I have been using food form my food storage budget for the entire month, buying only what is necessary with little help from TheHub who is an after work recreational shopper. Beginning this week I had a remaining food budget of 14.50. And this is what happened!March 22
bought
zero
used
ham (freezer
sweet potato chips (pantry)
green chili salsa (pantry)
pancake mix (pantry)
blueberries (freezer)
sf maple syrup (fridge)
eaten
breakfast: coffee, slice of ham
lunch: sweet potato chips with green salsa, mandarin
dinner: blueberry pancakes, coffee
March 23
bought
zero
used
coffee (pantry)
corned beef hash leftovers(fridge)
sauteed cabbage leftovers (fridge)
mandarin
chicken thighs (freezer)
bbq sauce (fridge)
brown rice (pantry)
squash and green bean leftovers (fridge)
balsamic vinegar (pantry)
olive oil (pantry)
herbs, salt and pepper (pantry)
cukes (fridge)
tomatoes (fridge)
eaten
breakfast coffee, mandarin
lunch leftover corned beef hash, cabbage
dinner: bbq baked chicken thighs, squash and green bean medley, brown rice, cukes and tomatoes in balsamic dressing
March 24
bought
instant potato pouch 1.00, strawberries 2.50, dip 1.99 chips 1.59, bread 1.79, rolls 2.00. Fat Boy ice cream sandwiches (TheHub) 3.50, bagged salad 2.00, brewed tea 2.00 for a total of 20.21 including tax. We actually spent about 60 dollars at the store, but TheHub (the recreational shopper) was with me and we stocked up on several things (cleaning supplies, crackers, nuts, and super sale soft drinks) for the lake place, so I am not counting it as purchases this week since none of it was consumed or will be used until we start going to the lake regularly
used
coffee (pantry)
leftover burrito (fridge)
porterhouse steaks (freezer)
spring mix (fridge)
cucumbers (fridge)
tomatoes (fridge)
asparagus (fridge)
instant mashed potatoes (bought)
butter (fridge)
herbs, spices, salt and pepper (pantry)
olive oil (pantry)
dressing (fridge)
eaten
breakfast: coffee
lunch: burrito (Son2 ordered one from a restaurant near his work and it had guacamole on it. Since he is allergic to avocados he brought it to me) Woo hoo free food!
dinner: steak, potatoes, asparagus, salad, Fat Boys
March 25
bought
zero
used
bread (bought)
butter (pantry)
jelly (pantry)
ham (freezer)
eggs (fridge)
vegetable soup (freezer)
pimento cheese sandwich (1/2 left from TheHubs lunch Friday. Biggest sandwich ever!)
kefir cheese (fridge, made from homemade kefir)
mozzarella cheese (freezer)
parmesan cheese (fridge)
bolognese sauce (fridge)
jumbo pasta shells (pantry)
herbs, spices, salt and pepper (pantry)
tossed salad (leftover from Friday night)
dressing (fridge)
tea (pantry)
eaten
breakfast ham and eggs, coffee, chocolate milk (TheHub)
lunch: soup and 1/4 (each) pimento cheese sandwich
dinner: cheese stuffed pasta shells topped with bolognese sauce, tossed salad
March 26
bought
Recreational shopping (TheHub) chocolate milk 2.59, pork skins 1.99 for a total of 5.04 including tax
used
coffee (pantry)
jam (pantry)
butter (fridge)
tea (pantry)
pack Asian veggies (freezer)
ground beef (pantry)
onion (pantry)
white rice (pantry)
garlic (pantry)
herbs, spices, seasonings, salt and pepper
oil (pantry)
brownie cookie mix (pantry)
butter (fridge)
eggs (fridge)
oatmeal (pantry)
flour (pantry)
baking soda(pantry)
sugar (pantry)
brown sugar (pantry)
vanilla (pantry)
chocolate chips (pantry)
eaten
breakfast: toast with jam
lunch: fish sandwich (Arby's) tea
dinner: Asian veggies with ground beef and rice, cookie brownie, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies
March 27
bought
zero
used
coffee (pantry)
strawberries (bought)
steak (leftover, fridge)
chicken breast (freezer
bag California vegetable mix (freezer)
bag squash (freezer)
onion (pantry)
salad mix (bought)
mashed potatoes (leftover, fridge)
rolls (bought)
butter (fridge)
mayo (fridge)
oil (pantry)
vinegar (pantry)
egg (fridge)
tea (pantry)
salt, pepper, herbs, seasonings (pantry)
eaten
breakfast: coffee
lunch : leftover steak, strawberries, tea
dinner: chicken with veggies. squash casserole, leftover mashed potatoes, salad, dinner rolls
March 28
bought
zero
used
coffee (pantry)
ham (freezer)
strawberries (bought)
leftover squash casserole (fridge)
eaten
breakfast: coffee, strawberries
lunch: ham slices, squash casserole, strawberries
dinner: book club night, out to eat
This week 20.25 was spent on food which is 10.75 over my proposed budget of 100.00 this month. I only have to make the food I have last until Friday. I know I will need some more milk, but should be ok with everything else. So although I was over budget I am ok with it, but the next time I do a challenge I am going to have to exclude the recreational shopper's excursions and never let him go shopping with me__ever!
have been so impressed with how you have rocked this challenge.
