My Wednesday Pantry-Grocery Budget Strategies

      

Not my Pantry-DH Would have a melt
down if mine looked like this. It's one
 area he is constantly creating order! 

     This is a different kind of weekly menu. Heck, I ever stick to it anyway so thought I'd change my  word focus a bit. I'm shaping up our budget heading into 2022. I want the coming year and the following to be our test to live on my salary alone. That means everything from basics like food and utilities, to optional expenses of entertainment, travel and gift giving should be paid for from my bi-monthly paychecks, with 1-2 3rd check months. We are fortunate to have by this years end, in long term savings enough to cover the following life goals- the rest of our daughters college, set asides for three housing projects; deck, bathroom, and new flooring, plus the miscellaneous repairs, two years of Roth, and even a hold for our contribution to future weddings. It doesn't yet, nor do I think by years end, will there be enough to cover major travel, but I've got a future post to think on that. We have emergency savings of 12 months elsewhere should both shoes drop. If this goes right, every penny DH takes home will be going into savings.

     This means I need to find $150 average per month, $1800 per year in reductions to our spending. On paper, it's a breeze. My commuting costs are drastically cut. I'm trying to plug money holes and reduce purchases coming into the home of non consumable nature. But, we also want to live life and we enjoy some of the finer things, and that' where the  strategize need to come in.

     And as much as beans and rice are healthy and can be tasty, it's not all I want to cook. However, to end the year and start retraining myself for the next two, I've got a strategy for November and December. Both months have a holiday week, and both months have 1-2 people more in the house. I've got some stock up items, but not to the point I wouldn't need to shop. My plan though is to  eat a combination of low cost and healthy food, building up additional  stock items at loss leader prices, and keep a generous $100 extra for the holiday weeks. The grocery shop needs to be at or below $75 per week. It will mean scratch and double portion cooking, and lots of humble meals. I don't mind at all as when it gets chilly those are what I crave. 

Here's a few of our favorite budget meals:

• Soups of course:
• Chicken noodle soup, loaded with vegetables with bread on the side
• Bean and bacon or ham with cheddar cheese biscuits
• Potato corn chowder and bread sticks
• Tomato soup with grilled cheese
• Beef, bean and cheese enchiladas-when made with just beans, DH was luke warm but loved when I added beef and used black beans instead of refried beans.
• Taco Tuesday night-when adding rice and beans, not only is it a filling meal, it yields lunch for several days and even a burrito or two to pop in the freezer for a future lunch.
• Crock pot pasta-loads of variations, but the pizza version was definitely a winner
• Cottage pies-these have become one of DH's favorite
• Chicken, rice, broccoli and cheese hotdish-my absolute favorite
• Turkey meatloaf and roasted potatoes
• Tuna hotdish with cheese
• Egg bakes with homemade muffins-brunch options for Sundays that keeps us filled for the day
• Goulash-I can't help but getting a large batch of this staple, so it serves as lunch for many days as well
• Chili and cornbread, perhaps with rice
• Chicken-vegetable stir fry with rice
• Homemade flatbread pizza with miscellaneous toppings

     These can be recirculated through the month as needed. What's not here is a load of  meat based dishes, but there is protein across the board. I'll spurge on things like beef roasts and steaks, bacon wrapped chicken breasts, and salmon for holiday meals themselves. I'll keep replacing spices, olive and sesame oil, and other things that jazz up humble ingredients. I'll have fun browsing web sites and cooking books and putting a low cost spin on when possible. I figure if I can get in the mindset of shopping, cooking and eating this way during peak holiday season when every store has tempting and expensive treats and convenience, I can easily trim perhaps $50 a month from our grocery budget heading into 2022. I know that many people  spend on average way less than $75 per week, and with larger families, so this feels doable and not painful. Plus, for the end of the year-I'll have my holiday spending surplus.

      It's just one of many strategies to reach that $150 average monthly budget reduction. This will still be $400 for both November and December, but if I reduce to say $350 going forward, even if I keep a holiday splurge budget, I'll trim about $500 annually in groceries. Slowly building stock items will help me as well when I want to do a drastic budget challenge or a no spend week. Are you reducing pricier ingredients from your shopping? What are some basics and some splurge items you keep as part of your regular purchases that both keep your budget low, but food delicious?