I've decided I am just not me if I am not giving myself mental challenges. As report on Sunday, we have blown through our checking account in buying groceries and other meals. The hubs and college kid did make a drive through stop for ice cream, brining the Household and Grocery budget, plus take out to $525. I had jokingly said a few weeks back that a the rate we were spending we would be at $635 for the month? Well, now that is not just a joke, but a goal. I remember when I used to give myself $300 challenges, particularly the month after a blown budget, with an aim to stay at $5000 for the full year. That isn't even a reality right now, and I've accepted that. But, with 11 days left in May, a pretty packed freezer and pantry, cleaning, personal needs, and the dog taken care of, I am out to challenge myself to spend not more than $100 for the rest of the month.
The bulk will go to fruit. With three people eating as many as three pieces a day, that's a lot of fruit. The large bunch of bananas bought Saturday were gone by Monday night, so I bought more already when I shopped for my mother-in-law. I know we'll need 20 more at least. Apples and clementine's seem to last longer, and we'll be sure to go through a variety of berries, so of the now less than $100, fruit will be at least half. Another $20 will be for milk, bread, and eggs. That leaves $25 for miscellaneously identified items. It should be totally doable if we have no take out, and use the meal options I brainstormed on Sunday. If I make it, great, if not, fine. In our pre-COVID life, I spent $140 on gas, $150 on eating out/DH's eating out, and $100 on entertainment/ Even f I was staying to a $400 average, that stills $790, so this inflated spending is still $150 less in discretionary spending, plus we have the college kid home full time.
So why the challenge anyway? Well, there is the real loss of income with DH's earning being 50% of his average through the same period of time. It's the rumour that pops up regularly about my employer moving to 25% furlough, three weeks on, one off. It's the reality that so far my college age daughter hasn't firmed up any regular employment except some odd babysitting and we'd like her to still have the study abroad opportunities when it is once again safe to travel. While these things are all there in my mind, the challenge is really about giving myself a task, stretching my creativity with meal planning again, paying more attention to my own eating, and feeling a sense of control at least of my own families spending and earnings when so much feels out of my control.
It's time to use those dried beans. It's time to bulk out our meals with rice on the side. It's time I mastered the Instant Pot so I can buy lower cost, if I can get it, meat, and use recipes that make nutritious meals fast so picking up take out is less alluring. I'm only talking 11 days. Have any of you given yourself new challenges while shopping differently? Have you changed the type of proteins you are consuming to cheaper or plant based versions? Let's chat about self imposed challenges.
We are trying to eat less meat. We are diabetics and can't bulk our meals with potatoes, rice, or breads. We eat a salad, definitely less meat, a veggie, and a small amount of carbs at dinner. Since it it only the two of us, we can cut back and not worry about feeding kids. My husband usually has an apple at lunch it might weigh 3 1/2 is and that is with the core.
ReplyDeleteBoth of our dads had diabetes so it is something I think about as we get older. I'm really trying to make sure we eat five+ a day of fruit and veg, but they can be expensive, but definitely better than simple carbs for our health.
DeleteGroceries are the one area we're not really working on our frugality right now. We've saved in many, many other (unfortunate & unplanned) ways due to COVID. Travel, kids sports, events, gym fees, etc. All of that has definitely saved us money, and significantly more than our increased grocery spend.
ReplyDeleteI'm also having a hard time teasing out what's the variance from our increased meals at home (vs free breakfast/lunch/snacks at work) & over spending. So, for now, we'll continue with our grocery budget as is.
i am trying to make the most of everything we bring home, to ensure there's no waste. With food (and meat particularly) being harder to find, waste would be a terrible thing, so we're working hard at ensuring there's minimal waste at our house.
I want to challenge myself with more vegan meals-more beans and pulses, so not sacrificing quality. I easily could get through the rest of the month as we have a full pantry, but I also want variety and fresh foods.
DeleteI think you're very wise to aim high so that even if you don't quite make it you'll do well. Like you say, you work better with challenges and reality is, as you say, always a worry. Good luck, I'm sure you'll do it.
ReplyDeleteWhat it will challenge me to do is buy quality and good stuff, and not waste on stuff with little nutritional value. We've plenty of treats in the house.
DeleteSince there are other things to eat and I am a very unhappy person without a banana each day, I ration myself to one banana and Tommy despises bananas, my bananas last as many days as bananas I buy. Right now, I cannot eat citrus because of allergies, so those are his to eat. AND, he hates my apples. So, the strawberries, blueberries, and grapes are the only two shared fruits right this week. This all makes fruit difficult to control without it going bad!
ReplyDeleteWe do get the occasional sandwich out, but half the time is to control his blood sugar!
We are eating about half as much meat as we usually do. Really, I can eat chicken breast all day. But, I serve half as much as usual, stretching the portions we usually eat. I buy one can of canned meat--tuna, chicken, beef, salmon--each week. We do not eat it because of my lack of planning. However, we will not be caught short without some sort of protein.
When it comes to the overall cost, I have not kept score. I know that is bad.
We both like potatoes, but are diabetic. We do eat some potatoes and no bread or rice at the same meal. He is not enthusiastic about rice, and I like brown rice which he hates. So, I never cook rice. I do have ten pounds in the kitchen.
We have not gone out to eat in about six months. We did go out maybe once every two or three months. So, there is that savings to offset having to buy what was there and when it was there at whatever price.
