches of bread. Either way, these machines make homemade bread-making a cinch. Just dump the ingredients for your recipe in, and the machine does the rest.

The other great thing is that I usually mix on the “dough” setting, take it out and make rolls, a loaf, cinnamon rolls, stuffed bread, pizza crust, etc. There are so many options!

Some of you may have never baked homemade bread in your life. That’s OK…you can learn! We buy wheat berries, grind them in a grinder, and then use the wheat. It’s a small investment well-worth the nutritional value (in my opinion!)

I have a few more ideas and recipes in our ebook “Simple Cooking to Save You Money“, especially a good read for those who are just beginning to cook from scratch.  Since this is a saving-money series, I’d just like to offer it to you, for today, for $1.00!!!

To get the $3.97 discount, just enter the coupon code “save” at checkout.  I love ya.

Buy “Simple Cooking to Save You Money” now for $1.00

Part 1-Living On One Income

Part 2-Cutting Expenses

Part 4-Paying Off Debt

Part 5-Earning Money From Home

For women already working who would like to come home, it’s always recommended that they do a financial analysis of what they are currently spending.

Calculate:

• gas money
• daycare expense
• lunch money
• snacks
• eating out money (which you always do more of because you have less time to prepare meals)
• the amount spent on convenience foods (due to lack of time)
• clothes you buy more of, etc.

Then add to that the money you are NOT saving by being unable to plan, prepare and bargain shop due to limited time. You may be really surprised at what working is costing you. Also consider that the income you earn is taxed; but anything you save is not. So, a penny saved is actually more than a penny earned.

Dave Ramsey suggests that you keep a detailed record of every penny spent in a month’s time. You will be shocked at how much of it “leaks” out. You can see where in your budget changes need to be made.

Then, begin cutting expenses.  Go through your budget considering any expenses that could be reduced or eliminated. Cable, cell phones, insurance plans, groceries, utilities, etc.

It may mean changing your grocery store. We have saved hundreds a month shopping at Aldi and at a “bent and dent” store nearby.

A few ways to save

I am going to be suggesting different ideas throughout these posts for saving money. Here are a few for today:

• Buy in bulk. Many women are accustomed to buying food items in bulk, but the Internet now provides all sorts of options for bulk-buying. Today, for example, I purchased 12 t-shirts for my husband who works outside and uses them up quickly.  They were cheaper bought new from jiffyshirts.com ($1.74) than I can even buy them at a thrift store, and you can get them even cheaper if you by irregulars from theadairgroup.com by the dozen.  One year I got jazzy, borrowed my friend’s embroidery machine and put his company name on them.  You might consider bulk items for gifts (one year I bought a lot of chenille throws on Ebay for under $2 each) or even for re-sell (more about that later).

• Homemade Gifts. You may not realize how much you spend in gifts over the course of a year, but you should calculate it. It’s probably more than you think. You can save so much money making gifts! With the ocean of ideas now available through the Internet, homemade gifts are easier than ever. Here are some ideas I’ve posted that you might enjoy:
  • Washer necklaces
  • Baby gifts
  • Canvas pillows
  • List of cool gifts we made one tight Christmas

There is also personalized stationery (super easy and cheap) that can be printed from your computer, homemade food gifts, and so much more with a little creativity.

• Check Ebay or Amazon.com before you buy ANYTHING. Computer ink, books, gifts, vitamins–just about anything under the sun can often be found cheaper there.

• Check the Internet for rebates or coupons on purchases you need to make online.  A quick search for “coupons and company name” will turn up available savings.

• Utilities. See how long you can wait before turning on your air conditioner or heating unit in seasons, then work on keeping it turned higher than normal (we keep our central air turned on about 78 degrees in summer.) Consider turning off central units and using a window unit and/or wood stove.

• Call phone company. I was on the phone recently with my phone company and she casually mentioned she could reduce my phone bill.  Now pardon me for being dense, but I just assumed that the phone company assumed we would prefer the lowest available rate. Apparently, you have to tell them that from time to time.  She knocked $20 off our monthly bill without changing our service one bit.

• Water. Take a shower instead of a bath.  Bathe little ones together and less often (consider a “wet cloth bath” on less dirty days).

• Hot water heater. Your hot water heater is one of the high-energy appliances in your home. Turn it off (or flip the breaker) at night after supper and showers, and leave it off until the following evening.  You will still have hot water to use during the day and will save about $40 a month.

• Save change.  Put out a jar and have everyone deposit their spare change into it–typically you won’t miss it. Deposit it into savings periodically, or use it for a desired purchase.  It’s even more exciting if you write the purchase goal on the jar.

• Yard sale. Have a yard sale, or better yet, list some things on Craigs list.

• Stay home. This one sound silly? Just try it!  You will make far  fewer purchases.

• Reconsider purchasing mentality. This could go in several directions.  But consider how companies convince us of our need to purchase. You probably own a bottle of shampoo, a bottle of conditioner, soap or body wash for your body and maybe shaving gel, soap for baby, shampoo for baby, and lotion for baby.  Why can’t we use the same soap for body as we use for hair?  Is it really that different?  Why can’t we use conditioner for shaving (the cheapest one)?  Does baby need soap and shampoo too?  I know some things matter (I have to use certain conditioner or I can’t comb my hair out), but we would do well to think outside the marketing frenzy.

