Meal Planning in Style

One of my new goals to save money, time and headaches is to do a weekly meal plan and shopping list. I'm still working on planning my meals based on weekly sales and coupons, but that's going to take a little while to find my niche there. For now, the simple act of having a plan and shopping accordingly is going to save my family money on our grocery budget. Not to mention that it will limit any last minute shopping trips!

While looking through my local Micheals' Arts and Crafts store for some supplies I need for upcoming cakes I'm working on, I happened upon these adorable and stylish meal plan notepads. They are absolutely perfect for what I need! They have a magnetic back (perfect for sticking on my refrigerator) and have the days of the week in one column and a shopping list in the other column. On Sundays I can sit down, list my meals by day and then make a shopping list according to what I need (after browsing my fridge and pantry for what I may already have of course). It also helps to have my shopping list on the fridge because I can immediately write down the staples that we need as we run out of them. No more accidentally forgetting that one item you don't often think of.

The best part...these cute little notepads were only $1.00 a piece!!! They come in a variety of styles, and there are 52 weeks on the notepad. I think my shopping budget can handle the $1/year price tag!

So, if you are looking for a cute and easy way to plan meals and keep track of your shopping, head on over to your local Micheals' and pick up a couple of these. They also work great as little gifts for girlfriends. Happy meal-planning!