A challenge for the rest of the month.

I was reading in my Reader's Digest an article that really set my wheels turning!! "My Family's No Buy Experiment" So, here's the jest of it. This family set a $100 budget for one month (for have to have items) to live on. You only pay the things that have to be paid, lights, house payment etc. No extras! They didn't even pay their internet. I'm not going to go to that extreme though. We've got a package deal with our internet, cell phones and house phones. We have to have the phones for our business. This family saved more than $2000.

So,I am challenging myself to spend only $50 on groceries for the rest of the month. I just went to the grocery last night. I only have 1/2 a loaf of bread left but I can make some-hopefully. So, keep reading and see what we're doing and how it's going. I am starting this as of today. These two shopping trips are not included. I'll post my next trip to the grocery. Hopefully it won't be for a while. (unless I break down and buy the bread! LOL)


Here's my groceries for this week. I did spend more that what I wanted to but I hope to not have to buy anything else except maybe some bread if I don't get some made. This picture is for Thursday. I didn't take a picture for my shopping visit last night. Too tired, I came in and put it all away without even thinking about taking my picture! Whoops!

Thursday Oct. 2, 2008: $26.31 for a few groceries. Was right there and picked up a few good deals
2 cases water (not shown) $2.98 each
8 cans chili beans $.50 each
1 can pumpkin $.79
bag of grapes $1.18 lb
8 lbs potatoes $3.98
6 cans biscuits $.78
1 jar Ragu Spaghetti Sauce $1.68
3 boxes of Velvetta Shells and Cheese 3/$5.00

I think I did pretty good to have only spent $26 and some change and gotten all of that. Everything that I got except for the pumpkin was on sale and I got the store brand that was only $.78 compared to $1.xx so still a good deal!! Planning out my menu with what I have and need to get just a couple of things.


Saturday October 4, 2008: I still needed to do a grocery run for some things that we so needed like toilet paper, Tide and toothpaste. If you run out of either of those in our house it would be such a tagedy! LOL So here's what I spent $64.87 (this is with a $2.00 off coupon for the toothpaste that I got)

Here's what we got:
2-Bags Santitas Chips $2 each (these are so good, and much cheaper than other kinds)
Orange Sherbet $2.64 (a treat that we normally don't get)
2-Big Bags of Popsicles $1.50 each (yet another treat)
1-Loaf Store Brand Bread $1.16
1-Large Roll of Sausage $5.18 (2 lb roll)
2-cucumbers $.64 each
2-Roma Tomatoes ($.98 lb) $.35 (for both)
Celery $1.48
Kraft Cheese 24 slices $4.58 (the kind DH just has to have!)
2-GV Kidney Beans $.64 each
2-GV Peas $.50 each
2-GV Green Beans $.50 each
3-Field Thick Slice Bacon $3.34 each
Tide Liquid $10.00
Toilet Paper $6.57
Glad Plug In Refills $5.12
Toothpaste $4.23 (amount without coupon applied)
100 Count GV Snack Size Ziploc Bags $2.48 (I put all of the kids snacks in these for school lunches and it saves us from having to buy chips, cookies and things at school)

So, I got all of that and that should do for quite a while. I have plenty of diapers for at least 2-3 weeks, we have the necessities I do believe. So, I hope to not spend more than $50 on groceries for the rest of the month. Can I do it? Yes, but will I do it??? That is the question. We have plenty of food in the frig and the freezer so......we shall see. I'll keep an update of what I spend. So, care to take the journey with me? Do it if you dare......!

I'll post what I am planning on cooking later.
Hugs!