Time AND Money management

Subject: Time AND Money management Fri 29 Jun 2007, 2:04 am

I have this week started new shifts at work, less hours but more unsociable. I used to get up at 4am to get to work for 5am (finishing my shift at 2-3pm) on four days of the week. Now I am working 9pm to 6am (overnight) on three days of the week. The good thing is that they're blocked together...Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights...which means that when I get home on Saturday morning I'm finished until the following Wednesday night again cheers

This is good because I'm exhausted after working pallets of stock all night in refrigerated areas although there are no disturbances so I get more done! DH and I are like a tag-team. He starts work at 6am, so he turns on my electric blanket and I can slip into a nice warm bed as soon as I get home...helps me fall asleep Sleepy

ANYHOW, to my point:
Beginning next week (and continuing on each week from there) I really want to try for ONE SPEND DAY PER WEEK! I've mentioned reading about this before somewhere.
I might make it a Monday or Tuesday. On this day I will grocery shop, fill my tank with petrol (gas), although I only do this fortnightly, and pay any bills due. I will sit down on Sunday evening (or Monday morning) and write out a list of everything we need. Some items I don't purchase at the grocery store (like toilet rolls, some cleaning products and dogfood), I buy these instead in bulk at a large retail chain which works out much cheaper so usually it's once a month or less!
I will go back to using the weekly 'Menu Planner' that I'd made up on my computer a while ago, it even has a place for the 'chef's name' for whoever is designated to cook that meal on that day Wink

I want DS to cook dinner one evening per week, he needs to learn something other than ovenready pizza Rolling Eyes

It's an opportunity to show him a few easy meals. He really wants to learn how to make lasagne.
I will try to cook a few batches of each dinner on some of my designated days, and freeze them, so I can have that 'time off' on following weeks Very Happy

This means I will have to buy double or triple amounts of whatever I need to cook the chosen meals.
I realize I will have to be SUPER organized to pull this off. If I buy larger quantities at the supermarket on some weeks (for bulk meal cooking), this also means that on other weeks I won't need so many items and my bill will be cheaper.
With the time I'll free up from nipping out for things I'd forgotten (and usually sneaking in extras we don't really need), I should have more time to devote to ME Very Happy

and little projects I'd like to attend to around the home.
I find that I really do waste a lot of 'my own' time even though I try to be as organized as I can, there is room for improvement.
On my designated shopping day I can also 'window-shop', I get some good ideas this way, and buy craft items I'd like to use.
I might be a rebel and break out once a month for a family treat, like the movies (although they're getting so expensive Shocked

) or dining out Hungry

We'll see how this goes...good intentions don't always pan out Laughing

WOW...this almost turned into a novel.
And they all lived happily ever after.....THE END. study

_________________
~ LESS IS MORE ~

Moderator Age : 28 Joined : 12 Oct 2006 Posts : 2055

Skin...you are so funny...

ok...I think your plan sounds great! This is something more people should try and I am one...my problem is with small kids we run out of milk ALL the time! LOL
You should free up time for YOU by doing this! I am excited for you!

Subject: Re: Time AND Money management Fri 29 Jun 2007, 6:55 am

Go for it Skin! I know that you have mentioned reading about doing this before and you will never know how it works if you do not give it a try, eh? It sounds like it might just be the right thing to allow you to have more time at home and hopefully save more money. Good for you on being so organized! That is an area where I am trying to improve. This is exciting...do not forget to update us, ok?
_________________
MARY

Subject: Re: Time AND Money management Fri 29 Jun 2007, 8:29 am

skin, I wish I had your stamina. I have a lot of respect for you in doing this. It sounds like a good plan, and I know you can do this. Please keep us informed and updated.

Subject: Re: Time AND Money management Fri 29 Jun 2007, 10:05 am

Skin this sounds like a really great plan Let us know what happens .
_________________
Gayla

"They take great pride in making their dinner cost much; I take my pride in making my dinner cost so little."

---Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Subject: Re: Time AND Money management Fri 29 Jun 2007, 2:32 pm

Hey skin,,I love the idea,,and agree with you about being super organzed but Im 100% behind you.I am trying to get to the point of once a month shopping,,but first goal is a 2 week shopping and then build up from there.Can you post or send me what your menu planner is like that you made up.Im curious on how to have this help me also.

Subject: Re: Time AND Money management Fri 29 Jun 2007, 3:55 pm

I will attach it to an email Donna and hope you can open it, otherwise I'll print a copy and post it Smile

I had an easy set meal on 2 days of the week, i.e. Stew on Tuesdays and Fish & Chips on Fridays, both were easy and anyone could make Friday's dinner! I may delete those and change things around now, but you'll get the general idea. You could use the Menu page (listing Sunday through to Saturday) for 4 weeks running and then change it around for the following 4 weeks, etc.
You can let me know if you were able to open the attachment or not.
_________________
~ LESS IS MORE ~

Subject: Re: Time AND Money management Fri 29 Jun 2007, 4:29 pm

I had a really quick search on the internet and found this printable version, it's a combined Menu & Shopping list. It's different to the one I made up for myself but might be handy.

http://singleparents.about.com/library/Groceries.pdf
_________________
~ LESS IS MORE ~

Subject: Re: Time AND Money management Sat 30 Jun 2007, 7:45 am

Skin I think this is a great idea. This is what I do. I do my shopping every 2 weeks on a Friday, get gas while I am out and I also set up my bills to be paid every Friday as this is our payday. We pretty much only spend on Fridays and then on Sundays for our tithe. On occasion we may have to spend a dollar or 2 during the week but not too often
_________________
Vicki

[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/wH4660m/]

[/url]

Subject: Re: Time AND Money management Sat 30 Jun 2007, 8:54 am

Thats great Vicki,,I am aiming for that every two weeks to start at.Thanks Skin,,I got your email,,I made myself sit down and planned out 3 weeks worth of menus to start!

Moderator Age : 28 Joined : 12 Oct 2006 Posts : 2055

Great planning ladies, I love being organized!!!!

Subject: Re: Time AND Money management Sun 01 Jul 2007, 2:23 am

Vicki, your plan is great and I'm glad it works! I'm hoping I can pull this off. I'm anticipating having to buy milk (& maybe fruit/veg) in small amounts in between but I'm thinking if I set aside a little money for these in an envelope on Mondays when I've finished everything else it will still count as ONE spend day per week only Razz

Donna, I'm glad you were able to open the attachment, you may prefer a different chart to mine but that's what worked for me as I left a little segment for ingredients for each meal so I could include everything on my shopping list Smile

It gives a general idea though. I also only made it for evening dinner (because often we had cooked enough for leftover lunches). I could delete the permanent meals I'd set on 2 days and send you a blank if you prefer. The printable one I'd found on the internet included breakfast and lunch also...so might be better.

I'm now going to make myself a HUGE mug of coffee and go through my pantry, fridge/freezer, bathroom vanity etc...to make up my shopping list for tomorrow! I've already found some great specials for 1ltr pump-bottle bodywash ($2.99...$2 saving!) at a pharmacy store's online catalogue so I'll stock up on those again, they last for ages Very Happy

Oh (an afterthought), I must remember to bring a small calculator in my handbag while shopping to help calculate the best value on bulk purchases, we buy our dogfood in cartons but they have different sizes & prices and I want to work out the best value per set weight (say...100g).
_________________
~ LESS IS MORE ~