$40/week Grocery Challenge Re-visit...

Another busy weekend, another Sunday that I just didn't feel like going grocery shopping!  Ever just get in a slump and don't feel like doing your wifely duties?!  Well thats how I am feeling these days.  I just don't feel like grocery shopping, doing laundry, or making dinner.  So I thought why not give myself a break from at least two of those things and switch the challenge up a bit. Instead of trying to spend only $40 at the grocery store I am going to spend that money on eating out this week.  I know that sounds impossible but I am determined to make it work. Heres the plan:

• We are only going to eat out 4 of the 7 nights (I will plan a night for leftovers and cook the two remaining nights).
• I am going to utilize the "kids eat free" tab right here on Momsie.  I am going to pick a restaurant each night that offers free kids meals.  Thats 2 people in the family that will eat without disturbing the $40 budget.
• We are going to eat at non-tipping type restaurants meaning I will be choosing the places that are a step up from fast-food but that do not require a waiter/tipping (ex: McCalister's)
• One night is pizza night and we always have leftovers so that will cover 2 nights.  We have been doing the $10 any pizza deal at Pizza Hut.  Check it out bc it is a really good deal!
• One night I will be making this simple potato soup (I always have the ingredients on hand and it is a quick fix).
• On the other night that I am cooking we will be having what my mom used to call, "The Sunday Night Special."  It consists of grilled cheese and vanilla milkshakes.

So that is my plan to not have to grocery shop (other than maybe some milk or bread) for this week!  I will also be scoping out Lauren's recipe coming on Tuesday because it is sure to be simple and yummy.  Happy Monday!

$40/week Grocery Challenge Re-visit...

Okay, so yesterday was grocery shopping day (actually it was more like extreme home makeover day but you can read more about that, here)!  I am proud to say I stuck to the budget of $40!  Well, $41.46 but close enough.  If you are still skeptical if you can do this keep in mind that when I went yesterday I:

A.)  Had my 4-year-old with me

B.)  Did not use any coupons

I think what is really helping me stay within budget are a couple of things, but most importantly I am trying to re-think that amount of food we actually need.  I am not starving my family or forbidding them from having more than one glass of milk a day, I am just trying out smaller quantities and seeing if it will last for a week.  I did this when I originally challenged myself to a $40/week budget and learned some interesting things about my family; we eat/drink way less than I actually buy.  For example, I always buy a gallon of milk.  My sons drink lactose-free so they have their own stash but my husband and I are big cereal eaters and I use milk a lot for cooking so I assumed we definitely needed the full gallon.  One week I bought the 1/2 gallon instead fully assuming I would have to go back to the store mid-week but lo-and-behold we didn't even finish it by the next shopping trip.  I never buy a full gallon anymore and we never run out.

I also have started using half the meat I used to.  When I made spaghetti in the past I would always use the entire package of ground beef but now I split the meat in half and use cut up veggies to "beef up" the sauce (ha ha pun intended).  I can use the other half of the package to make burgers or stuffed peppers or enchiladas (I just again add more veggies to the recipe).  

The other key thing to my budget success is how I purchase my chicken.  You have heard me rave about  Thompson Poultry's delivery service and I just have to say again that this awesome company is saving me time and money.  I buy a 10lb. bag of boneless chicken breasts from them once a month, maybe longer and I get TONS of meals out of it.  Between using less and buying in bulk I spend a fraction of the money I used to on chicken.  If you are interested in buying from them click, here (Note: this link was written before they changed their name so Prestige Farms is Thompson Poultry for our purposes.)  I am going to be looking into buying other meats in bulk in the near future so I will keep you posted.

I know that all of these tricks may not work with your family if it is larger or you all have different eating habits but just try buying a little less and see how far you can stretch it.  You will be surprised!  If you have any tips on how to save money at the grocery store let me know!

The $40/week Grocery Challenge Re-Visit...

A few months ago I came up with a challenge for myself: to grocery shop on a $40/week budget. Although it took more planning and effort than usual, it was well worth it.  I surprised even myself with how much I could save when I planned and edited my grocery shopping.  Now cut to present day and my weekly grocery bill is back up to the ceiling.  Its insane how quickly I slid right back into old habits.  So many of them come from a lack of time and impromptu trips to the store.  Its even worse now because I know from first-hand experience that I do NOT need to be spending this much each month on groceries!


