When I gave our family the challenge of eating what we had in our pantry, freezer, and larder with only $100 for fresh groceries, I pulled that number out of a hat. A very shallow hat, it turns out.
I initially thought we might be able to count restaurant expenses from the benjamin, but in the wake of sinus surgery we relied on take out and busted the budget in two quick days. I'm changing the rules (they are my rules after all) and only counting grocery and beverage purchases for home consumption, also discounting purchases for cooking classes.
Current Report
In the first week, I spent $17.95 on milk and kefir and $8 on tea. We visited Whole Foods with me under the influence of pain pills and purchase $36.68 of yogurt, milk and produce. Yesterday, we spent $20.92 at the other whole foods on bananas, kale, cheese and milk. Grand total thus far: $83.55 Less than $20 for the next 12 days...
This is becoming a real challenge.
Going Without
There were pomellos at the grocery yesterday. Lil was very interested in them. Never having eaten one myself, I wanted so badly to buy the very large green skinned fruit and try it. But at $3.99 each, they were too expensive for our budget. In a normal month I would have bought one without a thought.
The rice Lil likes is almost gone as is our dry pasta. Lil is a carboholic and a picky one at that, so she may be sorely disappointed in the final week's menu.
I have no more red wine and am almost through the last bottle of white. I ordered more with a Groupon credit (I figure credits paid before January don't have to count towards the budget) which may or may not get here before the end of the month. The liquor cabinet remains well stocked to fulfill my drinking needs.
We have no more honey. I usually buy it in the lowest-cost-per-volume half gallon quantity but that would eat up nearly our entire remaining cash. I'm not sure yet whether we will continue to do without or buy a small bottle in the interim.
Can We Make It?
I remain confident that we will finish January spending no more than the remaining $16.45. I am also confident we will go to the grocery bright and early on February 1 and buy some outrageous interesting food. I am willing to wager that our receipt for that trip will be over $100...
Is anyone playing along? How's it going? If you are more experienced at budgeting, how much do you allow for groceries each month?
