$350 June Challenge

Madness I think! We have spent $147.56 in June and I am giving myself a super challenge of $350 for the month in household and groceries (H&G). While I have backed off my budget from a monthly target of $400, to an annual of $5,000 these little challenges  keep me focused on not buying stupid items and on avoiding food waste. It allows for treats, but keeps me thinking about the meal options I can create with what is already on hand. If I find a great stock-up deal, I'll go for it. Because I stocked up in a few household items back in April and May, I don't need to spend money this month on items like toilet paper, Kleenex, and paper towels. 

I have a few positives to accomplish this. One is the fact that DD2 will be gone for nine days. I'm sending money to go towards her meals on her trip, and that is part of my purpose for having a low spending challenge this month at home. I have two free lunches at work this month, meaning leftovers will be stretched for DD2's lunches once she is back. We also have many grad parties where we will eat meals. Sure, we have gifts for the graduates and I'm helping with some desert bars and a salad  at one, but another reason for my self imposed challenge. 

I'm not even going to think about meals this weekend, popcorn, fruit, eggs, remnants of this and that and next week will be super simple, using up odds and ends in the freezer, pantry, and fridge. I've got frozen soups, some small portions of cooked chicken, not to mention that ham is still lingering (ham salad?) and berries to make smoothies. Perhaps I'll get ambitious and bake up all the frozen bananas into bread to use as the month goes on. Regardless, I don't plan on doing any shopping for H&G until next weekend before DD2 returns. I've got ingredients for bars and cookies for my friends daughters party on Friday already on hand. Milk, eggs, and bread may be needed, but I'll have a two week budget still of at least $140. Aldi's will be my friend, along with a list of meal options. 

We'll have an extra kid or two for a few days over the 4th of July long weekend, so I want July to have more flexibility with spending. I'd also like some leftovers to carry past July as I don't want to shop going into August as DD2 will be gone a week, and then we will all be gone for two weeks. Let my game begin.