I have decided to reign myself back in and try the $40/week challenge again.  As I compared things from when I was successful to now, these were the key things I found:

1. Shop only once a week.  This takes organization and planning but I have found that I end up buying way more impulsively when I just run in for quick trips.  Especially when I don't have a list!
2. Shop from your pantry first.  When I take stock of my pantry I always find that I have more things on hand than I would have thought.  Build meals around what you already have instead of just what you have a craving for.
3. Clip coupons.  You don't have to be one of those women who can get $400 worth of groceries for $2.50 but 50 cents here and there does make a difference.
4. Don't fall for every "deal."  Just because you can get 10 cans of cream of mushroom for $10 doesn't mean you need to.  Shopping weekly helps you keep perspective on what you need just for the next 7 days.
5. Shop online.  Its simple: if you aren't physically in a store you are much less likely to buy things on a whim.  By using a system like the Harris Teeter Express Lane you can purchase what you need and stick to a budget.  Plus theres the whole convenience thing!

Its important that you are able to whittle down what your family "needs" for the week.  For seven days do you really need 3 different kinds of cookies or 4 different types of juice?  Also meal-planning is crucial.  The best way to shop smartly is to know what you need when you enter that store (or website)!

I will let you know how it goes for us next Monday!  Just so you know, last week I went in some what wanting stick to the $40 budget and ended up spending $80-something.  This Sunday I went in really wanting to not spend more than $40 and I ended up spending $64.  I am obviously improving but still have a ways to go!  Wish me luck next Sunday!

Mission: Feed my family for $40/week (week 5)

Alright so this is going to be my last post about feeding your family for $40/week.  I will check in from time-to-time if I come across any good deals or tips but otherwise I am sure you all are sick of hearing about my fridge and its contents.  I hope that you all were able to jump on the bandwagon and start cutting down your grocery bill.  I am going to start next week with a new challenge that will hopefully keep our grocery shopping budget-friendly: meals that use 7 ingredients or less.  I will use the next few Mondays to bring you easy, new recipes that will not require a lot of shopping or money.  I welcome any suggestions!


Week 4 was rough around here.  I have always tried to be honest on this blog and today I will continue that by telling you exactly what happened this past week.  I failed the mission.    My original shopping trip went well but then I made the mistake of going back for a second trip.  We needed some toiletries but as soon as I entered the store my $40 mission was in serious danger.  Let me back-up though and tell you why.  One week out of every month I eat like a horse.  No food, salty or sweet is safe from me and fast food restaurants better hide.  Any females know what I'm talking about?!  Without giving TMI I will just say that last week was not a good week for me to be roaming around a store full of food.  Suddenly everything looked really good and health and budget were two words far from my mind.  Needless to say I went over budget and basically have eaten us out of house and home this week.  But it felt goooood people.


So week 5 I needed to get back on track and I succeeded.  I spent 39.32 and here is what I bought:


green pepper
red pepper
bananas
cantaloupe
wheat rolls
poptarts (I really am trying to wean my kids off of these, I swear)
*Annie's Chocolate chip bunny cookies
tortilla chips
turkey
milk
Go-go squeezes
cheese sticks
OJ
milk
ginger ale


*Annie's organic foods are so cheap at Wal-Mart!!


Here is what we are having for dinner this week (several nights last week we ended up not eating dinner at home so there are some carry-overs from last week):


LOTS of chicken this week!


chicken stir fry wraps (last week)
chicken burgers
pasta e fagioli  my recipe calls for 1 1/2 tsp. tobasco and 1 jar of spaghetti sauce
peas, zucchini, and risotto with grilled chicken (last week)
salad with grilled chicken
slow cooker chicken tortilla soup (last week)


NOTE: The risotto with grilled chicken was a big hit in our house.  We had it last night and both kids gobbled it up!  This does not happen often so I will definitely put that one on rotation!

Mission: Feed my family for $40/week (week 4)

I told my husband this weekend that it makes me really happy to see our fridge and pantry almost bare every Sunday.  It lets me know that we are eating what I am buying and that confirms to me that we are wasting less and spending less!  This week is super double coupons at Harris Teeter (thru the 3rd) so if you are a coupon clipper you should be able to make out with some great deals!  


Another option to help you get on the $40 budget is online shopping with Harris Teeter.  I signed up for it when I had a newborn so I didn't have to take the kids in the store but now I am finding it helpful for staying within my budget.  HT offers e-VIC specials that you can only get if you shop online and it tallies your total as you go so you will be able to stay within $40 with no problem.  Its a lot less hassle to put something back from your online grocery cart than your real-life one.  I used the online shopping just to see my total as I shopped, kind of a test run, and then went and shopped in the actual store.  There was no calculating as I went and I was in and out in 20 minutes.  I spent $41.24 this week.  I know I could have saved probably that extra $1.24 (or more) by going to Wal-Mart but I saved that dollar in gas by shopping closer to home!


