Agreed! Hell, half the time it isn’t even him or the baby, I’m just willing to spend more when I’m distracted and we both are horrible influences to each other when it comes to “treating ourselves”
Shopping w my husband actually keeps us on budget, I have to wait until he's available, there for I compile a list instead of " knowing what we need" He is more likely to encourage me to get sales items I might not otherwise stock up on and pay full price for later, also I tend to buy none nessicary ' treats for him'
I started watching your videos and some others on budgeting. I was frustrated at how fast our paychecks disappered and wondered what was draining it. I added up what we spent on groceries(lots of impulse buys and snack foods!) and decided to make the next entire week planned around what I already had in our freezer and cupboards. After that I made a budget and told my teenagers how we were going to be shopping differently. They were fully on board and limited their snack buys(healthy snacks like fruit I counted as freebies). In the past 5 months we saved enough to pay off our car($1200), pay for all of our gifts during the holidays and put about 700 in our vacation savings. I started using cash for grocery shopping and that helped me so much because it forced me to really know how much I was spending and how much of the budget I had left. Keep making these great videos! Thank you for such great content, it's blessing so many.
After watching you for months and months, I finally pulled together a dinner tonight using just what we had in the fridge and pantry instead of going out. I felt so proud of myself that I know I will do it again. I got the inspiration from watching.
We've stopped eating out as much as we used to. I have days when I just don't have the energy to produce a meal. My strategy is to freeze meals or have easy to prepare options, so it's actually faster to eat at home. I also buy frozen pizza when it's on sale, it takes 15 minutes to bake and is cheaper than delivery.
I just wanna say I wish I’d had a momma like you! You’re such a great mom, juggler, homemaker, business woman, and still make time for self care, you’re my hero!
Thanks Mindy. I see so many videos that are saving on groceries but aren’t relevant based on where I live. Your tips can be used regardless of where you live. One thing I am doing this year is only shopping twice a month so I can stay out of the stores and curb impulse purchases. That means planning meals and ensuring we have a good stock of pantry and freezer items. It’s going to be an adjustment for my husband.
Another tip too is to buy when you have money for things you use regularly. Or on proteins like meat that are on sale to help stock up or for next week to save. I make a lot of things at home to save on things like taco seasoning or spaghetti sauce.
I’ve been doing freezer meals for the past couple of years, just all dinners for 1-2 months at a time, but my grocery bill is pretty low plus making majority of things from scratch and instead of buying separate things for lunch I make enough for dinner to have leftovers the next day or 2. Learning so much. Thank you Mindy for your videos! -Sarah
In addition to using open and partial items up before shopping, I start every year by meal planning around gradually using and replacing everything in my pantry and freezer. I only buy what I need to turn the freezer and pantry items into meals and the items I used since the last shop. It saves me money right after the holidays and ensures that nothing has been forgotten and allowed to expire.
@@andreasmith8213 I start with the things that are oldest or have the fewest uses. Looking up recipes online if I don’t have ideas and being more creative is easier at the start when I am enthusiastic about doing it. Later when it begins to get old (I am single so it takes me awhile to get through everything) I just have the easy things that can be used in a variety of ways.
I try to buy all my groceries online and have them delivered. Or, you could pick up your order. I find that buying online means that I only get what I need and don't fall victim to buying extra things not on my list when I'm in the store.
I am now at a stage where I have become realistic about what we will actually eat and enjoy. In the past I have tried a few really nice recipes that just didn't work out in our household, this food wasn't wasted for the most part, but we didn't enjoy the dish that much and I never cooked it again. I am trying to keep a few things on rotation, perhaps with slight changes of the options between summer and winter. I am of course watching my spending but sometimes it is worth to spend a bit more and have a meal we will enjoy much more.
Macaroni and cheese is 25¢ a box this week. I haven’t seen that price in years. Buying the max but that’s all I’m buying all week. Stock up when something is ridiculously low
Your budget saving tip videos for groceries have been my go to when I’m needing to find good deals on groceries. Keep up the good work. Your videos have been such a blessing to help me save money on groceries for my family.
I am striving to use up or nearly use up what we have in our freezers. I am determined to do it. I would usually only grocery shop every 2-3 weeks before but with using up what we have, I am hoping to save at least $300-500 in the process.
I’m sure someone has suggested it already but if you have the space, you should really start your own garden. Even a small one. You could save on buying veggies alone!
I've heard most of those meal box companies put the ingredients/recipes for seasoning blends online. That might help you recreate a dish if it ends up being a favorite.
My husband went to the corner grocery store to pick up a small carton of buttermilk that he wasn’t able to find at the Smiths just before that and the cashier was surprised that he came and spent only 40 cents on one item🥳
Using the USDA budget is unrealistic because if I spent anywhere near that much (I spend about 1/2 the thrifty) because up I wouldn't be able to afford my mortgage or light bill if I spent as much as the USDA thinks a family should. Those numbers are crazy high and not sustainable.
Yes all good ideas! What I try to do now is limit my trips to the store and as I realize I need something I add it to my Walmart cart and after I either have a lot of items or if I'm dangerously low on something like coffee, I check out. And even then I try to take another look at everything in my cart and see if there's anything I can do without and if so then I save it for later. It's a small thing but I have found that it saves a lot of time and money.
