A "System of Structure" saves $150 per week in groceries !
Yes it's true ....... I want to share with you 2 simple steps that has seen our househild save $150 a week at the supermakrtet !
We have a household of 5 all of whom are above 16 and by the time you add a boyfriend or girlfriend of one of the older two for diner a night or 2 a week it was nothing for our grocery bill to be well over $350 per week …. It's just wasn’t sustainable.
So by applying the principles of the "System of Structure" to our meal planning and shopping list, we are now consistently only spending around $200 a week on groceries ! …… so that’s a massive $7,000+ a year savings just by being organised !
So here is how it works in 2 simple steps
Step 1 - Meal Planning
Usually On a Friday night, whomever is home in our household are usually mingling around the kitchen and pool table relaxing an sharing our week. It is here that everyone gets input into the 7 evening meals for the coming week from the 'master list' of meals we know everyone enjoys in our house (the list is approx 35 meals and growing)
Now there is a bit of structure that sits around this planning that is a bit time consuming to go through right now, but suffice to say when we plan these meals and what days they are, thought is given to left overs becoming lunches, what nights have school, work and sport commitments where cooking time might be rushed etc.
The meal list for the week then goes up on the fridge and everyone knows what is for dinner what night and now it's onto step 2
Step 2 - Shopping List
The first key to a great shopping list is to have all of your staples, meat, vegies, general meal items and toiletries all on a pre-prepared list. Our shopping list has a 140 odd items on it with a space to write in once off items that may be a treat or specially required items for a meal.
The second and most important time saving key to a great shopping list, is to lay out your shopping list in the same order as the isles in your local super market …. You will be amazed how much stress that takes out of the weekly shop and you never miss an item !
So building the shopping list for the week is not about "what you need" so much as it being a process of elimination from the master list and crossing off "what you don’t need" for the week. By using this method for not only the planned meals but for everything including staples and toiletries you are guaranteed to only be buying what you need for the week resulting is massive savings !
So there it is …. 2 simple steps to saving a fortune at the supermarket and all it take is a "System of Structure"
