Save time and money with this tip! Free printable

Mondays' Money Matters

Last minute cooking emergencies

Have you ever had to host something at the last minute or had a bunch of your childs' friends show up hungry?  Have you ever wanted to bake a dessert or make an entree and realize you were out of something?
I have and most of the time I ended up going out to the store unprepared to pick something up.  When I go to the grocery store unprepared, I usually end up spending way too much money.
These last minute cooking emergencies are going to happen to all of us, so lets make certain that we are prepared! We can do this by having a well stocked pantry.

How will having a well stocked pantry save you money?
A well stocked pantry keeps you from unplanned trips to the grocery store.  Most often these unplanned trips cause you to spend more.  I found that I impulse buy more if I am unprepared and feel rushed.  I would not have time to check prices and usually end up buying prepared meals that cost more.  Let's not forget about the cost of the gas you use going to the store over and over.  When I need just one thing from the grocery store, I never come back with just that one thing!  A well stocked pantry will keep your grocery store trips to a minimum and save you time and money.

Print the pantry list and start stocking those items!

Tips for stocking your pantry

• check the store sales and stock up of your pantry items when they go on sale
• if there is something your family likes to eat, make sure you always have it on hand.
• stock your pantry over time.  You don't need to buy everything at once.
• each week, buy a few items from the list
• start with buying the items your family uses often

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