Saving Money: Daily Menu Outline to Make it Easy

Saving money can be as simple as having a well-planned menu. But anything well planned will require some level of organization.

My husband will be the first to raise his hand and tell you I was not born organized. He will probably follow that up with his version of “she’s not even orderly.” But that’s because my way to organization and his way are very different – and it nearly drove him crazy for the first 14 years of our marriage.

With a house full of boys, you can be certain that we spend most of our money on the weekly groceries. If we add in eating out, it spirals out of control.

I decided that the best path for saving money was to make a menu that would be easy, flexible, and make shopping less expensive. Easy means that I don’t have an excuse that will default me to getting takeout. Flexibility allows for life adjustments. And knowing what is coming makes shopping simple, plus it’s always cheaper to shop for just what you need, especially if you KNOW what you need

Saving Money with a Menu

Day One:    

Breakfast – scrambled eggs, English muffins, bacon, bananas

Lunch – hot dogs and French fries

Supper – lasagna, salad, and garlic bread

Day Two:     

Breakfast – cream of wheat and cinnamon toast

Lunch – grilled sandwiches and tomato soup

Supper – tacos

Day Three:    

Breakfast – cereal and cheese bagels

Lunch – hamburgers

Supper – Chicken n Dumplins and biscuits with apple sauce

Day Four:     

Breakfast – pancakes, and fried bananas

Lunch – Cheesy ramen noodles

Supper – Barbequed pork chops, dinner rolls, green beans

Day Five:    

Breakfast – French toast and bacon

Lunch – Sandwiches and chips

Supper – Beef stew and cornbread

Day Six:      

Breakfast – sausage, biscuits, and gravy

From here on out, it’s leftovers at our house – or planned overs, where I repurpose those leftovers into something new and exciting.

More Tips for Saving Money

My goal is to get three such menus written out – including the recipes – so that I will have my shopping lists already made out for me. I’m getting there. Another thing that I do, to save time, is cook once a month or so (ground beef, roast some chicken, put together casseroles- lasagna, taco pie, pot pies – and things like that) that way I have my dinners halfway done before I even start AND I have a lot less clean up.

It’s not really a challenge for saving money when you make intentional changes in your life, but it probably will require some persistence. It’s definitely not a one-and-done deal. But it is a great deal that you do it.

What is one thing that you like to do for success in saving money on your meals?