It is spring time. I refuse to use the car as much as possible. It feels so good to take a walk for Aron to the nursery every day. 4.8 kms one way! Who needs to join a fitness club?
On the way back we partially take the public transport and walk a bit more (another 2 kms roughly). It is refreshing, a great bonding time with the boys, cheap and absolutely sustainable. Wish me luck to keep up with it.
I am pretty positive this will add another pocket to my RSR savings. Hmm, how shall I spend it?
2011/03/30
2011/03/28
Meal plans
Soon I am posting "Q1" results of my RSR lifestyle :) but one thing is for sure, I made savings. Roughly 70% of my savings came from returning to meal plans.
This is a wonderful tool to keep myself organized and a brilliant aid to reduce the family’s consumption. It does not take more than 30 mins a month and can save me both energy and money.
What do I do?
1. I make a list of whatever I have in the pantry, fridge, freezer, etc. It is wise to indicate expiry date so that i could remember, that i need to use that ingredient up soon.
2. I open an Excel file in calendar format and start filling it. First I fill out the days when we'll be eating elsewhere, i.e. parents' or friends' house, and it is arranged. These normally fall on the weekends. Then I fill out the remainder Saturdays and Sundays. Not only because i have more time to cook at the weekends, but also these are the meals that leave you with the most leftovers. So for Mondays i would plan something using the leftover of the Sunday roast (with salad, in a strata or in a wrap or sandwich etc). This will go on for the rest of the days. If i have grilled veggies with something, next day i would have a casserole to use them up. I reduce waisting, we have a greater variety of meals and i save money.
I know lots of people just throw leftovers in the freezer for 'rainy days' or busy days. I did that in the past and never really liked the taste when i thawed it. I always had to make something with it, so why not use them up the following day, why store them longer?
3. I make the shopping list of the things i'll still need for the month. Yes, i do major shopping once a month. This way i only need to go the farmer's market once a week to get fresh veggies, meat, bakery and dairy.
4. I reorganize the shopping list by the sequence of the aisles in the supermarket. I know it sounds that the german in me took over again, but i actually do find it really helpful. It helps me reduce the time i spend in the shop which prevents me from impulse buying thus saves me money. Not so ridiculous now, is it?
What do I do?
1. I make a list of whatever I have in the pantry, fridge, freezer, etc. It is wise to indicate expiry date so that i could remember, that i need to use that ingredient up soon.
2. I open an Excel file in calendar format and start filling it. First I fill out the days when we'll be eating elsewhere, i.e. parents' or friends' house, and it is arranged. These normally fall on the weekends. Then I fill out the remainder Saturdays and Sundays. Not only because i have more time to cook at the weekends, but also these are the meals that leave you with the most leftovers. So for Mondays i would plan something using the leftover of the Sunday roast (with salad, in a strata or in a wrap or sandwich etc). This will go on for the rest of the days. If i have grilled veggies with something, next day i would have a casserole to use them up. I reduce waisting, we have a greater variety of meals and i save money.
I know lots of people just throw leftovers in the freezer for 'rainy days' or busy days. I did that in the past and never really liked the taste when i thawed it. I always had to make something with it, so why not use them up the following day, why store them longer?
3. I make the shopping list of the things i'll still need for the month. Yes, i do major shopping once a month. This way i only need to go the farmer's market once a week to get fresh veggies, meat, bakery and dairy.
4. I reorganize the shopping list by the sequence of the aisles in the supermarket. I know it sounds that the german in me took over again, but i actually do find it really helpful. It helps me reduce the time i spend in the shop which prevents me from impulse buying thus saves me money. Not so ridiculous now, is it?
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