Tuesday, January 5, 2010

My New Years Resolution

Ok I will admit it, I do not normally do a New Years resolution. Lets be honest, they are promises made to be broken.

If we are really truthful with ourselves, we are NOT going to wake at 5am to do those 100 sit ups. We are NOT going to pass on the chocolate birthday cake at your nieces 3 year old birthday party. And when we find an awesome sale, we are NOT going to walk pass the store with 50% off signs and not get something.

Oh it might sound good to begin with. We might actually try it out for a week or two. If we are strong, it might even last a month. But on day 35, when that alarm goes off for the 100th time we will quickly forget those 100 sit ups as we hit the snooze button again! In two months we will not only eat the chocolate birthday cake but lick up the icecream leftovers our kids left unattended on their plate! And stop on the way home from work three months later to grab a bagful of 50% off items at the local mall.

Be honest.......be honest!!!

BUT I have been trying my best to cut on expenses. There isn't much left in our house to cut. We are eating out less which is my flaw. And Todd is now making coffee at home and trying to quit smoking which is his flaws.

Grocery shopping, however, has become my enemy. I cannot seem to come home without a huge, foot long receipt. And I cannot understand why. Prices are through the roof I know. And paying for a family of 5 ...two of which are teenagers.....one of which is a boy.......and I am just having problems cutting that receipt! I know I can. There must be a way!

I cut coupons.........then forget them at home! I tried a discount no name store but they don't carry everything I would need and so, if I shopped there, I would still have to make another trip to a grocery store to get the rest, thereby eating up my time and gas instead. I make a grocery list and shop only from that. I tried shopping at a local large grocery store instead of Walmart which likes to encourage impulse buying. I spent more!! So back to Walmart I went. But come on ladies....there is a reason they put all the clothes and jewelry in the middle of the store with pharmacy and beauty products on one end and the food no the other. They know they got ya! You got to pass all those things with throw back signs to get to the bananas! Evil, evil people!! But I have been good with that too!

So now I am focusing on meal prep. My kids are cut and dry meat and potato kids. Picky eaters. This one likes this and this one hates that. But I know I can do better. Casseroles. Pasta meals. They all use less meat. And meat is $$$. Less throw away spending on junk food. Bake more instead of packaged items. Etc etc etc

So my goal is to find impressive, simple, fast, tasty, low cost meals that my kids will actually pass by their lips and not whine about. I didn't think I could do it. But then I googled and found some sites with some interesting possibilities.

I thought I would share.............

This site had some really nice meals that I think my kids would actually try! And I could easily make on those on-the-run nights!



This one promises 15 meals at $1.50 per person. There were some possibilities here too.



I am going to try them. And maybe post about them. Hopefully I might actually cut my bill in 1/2......AND last more than 30 days!
Now if only I can remember the coupons!

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