Organize supplies

First things first. Eliminate all unnecessary spending and organize supplies. Since eliminating is so much more difficult than organizing I'll start by figuring out what we have stored up. It's been months and months since I have gone through everything.

Step 1: Sort Stuff


Step 2: Organize stuff into meal plans

After sorting through the canned and boxed goods, it's time to organize the food into meals, not one of my areas of expertise. I can have a freezer full of food and still make cheesies (tortilla's & cheese, quesedillas) or eat pancakes for dinner, it's just what I do. I need to remind myself that I can do hard things, I will now chant, "making a meal plan is fun to do, fun to do, fun to do..." Here are some ideas of easy things to make with ingredients we all have (maybe).

10 meals on 10 dollars
cheaper meal planning
nutrition.gov : recipes and tips for thrifty and healthy meals


Step 3: Clip coupons and shop frugally

Since most of our monthly bills are fixed, grocery shopping is the one area that I can cinch my spending. So much of my food is buried in cabinets and storage shelves of clutter (no longer cluttered). I often will go to the store and purchase duplicates of items of which I already have plenty. I rarely go shopping with a meal plan or list and never with a coupon. Regrettably I am an impulse buyer, a visual purchase maker of the worst kind. I often run to the grocery store 3-4 times a week because I have forgotten something. Each of these admissions are gigantic No No's in frugaltopia. Some of my friends are able to spend between 60 and 80 dollars a week on their grocery bills (to feed a family of 4)so why can't I. More tips to come on shopping cheap but for now;

safeway cupons: although it's still probably cheaper to shop at WinCo
10 secrets to grocery shopping on a budget

Step 4 (optional, but not for me): Make the drudgery visually appealing:

Grocery list maker
menu plan is printable click on image to enlarge, save and print

Necessity

I hate eating leftovers. Instead of fixing it when it's broken or wearing something out, I like to buy things new. Doing without is an exception to the rule and unfortunately not the rule I follow. Time has come to reinvent my way of living. Becoming a bi-product of my spending habits is starting to haunt me. I want to live more providently.

Farm Security Administration: Destitute pea pickers in California.
Mother of seven children. (Circa February 1936)

Money or lack of it has been a hot topic throughout history. On Saturday I read in Newsweek about Depression 2.0 and the state of our nation. I have listened to talks given by Church leaders about the need to live with in our means. I pass by bill boards along the freeway and hear slogans like "Act your wage" and "If in debt the only reason you should be going to a restaurant is if you are going there to work." (thank you Dave Ramsey)

Talking to a wise old owl this afternoon I was encouraged to create something worthwhile out of our situation. So here it is, as the saying goes, "Necessity is the mother of invention". This site will document my journey as I become A Mother of Invention out of desire to better my financial future. I will be posting all of the advise and creative ideas that I come across, (perhaps even an invention or two of my own) as I organize my life. I'd love to read about your successes and of things you've tried in order to save a dime or help you live within your means. You can email me at: amotherofinvention{at}gmail{dot}com or post a comment on the blog. With your permission I will publish your tips so that we can all benefit.

Peek in on my progress and see how it goes. The added pressure of you watching will spur me on. So let the good times roll.

**Side note. Don't start sending us cans of powdered milk. We are not destitute or bankrupt yet!**