I love that you always the budgeting tension between finances and time! Such a hard juggle as a working mum with busy kids doing sports dance etc etc. I mix it up between cheaper scratch meals, easy convenience meals that are kind of assemble heat and eat style, eg tortellini and sauce with a bag salad or something, crock pot meals, and the planned takeaway for the really hectic nights!
Great advice Mindy. My issue is the kids, lol. It's always something with them. Sometimes it's I'm not hungry, I don't like that (even though they ate it last week.) Their minds, moods and hunger is all over the place. They are not going hungry, but geez. Most days I am making dinner for myself.
I totally understand. I’ve been there (and sometimes still am even these days). I have never fought the kids much on this, and if they want to make a peanut butter eggo waffle or a bowl of cereal and a banana, I typically say, “fine”. :)
Several things helped me so much when I had three kids at home. 1. A set budget and shopping with cash so i couldn't go over 2. Meal plan of simple meals that did not require a lot of specialty ingredients 3. A detailed shopping list on paper and shopping with a pen in hand so i could keep a running total on the paper. Again I could not go over the amount of money in my wallet. Now there are just my husband and me and i have gotten away from all that but i realize i need to get back to it. Thanks Mindy!
I live your videos! They have inspired me so and I am a meat and potatoes person and single. What I have started doing is making two different meals every Sunday for the week..yes it can get a little boring...but I do soup and salad or sandwich on other nights. I owe this to you! Stay well and keep making videos please! PS your hair is beautiful!
When you talked about buying the store brand it reminded me of a story from the man who started aldi stores in america. His name was Mr. Neely. He was the father of a good friend of mine. He told me that their captain crunch cereal was the same as the name brand captain crunch. It was just packaged in aldi boxes. So some of those store brand products are actually the same as the name brand products. A man who worked for an ice cream company told my Mother the same thing. One of the walmart ice creams was the same as one of the name brands that they sold. So it is definitely worth trying the store brand products.
I love to coupon, but it took awhile to only buy items we use. I also pantry and freezer shop. But sometimes convenience outweighs time. Your hair is super cute. Thanks for all you do! ❤
I have been trying to budget $300-$350 a month for groceries, I checked the USDA thrifty plan for my 4 year old and me, and the thrifty plan is about $417 a month lol I guess I can raise my budget this year
I hope you took note of all those packets that went into the chicken marinade so you can try to recreate it in the future.😉(I counted Greek Vinaigrette, Teriyaki, Soy(?), and a red mystery sauce.)
Mindy!! I saw You on our local News Station this morning, You are such a Treasure! Thank You for doing all You do. I am an LEO Wife / Stay at Home Parent . You have helped Me keep us out of the red so many times! So thankful for You and your Mission here on RU-vid ❤
I have a bunch of frozen items like meat and dairy from Flashfood. I'm doing a no/low spend January to use up these items. They have great produce deals too.
I recently had some freezer meals that I made at a Citrus Pear class. I had leftover chili and leftover Tex Mex Chicken. Combined the two, added a can of chili ready tomatoes and another can of beans and had two more nights of dinner with the resulting chili. that was seven nights (not in a row) of meals out of two. There are only two of us eating but I even took some for lunch a couple of days. I'm my moms caregiver so I'm the only one cooking and love the freezer meals and experimenting with whatever is in the house.
I buy a lot of store brand grocery items as well. The thing I don’t get to skimp on is lunchbox snacks such as cookies and chips. I have to purchase individually wrapped items and the little bags of chips because they refuse to get a bowl or zipper bag and put some snacks in it! It’s a battle I’m no longer willing to fight haha
I rarely deviate from a list. I went to Costco last month for Kerry gold butter, protein shakes and a waterpik and the cashier looked at me like I was crazy
@seemindymom I'd love imput on how/what to do going out with your kids in tow and lunches or some sustenance would be needed. I have 3 kiddos, 1 allergic to nuts, and a picky eater. I have a hard time going out during the day to run errands and do things bc we need to eat, and places are getting way expensive. I also am following a grocery budget but packing lunches dips into their school supplies. Tips, please.
Just buy what you need.and everyone eat the same meals ,not do different times dinner 5.30 pm or if you call it tea .if your children like snacks give the fruits and vegetables
I just launched a website (link in description ) and there are some cookbooks and meal plans there. I hope to be uploading more recipes there to the blog page over the next several months.
Knowing what you're comfortable with cooking is helpful too, since your decision is already premade if you spot something on sale. All you need to think about is whether you have enough of said ingredient until the next time it does go on sale. I noticed that I really slack on pasta items (like, I don't like to cook pasta), so I should really stop stocking up on pasta for things like spaghetti or pasta salad. Despite knowing how easy it is to throw pasta dishes together, I very much rather make an Asian stir fry with my ground beef, or make burger patties. 🥲
A very good point! I keep pasta (spaghetti and usually some other shape) on hand all the time along with jars of Alfredo and red sauce. The fam will crave/request spaghetti, and I find throwing the Alfredo sauce over other noodles with whatever meat and veg should be used up always feels easy to do and turns into a hit with my family. Love a stir fry but to me it feels more involved and more daunting when I'm low energy or feeling short on time. Every house is different 😊 gotta shop what works for you and yours, or it doesn't matter how good a deal the meal is.
