From June 8th until August 3rd, my family will be facing "A Living on Less" challenge. We will be evaluating each purchase to determine if it is, in fact, necessary. We will not allow outside factors to determine how we spend our money.
Our biggest factor will be eating out. The Hubbyman & I will grab fast food rather than fixing something at home. We MUST stop this. If any of you have any ideas as to how to reach this goal, please share them here!
We're eliminating retail stores except for groceries from Aldi. Toilet Paper, generic soda, and trash bags are from the evil empire. But that is it. We do not NEED clothing or toys or games. We don't NEED anything right now except for food.
Needs Versus Wants ... Must evaluate that on every purchase. We will be keeping a track of our spending too so that we can see where the money goes. If anyone wants to join this challenge, please let me know.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Living on Less
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7 comments:
I am in!
Waaheey! I'm not alone!
I've been on a month-long "Fiscal Fast" since June 1 and would love to see you over at www.TheShoppingSherpa.blogspot.com/
Change in plans. I won't be starting till June 16 when the kid gets on the plane. I need to get him some things for his trip. I will be doing a 49 day challenge of living on less
Mine GET here on the 17th! Jump in at ANY time!!
To stop eating out, it takes planning. Now that you are a stay-at-home-wife/step mom, you should be able to plan menus and get things ready in the morning. The crock pot is wonderful for this.
I make a list of foods I have available, and write down a dozen or so meal ideas. I don't assign a day to each meal, I just look at the list, that is kept on the fridge, and decide the night before what will work for the next day. It is subject to change! Some days I feel more energentic than others, so will make a simpler meal. Also I like to make more than we will eat, to use for a totally different dinner, using leftovers. Example:
Last night we had round steak (purchased at $1.69 a pound, on sale)mashed potatoes and corn. Tonight I will make shepherd's pie with the leftover mashed potatoes, the leftover meat, diced, and some cheese. I use bottom round or London broil, (purchased for under $1.79 a pound) sliced thinly, for French dip, and with the leftovers, I make beef and barley soup. I make the French dip in the crockpot with bullion made into broth. I serve it on a baguette cut into sandwich size pieces. We can get six baguettes for under 50 cents each at Sam's or Costco. I keep them in the freezer. I make bread and hamburger buns, using my bread machine for the dough. Spaghetti sauce is easy to make from scratch, using a 15 oz. can of tomato sauce, and a small can of tomato paste, and 1/2 can of each can filled with water. Add oregano, basil, garlic salt to taste. This is a very inexpensive main dish. Chili is easy to make in the crockpot. I use one can of chili beans, one 15 oz. can of tomato sauce, and one can of kidney beans. Season with chili powder, onion salt, to taste. I add cooked hamburger to both chili and spaghetti sauce, but not an entire pound.
If you have something available to cook in the morning, it will keep you from going out. Leftovers are good for lunch, too.
We rarely go out for meals. I spend about what you spend weekly for food.
Cooking double batches and freezing 1 is a good way to build up meals in the freezer, but I also 2nd the crockpot.
NancyR, I enjoy your posts (no blog?)
Mrs. I,
Thanks! No, I don't have a blog, but I enjoy reading other people's blogs.
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