Do I Keep on With the $300 H&G Challenge?

     After September was modestly successful and October was very successful at keeping my household and grocery (H&G) budget to $300, I am boldly thinking I should continue into November. There are a few catches to this plan though. 

1. We are or will be shortly, out of so many basics like toilet paper, dish soap and dishwasher detergent, and most of my savory spices. These are all budget buster items that can add up very quickly, though tend to last over several months once purchased. 
2. We ate out an awful lot in both September and October, resulting in fewer meals eaten at home plus some restaurant leftovers. Saving on groceries and then splurging on eating out is counter productive. Though, both month the excess eating out was due to my brother being in town, our anniversary, and out and about trips with my daughter. November has no real extra occasions for eating out. 
3. I'll have an extra person again for five days when DD2 is home for break, though she eats relatively little.
4. I'll have extra items for my dishes for Thanksgiving.
5. I'll start some of my holiday  treat making, though I guess technically, I can put those expenses as part of the Christmas budget, but would rather not. 

     I made a game plan, week to week, to stretch through the month. DH will need to be reined in on rogue shopping if it is to work. Also, I need him to be a bit more on board with eating leftovers for lunches, at least most days, rather than just building up the eating out spending. While it might be unrealistic, none the less, here is my plan, to be altered subtly as needed to take advantage of any loss leaders that pop up.

     November 1: Light grocery shop on route home from work for just essentials and gaps for meal planning, along with any easy ready to make lunch and breakfast items like sandwich meat, canned soups, and bagels. I'll try to find the buy best deal on TP, dish soap, and dishwasher detergent. After the Trick-or-Treaters are done coming to my door, I'll do a thorough stock take of what I have already so I don't buy needless items.  Budget $65, at least $25 of that will be on those household items.

     November 8: Shop specifically for meal planning plus add more pantry and freezer staples that are running low. Get a few multiple meal packages of meat like chicken breasts, hamburger patties, and fish. Budget: $65

     November 15: As I will be on a three day business trip, shop very light for easy heat and eat items for DH, along with only essential meal planning items. Budget: $40

     November 22: Do the large shop for anything that has run low, plus Thanksgiving items, extra snack type things for DD2 being home, and  replenish only H&G items that are on empty, barring a great loss leader sale. Budget: $100

     November 29: With only a few days left in the month, top of the last grocery haul with essentials needed. Take stock of all pantry and freezer items to begin to plan for December. Budget: $30

     Of course there will be some eating out mixed in along with a Take and Bake Pizza at some point. I've counted Take and Bakes at Aldi as grocery, but those at Papa Murphy's as eating out/take out. I'm not sure why I have made that differential in my budget, but I guess keeping groceries to those bought in stores and take out/meals out as those in food establishments. I might have burned DH out on soup in October having made chili, chicken noodle, and wild rice all in the same month, each yielding  at least a second meal. He's a meat and potato guy at heart, so need to plan for his preferences or I just end up derailing the overall food budget with waste or his fast food lunches. I'll hold off until later in the month when DD2 is home before making soup again and focus budget meals on hotdishes and pasta dishes, which ironically, he doesn't seem to get bored with like he does with soup. I think his mom was a big hotdish maker, but other than the dreaded snapping turtle soup, I can't think of her in a soup sense. 

     My week to week spending target and overly generalized shopping budget gets us to $300 exactly. The bulk of the  meals will be scratch cooking, with the exception of the week of the 15th when I try and cater to DH's limited time and attention to preparing meals-think a frozen pizza, chicken tenders for wraps, and a couple frozen pot pies. My desk is low again on emergency food-those items I keep to ward off going to the vending machine or grabbing an unhealthy and expensive meal across the parking lot at Target. I'll be watching for options for my desk that fit this tight budget. I feel like this is a needed plan for November as I generally go off the spending rails on food at Christmas. DS is tentatively going to be home for several days, with his big appetite. I want to have tasty things my girls enjoy as well as foods I don't normally buy. Planning to have a simple November will help us not feel the pinch when the holiday season is over. 

     Stay tuned over the next month as I plan the details and attempt to make low cost but healthy meals for the two of us.