Saving Time, Money and your Sanity

 

How long does it take you to get yourself and your children ready for leaving the house, in the car, drive to the grocery store, get the kids out of the car and into the store, back to the car, strap everyone in, and drive home? Half an hour, maybe forty-five minutes?  If you are as busy as most parents, why would you do this more often than necessary.  Yet many of us go to the grocery store several times a week.

 

Most of us with toddlers need more time.  A simple way to create more time is to grocery shop one time per week. Impossible?  Not with a little planning.   Before going to the store decide what you are going to eat for dinner for the next 6 days.  Make a list of the items you need; then add staples plus breakfast, lunch and snack foods. Go to the store and shop from your list.  If you need milk more often, have it delivered or ask your partner to pick some up once a week.  If you buy fresh fish or meat, eat that earlier in the week.  Eat more delicate fruits and vegetables earlier in the week.

 

Weekly shopping saves time

• Gives you more free time during the week to do fun things besides shopping
• You will not be in a long check out line at 5:00 with everyone else who shops everyday

Weekly shopping saves money

• Less opportunity to buy impulse items
• Less opportunity for children to beg for items
• Less gas and car usage

Weekly shopping is healthy for you

• Less need to buy restaurant or fast foods

The more meals eaten at home or brought from home, the healthier the meal

Weekly shopping reduces stress

• You know you have the food for each day in the house
• You don’t have to decide each day what to make for dinner

 

To make this work—

• Pick one day a week to shop, usually the same day each week.  Make it a priority.
• Shop from a list derived from actual meal planning.