March 25, 2009
I was having trouble staying on budget with my grocery and play money spending pretty much since we went to Disneyland in January (or maybe even since Christmas and our December birthdays). It was really getting me down and wearing me out. Shane is the budget guy in our house and he is awesome at it. He has a gift with it and enjoys it and well, he does a great job. Anyway, he presented me with an idea to try to get back on track (and a little bit ahead). A four week plan in which we have $100 each week for food and play… anything aside from bills. Now this is a big drop from what we normally spend and at first I thought he was crazy. (I really like to shop).
We are finishing up the third week now and I can’t believe how well it is working. I am actually amazed. We have even had pizza twice (thanks to Domino’s $5.99 pizza), taken the whole family out to Mexican Food, gone out for frozen yogurt, and had Starbucks a time or two. I am very much looking forward to these four weeks being over, but I think they have been very good for me, to see what we can live on, to realize how much I don’t need. I feel good about it and a little proud about it and I could see doing it again sometime to maybe save up for a large purchase of some kind.
I do want to remember what I have learned from all of this, that we can get by and should get by on less and for me to be a better steward with our money. I am thankful for this little experiment and for the success of it. It has been a good lesson. Thanks, Shanie!
Comments
Modern Crush - Georgia:
Aww Shanie… Erika that is awesome!! I really need to get tighter on that - I know we can cut our budget even more but it is so hard to get two people on the same page with it. Way to go!
March 26, 2009 2:26 PM
Jennipher:
Think of how much your little ones will learn when you live this way…..good job!
March 26, 2009 11:31 PM
Kristine:
That is great, Erika! You are my inspiration to try to stick to a budget, maybe give this one a try. Thanks!
March 29, 2009 11:09 AM
Tisra:
I’d like examples of what you had for meals. I cook a lot from scratch (which, I believe, keeps costs low while we eat healthy). We have more mouths to feed (and the boys eat the same amount as I do), but maybe you’ve got some tips? We could easily do $300 for food and toiletries a week- no eating out! I’m not a shopper, and I stay home (so all lunches are in-house). Sometimes I’m just stumped at what we consume to keep this team alive. And then I think we’re crazy because we’re adding a FOURTH! :-) Without a doubt, I will need to have a job by the time they’re teenagers just to buy groceries!
March 31, 2009 9:53 AM
erika:
We pretty much always eat our lunches at home, but for the past month, it has pretty much been PBJ for all…not the norm, for me at least! We often have leftovers for lunch (Shane and I), but there really haven’t been any. And dinners have been very basic and not anything what I nearly do. We have had gardenburgers each week (We had them because they are a Tegan staple), bean and cheese burritos, quesadillas, etc. I have made a veggie with each meal and although it is not like I would normally have it, it has worked. It will be nice to start really cooking again, though, and have more interesting and nutritious meals. I also have just been using a lot of what we already had. Canned goods, frozen stuff. And not much extra snack type stuff. I am really looking forward to Friday when we are back to “normal!”
March 31, 2009 11:23 AM
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August 30, 2010 4:10 AM