Meal Planning Part 1 - Food Budget

Cute sign I want to get for my kitchen, Hobby Lobby

This post will be broken up into three parts food budget, monthly planning, and weekly planning.

I've been working on this for about a year, trying different ideas and ways to shop and organize. I'm happy to say I'm down to perfection! (Well in my mind...hehehe) It's taken a lot of trial, error,and redo's but here you go. Use whatever you like, probably the best thing I've learned is you need to create what works for you. What I like to do, you might hate.

BUDGET:
You need to set a budget, the best way I stick to my budget is buy using cash ONLY and a shopping list.

I love to shop and spend money; it really doesn’t matter on what. So grocery shopping is just as much fun for me as clothes shopping, well almost. So in order for me to stay in budget I have to do cash and a list. Or else I’m spending more and getting lots of unneeded stuff, I’m very distracted when shopping by eye candy. If I don’t have a list I’m most likely buying twice as much stuff as I went in for. Ha! Love being a chick, I think this might run in our blood.

So since I know this is my weakness, I stick to cash and a list and I’m good.

P.S. The app I use and love for book keeping is called Pocket Money (iPad and iPhone), I also have heard really good things about Mint.com and Mint is free.

xoxojolleen
Do you have any tricks to help you stay in budget?