I'm at the end of the first 2 weeks of my cash only grocery goal. I took out $225 on 12/28 which had to last until January 10. I stopped at the store on my way home last night to take advantage of a special one day sale. I had $35 left in my grocery budget. I don't shop this store regularly - it's new and it's big which means if I were to do a complete shopping trip there it would be overwhelming. I haven't learned the layout so I don't know where everything is which means it would take me 2x as long to get what I needed. Basically, I cherry pick here and buy their loss leaders. (I remembered to use my reusable bags...another 2010 goal.)
Here's what I purchased: deli meat & cheese, eggs, yeast, oyster crackers, peanut butter, ice cream, baking powder, fresh pineapple, cereal, 2 loaves bread, and yes, my diet coke. My total - $24.46.
The remaining balance of my grocery budget - $10.54. I put the change in our big jug that all loose change goes into and I'll leave the $10 in my envelope and add it to what I take out on Monday. What I've spent in the last 2 weeks averages out to $107.50/week for a family of 4. This is still new so I'm still finding the fun in seeing just how much I can get for how little. Ask me again in 3 months if I'm still finding the fun in this. I hope so!
And I have 2 rainchecks for future use - $3.99 for a 3# bag of boneless chicken breast and .88 for a 5# bag of potatoes - good deals last week and this week that they had sold out of.
The remaining balance of my grocery budget - $10.54. I put the change in our big jug that all loose change goes into and I'll leave the $10 in my envelope and add it to what I take out on Monday. What I've spent in the last 2 weeks averages out to $107.50/week for a family of 4. This is still new so I'm still finding the fun in seeing just how much I can get for how little. Ask me again in 3 months if I'm still finding the fun in this. I hope so!
And I have 2 rainchecks for future use - $3.99 for a 3# bag of boneless chicken breast and .88 for a 5# bag of potatoes - good deals last week and this week that they had sold out of.
7 comments:
I started out with a $100/wk budget for a family of 4 (two little ones, but my 1 year old eats more than the average adult serving!) back in September. We recently dropped that down to $40/week and I thought I would not be able to do it. It has been a challenge but that has been part of the fun. Hopefully, in 3 months you will still love it and come up with new challenges/goals to keep in interesting and fun!
Can I get some of those rainchecks?
3lbs of chicken for $3.99! WOW!
Good job!! I love seeing how far I can stretch my grocery budget. It never gets old...as long as I can toss in a little splurge here or there!
you know that I am having fun! fun spending less - that's where it is at
Great work!
you don't know me and prob didn't know i follow your blog..but here i am! i'm very curious about how people do grocery budgets and how working with cash only is possible. i'm rooting for you! in my home it's just me and the husband so you think it'd be easy but we are so used to getting whatever we want, whenever. i need to change my shopping ways. this week i did a menu plan. i might need to blog about this to keep me focused and accountable. i need a budget but am so far from it right now.
Wow, well done. You are obviously enjoying this as it is bring you great satisfaction. If you keep going the way you are I'm sure in 3 months you'll be going strong still. I couldn't implement this idea as I detest grocery shopping so much that I do it online.
yay nancy!
i just started last week and came home with an extra $13.00 and haven't had to hit midweek yet, think we might make it.
we throw all our loose change in our "give" jars and donate at the end of the year.
i am so happy to have that bit of extra to keep putting toward the next week for when we need to indulge.
i however, do not have your commitment to finding all the deals though :-)
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