I told you in the beginning of the year that I was going to try to save up as much money as I could out of our monthly budget this year for something that was important to me. With our family moving to the Northeast, my priorities for that savings has changed. However this means that I will be trying to save even more than before. Every penny will count like it never has before.
So starting tomorrow, I will be watching every penny like there will never be another one. In order to reach my goal, one of my major savings is going to be grocery money. I have built up a huge stockpile of food over the past year. So here are my challenge rules that I am going to be following:
1. We will use what we already have stockpiled.
2. If an item is Free or under $ .25, I will purchase it. The under $ .25 items need to be necessities. My only exceptions will be milk, eggs, produce, flour, sugar, rice, toilet paper,meat, fish, poultry, and juice. But even with those items I will try to save as much as possible.
3. If I don't have an item for a recipe, I will try to substitute something I do have.
4. If it is not a necessity for health or nutrition, we will go without. This means things like soda and junk food.
5. If I need an item, I will try to make it from scratch first before I even consider buying it.
6. We will use every last bit of food; NO WASTE! Waste is only dollars down the drain. Stockpiling food that never gets used is WASTE!
7. I will be posting every day or every other day what I am doing and how, under my Saving Money label along with the other things that I am doing to save money!
I would love for any of you who are up to this challenge to join me. You can decide what your exceptions are or add any rules for yourselves. I am sure there are so many people out there who are like me and have huge stockpiles to use up. Many of you would like to boost your savings or pay off debt! So please come join me on this journey. Leave a comment if you would like to join and please feel free on my daily posts to tell us what you did that day to save also. We can all learn alot from each other.
Update: I just wanted to let everyone know that the people who have joined the challenge who have blogs I have linked on the right side under my profile!
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38 comments:
I'm going to join you in savings but mine will be slightly different from yours. I already used up most of my stockpile since August so now my challenge is to rebuild it at the least possible cost. This means I will be looking for free or near free items in stores. If it's edible then "near free" would apply. For toileries it would have to be free or at profit. I look forward to reading your daily details.
I was going to post the same challenge tonight. I found a blog last night whose author and her husband decided to try not going to the grocery store for the entire month of March in an effort to use up all of the random items in their cabinets. I'll add the link when I post.
That's so funny we were thinking the same thing! I just took an inventory of what is in my cabinets so I can start putting together some recipes/meal ideas.
So count me in!
Hi Jenny,
Yeah! Welcome to the challenge. Everyone's rules can be there own. The idea is to use up as much as we have and stockpile for free or cheap as we go. Yours of rebuilding your stockpile is terrific! Please feel free to comment and let us know how you are doing. We can all learn from each other. That is the best part!
Hi Laurie,
I guess GREAT MINDS think alike, huh? LOL!
I am so glad you are joining! We can all bounce ideas off of each other! I am sure there is not one of us out there that can't use extra money for our goals or other things!
This is almost creepy. ( we are all on the same wave length?) I was thinking of doing the same thing myself. ( will post why another time) But so timely. I am in!
My good friend, Alane! Yeah! I am so glad you are in! We can all help each other!
Wow - I was just about to start this same challenge for myself! I need to save as much money as I can these next few weeks, because we now have a wedding to pay for!
Well then, welcome to the challenge, Sarah! Weddings can be so expensive!
I am up for the challenge too. We are kicking out our tenant from our rental home, so we may have to do 2 mortgage payments for awhile. We will also need to replace some carpeting in the house. We did receive a large tax refund which will help for a bit, but I'm always up for saving as much as I can!
Welcome aboard Poor teacher! I am so glad that you are joinging us in the challenge.
