Let's Talk Inventory

Nowadays it seems like we are facing higher costs in every aspect of our lives. It's more and more challenging to keep costs at bay but all the more important. One of the biggest expenses we all have is our grocery bill. With the costs of food rising higher and higher it's wise to conserve and save to keep costs down.

One way is to keep your inventory up to date. Know what you have and use it up first. A well stocked pantry can be a life saver when your funds are low or the bills are high. If you know what you have on hand and keep your inventory up to date you can throw meals together quicker. You won't miss any ingredients because you will know what you have and don't have and know what to get or not get and this alone can save you money.

How many times have you went to the grocery store and come home and realize you forgot a vital ingredient for a dish you need to prepare that night because you assumed you had it. If you had a good running inventory this would not have happened. It's really easy to keep up but yes it's a little work to start. I print off pages from http://www.cindysporch.net/kitchen/kmain.shtml she has cute little inventory pages for the pantry,fridge and freezer and they are free. You must have adobe reader to get them for they are in pdf file form. She has a link to download it for free is you need it.

I do mine as follows......

Ok say that I have 12 cans of cut green beans

I list it...

Cut green beans - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

now when i use the up I put a mark or an x in the space when I need to make my grocery list I look at my inventory sheets and if I see I'm low on an item by how many blank spaces I have left then I know i Need to stock up on that item and do so.

It's a little work to start but it's worth it in the long run. If you have to start slow do one shelf at a time it's ok at least your doing something that is going to benefit your family and your finances.