It's What's On The Menu

Recently I received a tip from a family member about creating a functional and practical menu in order to save on money. I found not only am I saving money by utilizing this tool but I'm also helping to conserve energy by not standing in front of the fridge deciding on what to fix for dinner.

In order to simplify the "creation" of the menu I went to www.microsoft.com and looked under templates for Excel. I typed in "menu" and there are several templates you can work with. They will take some customizing but that's part of the fun. I also threw around the idea of using a dry-erase board to create my menus.

I found the average my own family spent at the store was $250.00 every two weeks. With a prepared menu and only listing exactly what is on the menu our grocery bill went to $180.00 every two weeks. The average savings per year for my family is $1,680.00!

I put all 7 days of the week across the top of the menu and on the left side I put Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and then 3 snack choices a day. Have fun with your menu's and arrange them in any order that works best for you and your family.

If nothing else what do you have to lose by trying it out for yourself? You could end up saving yourself some big bucks in the long run. I found by utilizing a menu I am more likely to prepare a healthier meal for myself and my family. I don't over spend by purchasing lots of unnecessary canned goods or boxed goods. I put a copy of my menu on the front of my fridge for easy access.

Good luck with your menu's and your bottom line!