Here is what I bought this week:
Nature Valley granola bars
taco dinner kit
ground beef
crunchy peanut butter (HT brand)
green chilis (HT brand)
vitamin water (free with coupon)
discounted produce (I haven't seen this before but basically it is produce that doesn't have much of a shelf life left that they bag and mark down.  I got 3 oranges and 1 grapefruit for $1)
bananas
limes
zucchini
boston lettuce
red bell pepper
tomatoes
english muffins (buy one get one free)
OJ
milk (1/2 gallon HT brand)
lactose free milk
string cheese
shredded cheddar
yogurt (coupon)


And here is what we will be having for dinner:
Tacos (good ole fashion El Paso)
Peas, zucchini, orzo pasta (substituted risotto for orzo bc thats what I had)
*Slow cooker Chicken tortilla soup (the recipe I have doesn't call for enchilada sauce)
3 tomato spaghetti  (I am going to add grilled chicken)
Chicken stir fry wraps


*An example of how I saved a little money with this recipe is that instead of using a packet of taco seasoning, like it called for, I am using spices I have on hand.  I just googled "taco seasoning" and it brought up a recipe.  I have all of the spices already and you probably do too because they are basic spices.   It only saves me .70 cents but hey...money is money!


I know this post is getting long but one more thing.  I have had several people ask me what I do for breakfast and lunch so I wanted to give you some examples of typical meals here:


Breakfast:

• whole grain Cheerios with sliced bananas
• english muffin with crunchy peanut butter and sliced banana
• granola bar
• yogurt
• cheese toast
• fruit
• oatmeal
• Poptarts when I am lazy or rushed

Lunch:
My kids are not big meat eaters so lunches for them are an array of things.  I also try to have them eat what we eat for dinner but if not this list applies to that too.

• crackers and cheese
• peanut butter on crackers
• granola bars
• cheese quesadillas
• grilled cheese
• PB&J
• graham crackers, yogurt or applecause
• turkey roll-ups
• bagel sandwiches
• turkey hotdogs

Mission: Feed my family for $40/week (week 3)

April threw me for a loop when it came to this "mission."  Two of the four weeks in this month I had a large group of people staying at my house.  The first group was my family and the second was my in-laws. As much as I want to save money I had to be realistic those weeks and not expect to shop for only 40 bucks.  I definitely went over although I did try to still shop wisely.


Now it is back to just us and I am trying to get back on track.  Last week I went to Aldi for the first time.  I know I am probably the only person who hadn't been yet!  I had been warned about bringing my quarter for a shopping cart as well as my own bags so those were not surprises to me.  I was surprised however by how small the actual store is.  I guess I was expecting a full-size grocery store (similar to Bloom).  I did find some snack-type things for my kids that were cheap (knock-off goldfish, yogurt-covered raisins, and peanut butter crackers).  I also found OJ but later saw that there is an even cheaper brand at Wal-Mart.  I didn't even venture into the meat or dairy section bc I am just weird about where I buy those things.  I mainly went to check out the produce bc I hear that is where you can find great deals.  Honestly, I don't know if I just hit it on a bad day but it was slim pickins.  I got bags of baby carrots, cucumbers, and a pineapple all cheaper than other places but other than that there wasn't a whole lot that looked good.


My verdict is that Aldi had some good deals but overall I think I spent what I saved on gas to get there.  If it were right around the corner from me I may shop there more often but to drive almost 25 minutes for a hit-or-miss kind of thing I think I'll pass.


Now, for this week's shopping trip:  I shopped at Harris Teeter this week and spent $38.29.  Here is what I got:
can of mixed nuts, M&Ms, craisins - for a DIY trail mix
spaghetti sauce
peanut butter
2 cans kidney beans
olive oil
thin cut steaks
goat cheese
celery
frozen ravioli
yogurt (3 six packs **saved $1.00 on each with coupons I picked up at our pediatricians office)
heavy cream
milk
turkey dogs


Here is what I am making for dinner this week:
grilled chicken with *black bean, corn, and feta salad
Spinach, tomato tortellini (one of our vegetarian meals this week)
crock pot steak sandwiches (a very simple made up recipe) 
toasted goat cheese salad (another easy one I made up)
Olive Garden pasta de fagioli (substitue V8 for spaghetti sauce)


I want to remind you all that the biggest way I am saving is by being more aware of what I already have in my pantry.  There are so many times that I go to the store because "we have nothing to eat" when really our pantry is full.  Now I start my grocery list by seeing what we have and figuring out what we can make from it.  *Perfect example of this is the grilled chicken we will be having this week.  I hosted a wedding shower this weekend and made this dip (yummy!).  I am using the left over as a topping for our chicken.  There are tons of websites on which you can plug in your ingredients and it spits out recipes.  The other key thing for me so far is only shopping once a week.  This is forcing us to eat what we have before buying more.  We have stopped having 5 boxes of open cereal, chips, and crackers.  And I do a much better job at not over-spending when I am just buying for 7 days.  What are some things you are doing to save money?  Anyone excelling at the $40 mission?