This sounds like a challenge our family will truly benefit from. I am a SAHM as of March and have 5 children. I have been trying to build up my stockpile and save money at the same time. Going from 2 incomes to 1 is a very tricky thing. SO....I am totally ready for this challenge. Now if anyone has pointers as to how to shop w/4 kids ranging in age from 6 mo to 7 yrs old and one 14 yr in his own world, that would be helpful too. It's a whole other world at the grocery stores now w/5 kids. :)
try checking this website. Good luck to all of you! Cant wait to see the progess! http://www.supercook.com/index.asp
I'm up for the challenge. I've stockpiled a lot, and I've got to use it before it gets old. I've also got to empty the freezer so I will have space for vegetables from garden. I was going to buy another freezer, but why should I when a second freezer will use so much energy. I need to use what I have. Linda
I'd love to join you. I've really been working on this since January and spring time/planting my veggie garden has renewed my commitment! My focus is on repairing things that I already own before I buy new, and on making as much as possible from scratch. Also, I want to keep better track of my garden output this year.
I will also join. I have had a lot of car repairs and have more coming,and also my expenses for atty and court costs will be going up. I have these bills for trying to bring my son home.
I'm going to try to do this challenge with you. I'll never get my grocery budget super low, but I know I can do better. Thanks for posting this!
Hi Tina M,
Welcome to the challenge! I understand the challenge of shopping with children. I remember so well. It was like Kaching, kaching at the grocery store when they were with me. So I left them home. I would go shopping on weekends or evenings when DH could watch them,or trade babysitting with neightbor for grcoery shopping. If you can do it without them, you will save a bundle.I also think it is wonderful that you are trying to be a SAHM. I wish you lots of luck in that goal.
Thanks for the website Jackie!
Welcome aboard lturpin. I have often thought about buying a stand alone freezer. I used to have one in NY. However my freezer on my fridge is big enough for the two of us and chuck full, so I feel like you do. I would not want to spend the money or electrcity to run another one.
Hi Lucky Welcome to the challenge. I love your goals!
Hi centralillinoisian,
Welcome to the challenge! This is going to be fun and money saving!
Welcome aboard Jennifer C.
We can all help each other.
I'm up to the challenge!!
http://jerikayssearchfortheperfectdeal.blogspot.com/
Hi Jeri,
Welcome to the challenge!
So, will we just be posting to this one entry from now on or will you be doing daily updates?
Hi Alane,
I will be doing a daily saving money entry. I am working on the one for today now and will post it in a minute!. I am 3 hours away from you time wise so it will be later.
I was going to post about the same idea this weekend. We have some extra expenses coming up. We need a second car once my son starts school and our TV either needs to be repaired or replaced depending on what's cheaper/able to be done. I look forward to hearing your great ideas and everyone else's. I'll be sure to post what I have been doing.
Hi Tiffany,
Welcome to the challenge. I linked your blog on the side of mine. I am looking forward to seeing your posts!
This is such a great idea, I'm in! I've got a well-built stockpile, I'm running low on very few things. I'd like to get a bit more aware of where I'm spending - and how to trim a few more $$ of the budget.
I'll post each week what I've spent, and why I've spent it. I've never met a challenge I didn't like!
Hi Chicagolandia,
Glad to have you in the challenge!
Thanks Precious, I'm sorry about the mix up earlier.
Hi Chicagolandia,
You are welcome. No problem with the mix up. Lisa is a good friend and I have learned a lot from her.
Awesome post and awesome idea! I am looking for more ways to save... thanks for the inspiration! I hope to share in this very soon! :)
Lindsay,
We would be glad to have you join!
Count me in! :) I blogged about it here:
http://www.coupongeek.net/2009/04/saving-money-challenge-count-me-in.html
Thanks for the inspiration and the extra kick in the rear to do what I've been wanting to do for awhile now!
I'm enjoying following you!
~Jaycie
We to the challenge coupongeek. I am headed over to your blog!
I will be joining you as well. we have been doing this the last couple weeks and so I will be one more bigger shopping trip to stock up on the flour and sugar and such and then it will be using mostly what we have and refilling with free or close to free stuff. Thanks for this idea.
on a side note, does anyone know where to get a big jar to put money in for free?
Hi Melissa,
Welcome aboard! Do you have an empty large bottle or wine jug? You could use something like that for the money.
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