My most frequent need for shopping is bananas, and I come away with more stuff that was unplanned, adding to the cost of a few bananas. I have cut down on shopping because I am there.
Of course, I do go to food banks which helps a bit, some days it does not.
We really do not need to budget tightly-as I said, it is more for a challenge, a game. It does though also make me think more about what is in my cart. If my goal is $50 for the shop, and I've already spent $25 on fruit, I need the rest to go towards meat, milk, cheese,and that would live little room for potato chips! That's my strategy.
DeleteI love self imposed challenges. I do them every so often for the fun of it. With COVID 19, I haven't been stopping by the stores on the way home from school drop off, (no school) to catch in store specials. And, as there are few sales in light of this, I started, based on sales flyers, "No Spend" weeks, even milk and bread. (But not half and half for my coffee.) If on Tuesday evening I see there is nothing in the flyers to entice me in, then I don't go for the entire week. Our beef supply is getting low, that's for sure. I did splurge on a sirloin tip roast for Sunday dinner, leftovers turned into a cottage pie for last night, but at $25.00 for two meals, it was cheaper than the Mexican takeout I was craving on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteAs far as fruit and vegetables--during these periods I do miss fresh fruit, but I remember back in my small town youth when my parents couldn't get fruit that wasn't in season. (Except those Red Delicious Apples...oh they were horrid.) I am not bothered by eating frozen or canned vegetables. That's why I can in the first place. I try to avoid bulking out meals with carbs, and as we have a diabetic in the house, rice is a rarity. If I am making, say, a cottage pie, I will finely dice carrots, and add a drained can of green beans.
Have you considered staggering plantings of lettuce in your garden--but they won't germinate once the heat comes, so you have to hurry. Planting Romaine lettuce seeds weekly from April-May, and again in Sept - Oct. gives us an almost constant supply of salad through all but the hottest periods of summer.
Another challenge I like is one is one in which I stay home, period, and the car doesn't leave the garage. Well, that one was sort of forced on us, wasn't it, so not much of a challenge, is it?
splurging on the beef tip but getting two meals is a great win. My food shopping thoughts hae changed. It's not about buying things cheap, but buying quality for every dollar. We love rice, and while shouldn't over do the carbs, we've found some quinoa and rice blends that are hearty, and tasty, and add nice variety to say go with a vegan chili.
DeleteI am really trying to stay on our grocery budget of $525 CAD this month (all cleaners/food but no otcs) and currently am on track to do so. We have not been eating out, we are on reduced income so that what we have in the bank in the company account will last longer without having to dip into our personal savings to survive. I am getting tired of fixing meals....but it is a hardship that I can deal with. Staying on budget now mostly involves not bringing hubby to the grocery store :)
ReplyDeleteI too am tired of cooking. My daughter is making dinner tonight, canned chow mein and rice, but hey, it's a help! I'll have her put a good portion aside so she has lunch. I regularized I didn't get sweet potatoes on Saturday and am craving one now. I will add ot my list as I find them a nutritious treat.
DeleteI think in these times anything you do to make life better for you and your family is a lofty goal.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right! For me, the challenge will not just be staying within the target, but doing so with quality food and nutritious meals. A 10 pack of Taco Bell burritos will keep us fed every day cheaply after-all-no thank you.
DeleteI'm trying to reign in our grocery budget but not doing too well this month. Prices have gone up from the bushfires as well as the lockdown so its much more expensive than usual. I am planning to cook up some soup for the freezer this weekend as I find soup filling and cheap to make. I've been adding beans to mince meat (ground beef) meals which has helped.
ReplyDeleteI find fall and winter easier to stay on budget because of all the grilling in spring and summer. I need to find the warm weather equivalent to hearty soups and stews-beyond pasta salad.
DeleteI'm looking forward to the allotment produce being ready. It will save me a fortune on salad items as we eat such a lot of them, as well as other vegetables and soft fruit. It's those things that I have to keep stocking up on. My grocery costs are higher as I'm doing all my shopping at a more expensive shop but it's one where I can click and collect and the quality is always good. Not having to go into the shop is worth the extra expense. I'm saving in all other areas as have bought hardly anything else but groceries for 10 weeks - some elastic, a new pair of running trainers for my husband, and I've just had to buy new hair clippers as ours broke, and they're an absolute necessity for my husband's hair. I haven't challenged myself for ages where groceries are concerned, but have just planted up all of the new areas in the garden by splitting and transplanting. The only plant I bought was a new clematis for £12.99.
ReplyDeleteWell this challenge is more to top off the month, but not a true budget challenge. More than ever, we need to be mentally and physically healthy. I'm taking my weight seriously, and while it is slow to shift, it is a bit. Mentally I feel better after having apiece of fruit for a snack, or knowing I served a healthy meal. It was nice having my recently windowed sister over for homemade bean soup and egg salad. Simple, nutritious, and delcious, and she got out of the house.
DeleteI hope you don't have a furlough especially with your husbands income being down and another mouth to feed. But you will get through this. you have the skills. We are all so much better off than many right now. I am sure daughter will find a job, she is a go getter.
ReplyDeleteIt will be what it will be. We have our savings, and our house is paid for. Worst case scenarios are we may have take student loans out if through our combined earnings there isn't enough to cover tuition. It wouldn't help her to transfer to a less expensive college as her scholarships off set and this is a much better fit. We also could greatly scale back retirement funding, and both of us add years before we retire. We are very fortunate that we have options.
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