Spreadsheet vs. notebook for my meal planning, and the winner shocked me

I've been trying to eat better and save money on groceries, so last month I switched from my usual notebook list to a proper spreadsheet. The notebook had everything scattered, I'd forget what I already had in the fridge, and I'd buy the same stuff twice. On the spreadsheet, I color coded by pantry, fridge, and freezer, then planned dinners around what was already there. After 3 weeks I cut my grocery bill from $110 a week down to $82, and I wasted way less food because I actually saw what was expiring. The difference was having the columns and formulas remind me what I was running low on, not just a messy page. Has anyone else had a tool like this completely change how they handle weekly planning?

1 comments

1 Comment

joel_clark371mo agoOG Member

Congrats, you discovered that lists work better when they’re not just scribbles on a coffee-stained page. Next thing you’ll tell me is that a calculator beats counting on your fingers. Color coding is just adulting with extra steps, but hey, if it keeps the freezer from becoming a science experiment, you win.