Dinner at our house has not always been the most cost effective of adventures. Tonight almost turned into one of those expensive mistakes, but I was able to "Just Say No" when tempted.
Would the pizza my husband offered to order have tasted good? Ya, you bet ya. But, the price tag was not something I was willing to pay, therefore we stuck with a quick, easy to make meal - bean & weiners. The package of hot dogs and two cans of beans cost under $3 for a family of 5. (We also had apples which did push the price up above $3.) The pizza would have cost almost $30. Plus, we already had the beans and hot dogs, so really there was no immediate impact to our budget.
Today's lesson: when grocery shopping, buy some easy to fix, quick meal ideas which can be made in under 15 minutes. This will save you money in the long run because you can usually convince yourself to fix a quick meal, even when you are tired.
So, don't get on a first name basis with the pizza delivery man. Check out these quick meal ideas instead:
1. Beans & Weiners
2. Macaroni & Cheese with either Hot Dogs, Tuna or Canned Chicken mixed in (not all togther, pick one of the meats to combine with the Macaroni & Cheese)
3. Boxed Dinners which come with the meat as well (I can't remember the name of these, but they are usually in the pasta aisle) - maybe Complete Meals?
4. Frozen Pizza (definitely cheaper than delivery!)
5. Peanut Butter & Jelly - it's not just a lunch thing!
6. Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
7. Banquet Frozen Dinners in a bag - Chicken & Dumplings, Beef Stew, etc. They can be cooked on the stove top instead of in a crock pot.
8. Canned Ravioli
Hope these ideas help! Until the next time -
The Frugal Queen