ReplyDeleteI would like my recreational shopper to give up shopping. Most of what he buys is totally unneccessary. As an example. We needed milk. He bought the milk. And some chocolate hot cross buns. And some chocolate. And some crisps. Fortunately I am able to resist the extras he bought this time. And he was much more restrained than he often is.
I understand exactly what you are saying! I just don't understand the mindset. I do think he is buying more than he tells me and is hiding the purchase because I have seen a few errant candy bar wrappers this month and I am not the one eating them. Lent is a good motivator for me to reign in my sweet obsession.
DeleteSome men bring home STDs, so bringing home a strange bunch of food is not too bad, especially since it is not going to make it impossible to pay bills.
ReplyDeleteI made the mistake of reading this right as I sipped coffee! Paper towel time!
DeleteI'm always amazed how much other people have in their pantries and freezers. You seem to be pretty well stocked and are eating quite well. While I don't have as much stock on hand, I think I could eat pretty well for a while also. Do you have a certain amount of food supplies that you don't like to go below?
ReplyDeleteMy recreational shopper buys M&M's. They are right as you go in the door at Aldi's and he has never resisted. The problem is I can't resist them once he gets them home.
I am a sale shopper. When whatever we eat normally is on a super sale I buy multiples. Many multiples! It is not that I have an imaginary freezer load I like to maintain, it is really just the by product of stocking up when prices are their lowest. Then one day I notice nothing will fit in the freezer (I have an average size stand along freezer) and have to start using things, especially at this time of the year since I do freeze a lot of summer produce. I suppose I could can more of it, but I find that a fairly tedious process.
DeleteThese self imposed challenges bring out creativity in the kitchen. It helps me appreciate my bounty and fortunate lot in life as I imagine bare cupboards with a super tight budget. Well done Anne.
ReplyDeleteIt is eye opening and I am with you about gratitude.
DeleteYou're doing great! Love reading about your creativity. Last night I made everyone a different variant of dinner, to use up leftovers. You have to do what you have to do to make things work!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! I generally eat the leftovers during lunch since I have to reformat them if I serve them to TheHub, but when my sons were still a home we had a lot of those bits and pieces meals.
DeleteMy dh is like a kid in a grocery store. He walks around in awe because I rarely shop with him. He had me buy two boxes for unusual tea bags once and two years later I threw them away. Save lots by keeping him home.
ReplyDeleteI really do get this! Sadly, TheHub likes to stop by on his way home from work so I am rarely with him. When we stop on the way to the lake it is just about game over!
DeleteAnother episode of "recreational shopper" lol. My hubby's recreational shopping is usually over $30 so I think you got off a bit easy. You've done so well in a really LOOOOONG mont!
ReplyDeleteI understand the 30 or over thing. It is normally what happens here too. TheHub was more restrained than usual, and I think he will be very happy Saturday when he can bring home a Snickers and not have to hide it!
DeleteGood for you!!! If I did that, my MIL (that lives with us) would think we were dirt poor and would start sneaking us money... :\ or worse, start buying things to "help". So we'd have lots of things that we don't use or need and that she shouldn't be eating.
ReplyDeleteThat is really funny and I do understand. All anyone had to do was open the freezer door in February, take a quick peek inside, and it was pretty obvious we needed to be eating things down. I made it very clear why I was doing it and asked for a little cooperation, which I have had until TheHub wants something particular and then, well, not so much. It is a shame he drives by 3 Publix's on his way home from work. he can't resist the allure of aisles stocked with whatever he thinks is his favorite thing that day.
DeleteThis is great. I do not like taking hub's with me either, like taking a 2 year old. This is such a good idea and it really saves money. Sometimes especially me with debt and I like to shop and spend, I justify groceries. It is the one place I can shop and it is okay. But it is not. I love this challenge.
ReplyDeleteIt has been good for me and fantastic on the food budget for the month. I would like to continue it at least through half of April but I am pretty sure TheHub would implode if he thought I was restricting his beloved shopping anymore than I already am. I think I am going to make sure at least 2 meals a week for the month of April are totally food storage meals and unless there are some stellar deals out in grocery land this month (like butter from Aldi) I will refrain from stocking up on anything.
DeleteYou've done very well. Now the problem is how to keep TheHub out of the grocery store after work.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
It is a losing battle Janie. It doesn't affect the way we live at all, but it still irritates me.
DeleteYou did very well with the budget, I think. Well done!
ReplyDeleteWould it help if your husband has a personal spending allowance of a mutually agreed upon amount for his recreational shopping and you don't include that in your grocery budget? Maybe you can both have similar personal spending allowances? He could use his for chips and candy bars while you use yours for craft supplies or books or some other indulgence? Would that work?
It is really not the actual money Bless. I enjoy a good challenge and I make the rules expecting another adult to follow them when he had no part in the planning and the creating of the challenge. It is really not an issue except my complaints that he will not get totally on board with MY plan.
ReplyDelete