Food

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I know I have talked alot about groceries so far...and HOW does that add up? Simple.

One of the first things you do, when you want to save money, is to track where you are currently spending it.

We spent $300 a month eating out...I know. UGH! That is $4,000 a year! All that money and nothing to show for it!

Eating at home can save that money...so saving at the grocery store was the next logical step. $375 a month at the grocery store is another $4,500. By trimming $275 or so a month off my grocery store spending I save another $3,300!

See how easy it was to save $7,300? That is about 1/5 of what I needed to save on this mission!

Don't get me wrong, we DO still eat out.
1) I use my Tupperware Business to run a challenge for my team where they can earn a big dinner out with us every quarter...and then I get to deduct it on my business taxes, LOL! It also creates a fun sense of team and accomplishment for them - which is really priceless.
2) Hubby has a credit card that has "perks" - which can be traded in for $25 restaurant gift cards to places like Olive Garden, TGI Fridays, etc. He had enough points to get 23 gift cards!
3) More gift cards: we ask for those as gifts as it is easy to pack if we haven't used them when we move.
4) There are places like MyPoints, etc where you can earn gift cards by doing simple things like answering surveys, clicking links, etc. I don't do these as I think they take too much of my time for the payoff.

To stretch a gift card, we go on days where the restaurants let kids eat free or for just $.99 and then we order water. A place like Chili's that does the 2 for $20 (appetizer, 2 entrees and one dessert for $20), with a free kid's meal is a great bargain and we usually have a leftover box!

Getting back to the grocery stores for a second...I will be sharing ideas for creative meal solutions. I learned a LOT from being in the restaurant business for almost 20 years and from having a professional chef for a Mother and Father! Our going joke used to be:
What is today's soup? Cream of Yesterday's Special!

Until Next time...my challenge to you is to log your own expenses and see where your cash is going. You can't fix a leak if you don't know where the hole is
:)

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