Mission: Feed my family for $40/week (week 2)

Last week I let you all now that I failed the $40 mission but this week I am back to tell you I did it!!  It was so easy even my husband could do it!  I sent him with a list and told him that he was to stick to it and that if he didn't he could count on a lot of disturbances during The Masters tonight.  My man delivered!  He came in at $33.80 and that was with some of his own additions to the list (brave man).  Below is a sample of what I got and what recipes I am using.  Remember that my first step was to see what we already had in the pantry and cook based around that.  Any ingredient you don't see listed was one that I already had on hand.  


Note: If you are just starting the $40/week mission I would suggest doing a preliminary trip for "staples" and then begin shopping weekly.  Some of my staples are bread crumbs, rice, pasta, potatoes, lemon juice, Ritz crackers, onion soup dry mix, spaghetti sauce, and broth.  I know all kids are different and picky so "staples" for kids can be tricky but I always have these things on hand: peanut butter, graham crackers, fruit and grain bars, granola bars, cereal and tortillas.  I also order all of my chicken in bulk (at a great price) from Thompson Poultry.  Usually my list includes fruit and vegetables but I had lots of fruit left over from last week.  I always buy pineapples, apples, and strawberries or oranges and cut it all up instead of buying pre-cut fruit cups.  I buy my produce from either Wal-Mart or HT...whatever is cheaper but I am going to try out Aldi because I hear that is the cheapest way to go.


My grocery list week 2:
gatorade (2- 64 oz)
Italian dressing
Cheetos
ground beef
turkey (1 lb. deli meat)
take and bake french bread (2 loaves)
lemon
loaf of bread
OJ
bag shredded cheddar
mushrooms


Our meals for a week:
Potato Soup with french bread
Baked Chicken with grapes and lemon with roasted potatoes
Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans
Chicken in Italian dressing marinade with rice and french bread
Vegetarian Pizza (my sister cooked this for us while in town...yum!!)
Hot dogs (not a usual meal in our house but we had buns left over from my neices being here so I decided to use what we have!)
*I factor in one night of left overs or eating out.


These recipes are great because they only require a few ingredients and most of them are things that I consider my "staples."  Next week I will be buying more "kid" food because I will be out of most of their favorites so stay tuned!  Good luck with your shopping!

Mission: Feed My Family for $40/week: Week 1: FAIL

OK, so this week I went over budget but I do have a good reason:  I have both of my sisters in town and all of their kids.  I spent an extra $50 but with an extra 6 people in our house I think that is pretty fair.  So, next week the $40 budget is back on!

Mission: Feed my family for $40/week

One tip I keep hearing over and over again is to eat what's in season.  My family seems to eat the same fruits and veggies all year round but here is what should be easy to find and a little cheaper during the spring:

Spring Fruits	Spring Vegetables
Apricots Avocados Carrots Cherries Grapefruit Kiwis Kumquats Lemons Mango Pineapple Navel oranges Strawberries	Artichokes Arugula Asparagus Beets Fava beans Fennel Fiddleheads Greens Leeks Lettuce Morels Nettles Spring onions Parsley Peas Radishes Rhubarb Scallions Spinach Sweet onions Swiss chard Turnips

Mission: Feed my family for $40/week

Recently I read an article about a lady who spent only $40/week at the grocery store.  She started this habit out of necessity while living on food stamps but continued it because it helped not only her budget, but her health too.  I have long wondered how I spend such ridiculous amounts of money at the grocery store.  Every time I look at our budget it makes me sick to think how much we are spending on food!  I know its necessary to eat, but surely we could save more.  I have tried many times to cut down our grocery bill but usually by the middle of the month I am tired of shopping so consciously and I begin to slip.  I run in for one ingredient and end up grabbing six extra things.  Or I just buy things impulsively because they look good.  I am also really bad about planning dinner based upon what we would like to eat instead of using what we have.


I am going to publicly put my goal out there so I will feel more pressured to stick to it.  I would love for some people to jump on the band wagon with me!  Here are the guidelines I am giving myself:

• $40/week on groceries
• Bring $40 cash 
• 1 trip/week
• Meal plan for the whole week

I am not a religious coupon user but I will definitely try to save where I can.  I also plan to continue buying my chicken from Thompson Poultry, which costs me about $30/month.  I am going to keep that cost separate from my $40/week budget since it really only ends up being about $7/week anyways.  The one rule that I think will force me to shop within my budget is bringing cash.  I would much rather choose wisely than have to put things back!!  Since this is the last week of March I did a practice run today and will officially start April 3rd (Sunday is always my day to meal plan and make a grocery list).  Today's trip was successful as far as cost ($40.38) but we will have to wait and see how the food lasts!  I will let you all know how we are doing each week!  Please let me know if you want to join in so we can share deals and budget-friendly recipes!


For more information on the article I originally read click here.


And stay tuned for more tips on how to shop and eat better!