Grocery Store Confessionals

Have you even gotten to the grocery store with your list in hand ready to tackle the big bad supermarket??

OR

Have you ever sat down to write a grocery list of what you NEED only to truly fill it up with what you WANT?? and then to make it worse, you buy everything on your list!

Seriously, how can we expect ourselves to live on a grocery budget until we get a real perspective on what we NEED! And then we must ask God to help us enjoy aquiring these needs, not focusing on the fact that we did not get that 1/2 gallon of praline pecan ice cream!

If you have been in any situation like this then...........

GROCERY STORE CONFESSIONALS

is for

YOU.

During the first week of my challenge I cheated and sent Billy to the store (he never buys anything extra!). Since I have been on a major spending freeze with my grocery budget, I am low on everything! Below you will see what I made off with during the 2nd week. I added a few things and dropped a few things from the original list.

This week I went A-L-O-N-E..

..well Abi went with me and did hook me for $1 erasers

(they were shaped like eggs in a frying pan....who could pass that up)

but overall it was

me and my money

against

the store.

I obtained my buggy, walked straight to the milk fridge (as this is where most of my money is spent anyway!), obtained 2 milks, 1 carton of eggs, only 1 creamer (not 2 as in my original grocery list because I have been using less), 2 bags of shredded cheese, $1 2-liter of Sprite, 24 double roll pack of toilet paper, hair gel for daddy (those men have to fix their hair!), baby soap, and a 50% off skein of yarn for knitting next years Christmas presents.

My total was

$41.83

- $32.72 giftcard balance

$9.11

YEAH!

Menu Plan - January 2nd - 8th

This picture doesn't have anything to do with menu planning but I thought it was sweet of me and my baby. And yes, that is my favorite shirt...I wear it all the time, living on less, remember?

Second week of $75/week budget

- Well last week went so well with spending no money (except that stint at Mcd's), I think I will do it 1 more time to get us deep in the black and start the new year off right.
This week I will be relying on leftovers….still (heard of the roast beef that wouldn’t die?) and meats that I have stocked up on in the past when the price was right.

DINNERS
Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters w/BBQ sauce & veggies (such a deal at less than $1.50 for my chicken)
Turkey Spaghetti w/fresh garden salad (fresh from my garden!)
Chicken & Dumplings (The other $1.50 of those leg quarters and homemade dumplins!)
Shrimp fettuccini or red sauce which ever I have on hand
Beans & rice w/a little leftover ham (see below)
Mexican Beef n rice casserole (this is that roast beef again)
Left over ham sandwiches from our New Years ham – from Logan Farms w/$50 gift card from Billy’s work (yep The Lord will provide!)

Breakfast
Yogurt w/fruit
Eggs & cheese w/toast
Oatmeal w/ pure cane syrup
Cinnamon & sugar nuggets w/ syrup
Cereal
Blender batter waffles made with whole grains (literally…they have not been ground)

Lunch
Tuna sandwiches
ramen noodles
Pb & J, fruit & yogurt
Mac N Cheese w/hotdogs wienies
smoothies
Spagettio’s
frozen pizza (I know soooo bad)
Well, this is going on my second week and I am super excited. This has allowed for us to use our money elsewhere.

All of these items I have in my storage/leftover except I will need the following:
- milk (whole milk) - 3 gallons - $4.50/gallon - $13.50
- creamer (coffee is my major weakness) - 2 quarts - $2.70/quart - $5.40
-cheese – three 8-ounce bags of shredded cheese about $6

$24.90 + tax

Living on less!

This is my New Year’s Resolution….to live on less.

Live on less money, live on less STUFF, live with less commitments, live with less stress.
I think it is sad that I have failed at properly budgeting our money. I am inconsistent with my spending in every category. In groceries I fluctuate by well over $100-$200 each month. In clothes, I spend large amounts ($600-$1000) twice a year. Now, if I would set the monthly budget aside to make those bulk clothing purchases it would not be such a big deal but I don’t.
Needless to say, consistency is not my strength.

My plan to live on less is as follows….(no gasping allowed)

Spend $75 a week for all grocery items
• Clip coupons
• Plan budget conscience menus
• Limit snack foods
• Focus on whole food & meatless meal diet
• BE ACCOUNTABLE
Spend $5 per week/per child for clothing - $25/week total (this one scares me!)
• Sew as many clothes with repurposed materials as possible
• Buy used clothing
• Save clothing for younger siblings
Grow 75% of all produce this year

Plant 5-10 more fruit trees to increase fruit harvest in coming years

Spend no more than $75 per child per birthday (party & gift)

I am committing to bring $100/month into our family budget through talents I have.

I am so excited and optimistic about this plan. I have had these ideas and desires floating in my head for a couple of years at least but I never made a plan. I am so nervous and so excited at the same time. Of course while I want to sew everything the kids wear, I also have to realize I do not have much extra time. SO….I must budget my time with a balanced schedule and plan ahead.
I will plan at least 3 months ahead. I will hold 1 major planning day at the beginning of each month and then 1 smaller planning day each week.

On Wednesday’s I will plan my menu for the following week based on my coupons and the sale papers. I will go to the store on Thursday or Friday and report my success/failure. I am tracking the prices so that I can accurately plan my menus.
I will be working on clothing items each week and will post about those as well.