If you call the 1-800 number on the Parent's Choice Formula can, you can request a coupon. They are worth $4.00. You can call once a month to request a coupon. Make sure you mark your calender to note which day you called, and then call again the next month on the same day to request your next one.
If you have multiples, you can send in a copy of each of your baby's birth certificates and you can get a coupon each month for each of your kids.
The phone number that is on the can of formula is: 1-800-272-5095
You can call Monday thru Friday 9AM to 5PM Eastern Standard Time
You will be asked how old your child is, and the address the coupons should be sent to.
How To Stick To Your Grocery Budget
It can be very difficult to stick to your grocery budget if you are not careful. It is easy to say, "I have $400 to spend each month on groceries," but not stick to it. The fact of the matter is, it is easy to go over your budget.
What I do is...I figure out what we are going to have for meals for the week. My son eats lunch at school and my husband with take a sandwich, fruit, and/or leftovers. I am home during the day so I will eat leftovers and fruit or a sandwich. So I might right down on paper...
Breakfast
1. Eggs with broken up sliced ham from the deli and green peppers
2. Cereal
I usually eat eggs each morning and my husband and son will eat cereal
Lunch
1. Lunch meat for sandwiches ( I usually buy a pound of lunch meat), and Bread
2. Left overs
3. Hard boiled eggs
4. Fruit (bananas, oranges, apples)
Dinner
1. Salmon, mixed veggies, and couscous
2. Chicken, green beans, and baked potato
3. Steak, snap peas, and brown rice
4. Spaghetti (hamburger, pasta, and pasta sauce)
5. Turkey burgers, mixed veggies
6. Tuna salad, asparagus
7. Pork chops, brussel sprouts, and baked potato
Extras
1. Green peppers for adding zest to meals
2. Peanut butter
3. Lettuce and tomato for sandwiches
We usually have butter on hand, but if we are out of course I will add it to the list along with anything else we may only buy when we run out.
I right down on a list all of the things I will need in order to satisfy all of our meals...
- Salmon
- Chicken
- Hamburger
- Eggs
- Turkey burgers
- Steaks
- Bag of potatos
- Green beans
- Mixed veggies
- Asparagus
- Brussel sprouts
- 2 cans of tuna
- Pasta
- Pasta sauce
- Brown rice
- Couscous
- Cereal
- Lunch meat (Ham)
- Green pepper
- Peanut butter
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Bananas
- Apples
- Oranges
- Snap peas
- Bread
- Milk
- Pork Chop
Buy Generic
There is nothing wrong with buying generic. Most items you can not even tell the difference. If there is something that you know you don't like in the generic brand then get a brand name. However, you shouldn't buy all brand name items or it will be hard to stick to your budget.
Buying Bulk
Some items I will buy in bulk, for example, we will buy a whole pork loin and cut it up to freeze it. I might have pork chops on my list of meals, but don't have to buy it that week. The same goes for other meats too. We will go to Sam's Club and get a large portion of steaks, or the meat market for a large portion of chicken. When ever you can save money by buying bulk, do it. It will save you money in the long run.
My family Budget
My family has a budget of $100 a week. There is my husband, my oldest son, me and my twins. My oldest son is at his dad's 50% of the time and at our house the other 50%. Our weekly budget includes two cans of generic brand formula and baby food for the week for the twins. We manage to stick to this budget weekly. Some weeks might be more because we will buy our bulk items, but the other weeks are much less because we don't have those items to buy.
Snacks
We are eating from a healthy eating plan and we still manage to stick to our budget. We don't buy a lot of snacks because we eat fruit mostly for snacks. For those who buy a lot of snacks, my advice to make as many snacks as possible. Buy boxed of instant pudding, jello, brownie mixes, cake mixes, etc. You will save a lot of money by not buying pre-made snacks.
I go grocery shopping weekly because it is easier for us to stick to our budget that way. I buy only what we need for a week and go again the next week. It is what works best for us. If it is easier for you to go by-weekly or monthly that is fine. Whatever works for you best is what you should do.
I hope this has helped you to stick to your budget. I would love to hear any ideas you have. All comments are welcome!
