07/15/2021
Here is a sample of the content of the workbook- Step 1 pages 6 and 7...
"In making a weekly food budget, it is not realistic to assume you will never impulse buy- however, budgeting will clarify wants vs needs- to have a list helps reduce impulse buying…planning for the basics will save time and energy as well as money… be realistic with the amount of money you have to spend on food…if you choose to buy meats- please keep in mind that they have the potentially shortest hold time and the last thing you want to do is buy food that goes bad before you get a chance to eat it…that is a true waste of money. Be responsible but not so frugal that you will not keep your budget…think of spending money on food as an important need, integral to your ability to perform daily tasks and enhance your life…NOTE: you may choose to adjust or alter your spending as you practice- it is a good thing to review- you learn to change and be responsible!
EXERCISE: review your current food budget or create one:
My food budget will be $_____ per week or day
Write a short statement on if this is a reasonable expectation and if you will be able to sustain it? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What will do you to keep this money earmarked for food? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Keep track of the money you spend “outside of the grocery store”…determine if there is a way to either avoid or alter this type of spending…while it is reasonable that there are times you may want to adjust or alter a prepared planned meal by including a special seasoning/ingredient/component- keeping non-planned food spending to a minimum will positively impact your wallet! Example: Buying a ham sandwich at a convenience store may be necessary OCCASSIONALLY, however, if you plan and make your own sandwich, you may save A LOT of money!
EXERCISE: keep track of your spending on “fast food” for one week…include beverages: sodas/waters/energy drinks/supplement drinks/coffee:
I spend $____per day/week
Make a list of such items and write a plan for reducing your spending on these items: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
There will be expenditures for storing/packaging/transporting your prepared foods such as a cooler, ice packs, plastic containers, plastic baggies, wax paper, hot/cold containers…once you purchase these items, they will assist you in saving money…be reasonable in purchasing these items- be honest with yourself on the size that you need...there are some advantages to buying good quality over cheap, however you do not need to buy expensive products. Since these items are key to managing your money for food, you will need to include these costs… you may find it helpful to buy a new item each week for a month or two to help defer the cost over time. Please keep in mind the recyclable plastic containers do not last forever- and should discarded once they show wear (peeling, staining, cuts) which develop in the plastic from use…they degrade over time and will leak chemicals into your food…when possible use glass or metal or paper based recycled containers. A great substitute for ice packs is to freeze a wet washcloth in a plastic baggie…when it's no longer frozen/cold, you can use it to clean your hands and face.
EXERCISE: inventory storage/packaging items you already have and make a list of items you will need to buy: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Write a plan for buying these items: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________"
