Five Ways to Plan Ahead and Save Money

By Karee Blunt

1. If your appointments and errands have you out with the kids during lunch time, take a few minutes before you leave to pack a light lunch to eat on the go. PB&J, apple slices, and water bottles are easy and inexpensive to throw together.

2. Always have a standby on hand for nights when you get home later than planned with no dinner ready. Scrambled eggs and toast make for a quick and easy dinner.

3. If you’re not already using a money tracking tool, start now! Keep it up to date and use it to plan how much money you have left each month for groceries and other expenses.

4. Before buying something new, consider borrowing, shopping at thrift stores, or even checking out Freecycle to find a better deal. (Visit Freecycle.org to find a group in your area.)

5. Go to the store armed with your shopping list. On average, six out of ten items that end up in a person’s grocery cart are impulse buys. Before you go, make your list and then commit to sticking to it!

 
 
Karee and her husband, Rodney, live in beautiful Skagit Valley, Washington. They’ve been married twenty-five years and are a homeschooling family with five children. Karee has a passion for helping other women prioritize their lives and their money for the glory of God. She is co-founder of www.BuildaMenu.com, an author, speaker, and adoption advocate. She welcomes your emails at [email protected].