Update on Challenge

Pantry Challenge update:

-Okay so I'm not doing so well on the $150.00 limit. Accounting Dude and I have talked and it is easier for Accounting Dude to budget $40.00 a week instead of $35.00 the first week and $40.00 the next week. But still we have limited our grocery budget.

- I have tried to make a monthly menu, but we don't seem to stick with that. So now I'm going to try to make a weekly menu.

- I still haven't had time to clean out and inventory the pantry.

- I don't think that I will have anything left to save towards the refrigerator.

- Lunches have been a challenge, but this week I got lucky because with sales and coupons I was able to get Healthy Choice meals for $0.50 each.

On a happier note: Accounting Dude and I think that we will try to stick to this longer than a month. We also have used several things in our freezer and made some meals we would have never before.

I'll give you another update at the end of the month.

Eat From the Pantry Challenge

Money Saving Mom and Life as Mom are having an eat from the pantry challenge for the month of January.
Accounting Dude and I decided to participate because December seems like our month when we forget that we live on a written game plan. So a new month and new year seems like the perfect time to bring in the reigns and participate.

Our Challenge will include:

• Inventorying our Pantry. Just inventoried the freezer a couple of weeks ago.
• Reduce Grocery spending to $150.00 for the month. Normally spent $320.00 a month last year.
• Purchase only dairy, produce, bags of ice (ice maker hasn't worked in a year and we don’t own ice cube trays and this is just easier), Diet Sunkist (drink one a day for both Accounting Dude and I) and items that are either free or super cheap.
• Find creative things for lunch at work because Lean Cuisines and Smart Ones will eat into our budget.
• Clean out my coupon organizer and keep it up to date.
• Make a monthly menu. Did this in the past and it seemed to work out great.
• Money saved will go towards our new refrigerator.
  
  *We have an eat out envelope and still plan to use once a week. When the money is gone - there is no more eating out. We maybe helped in this area because we did get eat out gift cards for Christmas.
  *CVS items will no longer count in our grocery envelope. It is now going to have its own envelope.

I think that we can handle all of these items and we are always up for a good challenge. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.