One look at what a small change can do over a period of time:

Let’s say you have looked at your budget and just can’t find any “extra” money to save or invest. One of the areas we changed was haircuts for hubby and the boys. Aaron was spending approx. $12/month on a haircut. If he took the two boys, that was an additional $9 or so. All together, $30/month. We bought some clippers and a good pair of scissors, and Aaron showed me how the hairdresser cut his hair. In a few practices :-), I had it. Now if we put back that $30 a month (that doesn’t count gas money saved), that’s a $360 savings a year–not too bad. BUT, if I open a mutual fund, and have them automatically debit our account for $30 a month, we’ll say on a presumed interest rate of 9% in a year, we will have earned $658.87. We almost doubled our money just by making one small change! Imagine multiplying that over several more “a dollar-here, dollar-there” savings! (BTW, if the interest is compounded daily, as opposed to monthly, the amount is even more.)

We’ll talk more later on how to EARN extra income. But for now, I just want you to begin to think about saving. Once you have more time on your hands to think about it, and study the art, you’ll find all sorts of ways to save!

Recommended reading: “The Tightwad Gazette” by Amy Dacyzn  The AMAZING book by a woman who decided she could “have it all”!

In part 3, we will address one of the easiest places to cut the budget–the grocery bill, including some great frugal family recipes. (Get your favorite frugal recipes ready to share!)

Part 1-Living On One Income

Part 3-Cutting the Grocery Budget

Part 4-Paying Off Debt

Part 5-Earning Money From Home

Aren’t we spiritually schizophrenic, just like the psalmist, David? One minute we’re shaking our fist at God, the next, we’re repenting and praising Him for his sovereignty and provision.

David so often echoes the cry of my heart. If you will look at the chapter just before this well-known 23rd Psalm, David is pleading, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

As we step into this exciting series about living on one income, we will often need to hold close to our hearts, the truth that the Lord is indeed sufficient.

As I was sleeping/thinking (I do the two simultaneously) last night, I felt like I should share with you, briefly our story. Humbling as it is, I think it might prove encouraging.

When we felt the conviction for me to come home from my teaching career, my husband made $23,000 a year. We had two children and one on the way. Shortly after I quit my job, pro-ration caused him to be laid off. Perfect timing, huh? So, he was forced, prematurely, into starting his own landscaping business. It proved quite profitable in the summer, but lagged greatly in the winter. Struggling to keep up, he worked tirelessly to solicit business, hoping the next job would get us through the drought.

Long story short, in two years we found ourselves over $32,000 in credit card debt! We had used them to live, thinking we’d pay off the balance after the “next big job”, which never came. (I talk about the amazing nature of compound interest later in the post; if you don’t believe it, get yourself a credit card!)

Needless to say, creditors plagued our lives, with the added pressure of people wondering A. why I didn’t go back to work, and B. why on earth we were still receiving the children God gave us!

Life was hard. I cried–a lot. I wondered what we had done, and why God was not honoring my decision to come home.

“Another important element of our thinking involves understanding the value of a dollar, and even a penny. Most people never grasp the simplest of concepts about money: a little saved here and there adds up to a lot. I can’t tell you how important this concept has proven to be over the years. “

Fast forward…today we still live very frugally. But we have paid off almost all our credit card debt (only about $700 to go!  We’ve been paying on them for 5 years. During that time we have also paid for braces, a used truck, and out-of-pocket for one of our babies’ prenatal and delivery costs.) Creditors do not call us anymore. Our bills are manageable even though our family continues to grow.

You can read details of all the ways we handled debt and paid off our credit cards with a small income in my book, “Finding Financial Freedom.”

A family can survive on one income. Not as easily as before, due to dual incomes raising the cost of living and the ridiculous taxation policies, but it can still be done.

And we are going to discuss in this series, the many facets of making that possible.

It all begins with the way we think about money.

Our finances and all our assets belong to God. We are simply stewards of what He gives us. One of my many jobs of being a keeper at home, is to study resourcefulness, as a profession, and make it an integral part of my work to use my husband’s income as wisely as possible. I think a lot of women who work outside the home view a SAHM as someone who “does basically nothing.” How untrue. This area is just one of many that requires diligence, work and wisdom.  And it can be fun!

For some women, this may involve a serious look at how you yourself spend money. It may involve getting over your “deprived syndrome”, and learning to be content with less. If you have always felt you deserved to buy the latest brands at the hippest department stores, you may need to deal with issues of pride and materialism. Needs and wants are very different. And while there are creative ways to enjoy material things, splurging is not usually an option for the virtuous woman.

Another important element of our thinking involves understanding the value of a dollar, and even a penny. Most people never grasp the simplest of concepts about money: a little saved here and there adds up to a lot. I can’t tell you how important this concept has proven to be over the years.  Using a tad less shampoo, laundry detergent, water, electricity–every consumable product, really adds up.  Begin to think about the importance of saving a penny here and a penny there. It compounds in an extraordinary way.

In part 2, we’ll take a closer look at cutting expenses and finding some simple ways to save on necessary purchases!

Part 2-Cutting Expenses

Part 3-Cutting the Grocery Budget

Part 4-Paying Off Debt

Part 5-Earning Money From Home