Do You Know What the average American Family Spends on Eating Out

Food is one big area where many families could be more thrifty. Families spend an average of $2,434 on food away from home, according to the Consumer Expenditure Survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you (and your spouse and your children) eat lunch out every day of the week then try brown bagging at least one of those days. If just one of you does it you may save up to $400 a year and if you can double or triple that savings you could finance a family vacation with it.

Simple, inexpensive and healthy lunches.

Lunch should be only about 400 calories. Buy large bags of pretzels, rice cereal, a large jar of peanuts, celery sticks, carrots, large bag of apples, a large jar of peanut butter, couple of favorite jellies or jams, a large block of cheese, a large box of crackers.

Pack my Cranberry Date Breakfast Bars or Peanut Butter Granola Bars.

A lunch maybe a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a small bag of pretzels, and some apple wedges, sprinkle with a lemon juice, cinnamon sugar to keep them from turning brown. A healthier yummy lunch. Or pack a mixture of rice cereal, pretzels, peanuts mix with Worcestershire sauce, add some garlic salt if desired warm in oven 350 degrees for 10 min. cool and divided into bags for a great lunch snack. Pack a Peanut Butter Granola Bar and slice the block cheese into thin sliced cubes and crackers.

Lunch can be a great way to include younger children in letting them help prepare their lunch the night before.

SUMMER VACATIONS/LABOR DAY/HOLIDAY

SUMMER VACATIONS/LABOR DAY/HOLIDAY
AT THE BEACH, LAKE AND PARKS
PREPARING AND PLANNING FOR THESE ARE AS EASY AS 1, 2 ,3
CLEAN UP THE AREA BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
DON'T BOAT OR DRINK AND DRIVE.

1. ICE CHEST USE SOLID BLOCK ICE. IT LAST LONGER AND WILL KEEP YOUR FOOD AND DRINKS COOLER LONGER

2. DRINKS: SODA AND BEER WILL DEHYDRATE YOU. MAKE SURE YOU TAKE PLENTY OF WATER. ALSO REMEMBER TANG THE ASTRONAUTS. MIX AND POUR INTO A GALLON MILK JUG AND FREEZE AS IT THAWS IT IS COLD AND REFRESHING.

3. FREEZE GRAPES: THEY ARE DELICIOUS

4. PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS (SEE RECIPE)posted 7/29/09

5. NATURAL FOODS (NOT JUNK)SEE BELOW HEALTHY SCHOOL LUNCHES: CARROTS, CELERY, APPLE WEDGES SPRINLE WITH CINNAMON AND SUGAR, MIXED CERELS ADD RAISINS AND M & M'S.

6. MEATS: LEAN CUTS OF TURKEY, AND HAM, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP IT COOL.

7. EASY HEALTY SNACKS: CRACKERS AND NILLA WAFERS. FOR CHEESE AND CRACKERS. NILLA WAFERS WITH PEANUT BUTTER.

Tip # 2: Spend Less, Get More – 5 Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store

The five ways takes you very little time and can save you hundreds of dollars on your grocery bill each year.

It’s no secret that groceries take a huge chunk out of the family budget. The more people in your house, the more you spend each week at the grocery store. Saving money on groceries is one way you can actively affect the amount of money you spend every week, month and year. The good news is that you don’t have to make huge sacrifices to find huge savings. In fact, the following five simple steps take you very little time and can save you hundreds of dollars on your grocery bill each year:

1. Take the time to look at coupons, ANY coupons: store coupons, manufacturers’ coupons, local coupons, coupons from magazines and coupons that you print off the internet. If at all possible, use them. It may not be the brand you normally buy but many off brands come from the same place as the more well known brands. Check to see what is on sale - and I mean really on sale. For instance, some grocers place some offers at “10 items for some dollar amount.” Well, you have to ask yourself: is it really a bargain? Bring a calculator and do the math; if it IS a bargain, snatch it up. If not, walk on by.
2. Stick to your lists. DO NOT BUY IF IT IS NOT ON YOUR LISTS. You took the time to prepare your menu for the week or month. (See my book Save Your Money, Save Your Family coming soon) and made a lists of food items that you need. Stick to it.
3. Eat before you go. Even if it is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a glass of milk. This will keep you from impulse buying because you are hungry.
4. Don’t buy non food items at a grocery store. Toiletries, laundry, paper products, make up even spices, bread, wine are to be purchased from a discount store, 99 cent store or day old bread store.
5. Always remember: the bigger companies that can afford to have their products at eye level pay to be there. So this convenience costs you, the consumer, more money. If you don’t believe me, try this simple experiment the next time you go shopping: look up above eye level and look down at the knee level, these companies are smaller companies but have as good as or better food products for much cheaper prices.