Monday, July 21, 2008

Challenge Update - Week 4

Read HERE, HERE and HERE if you are lost or behind.

So, I have failed the task at hand.  I went to the store today and I got $60.39 worth of groceries.  I only had $9 to spend for the rest of the month, which means that I went roughly $51 over.  Not too bad, considering this crazy month, and way better than if I wouldn't have done the challenge=)  I spend around $60 a week in groceries which would have been around $300 for the month, but instead I spent about $176 this whole month!  Not too shabby for a 5 week month=)

Reasons why I went so far over:
1-I wanted to keep my stockpile going.  I truly think I could have pulled off the challenge but then I would have absolutely NOTHING left in my pantry and would have paid more next month working up my stockpile again=(  This would NOT have been smart. 
2-I got groceries for the remainder of the month so $60 is pretty good for 2 weeks worth of groceries!
3-I did start the challenge AFTER I had already gotten the first week of groceries, which just happened to be one of my most expensive weeks.
4-I got a TON of meat for $15 today which I didn't expect.  It was all clearance meat so I got a bag of chicken breasts, 3 pork chops and 3 packages of other meat for stir fry and/or stew that was marked WAY down.  Now I should be set for meat for several weeks.

I had fun trying to meet this challenge and it really did save us a lot of money this month.  I also met some good bloggin' friends while keeping up with the challenge.

4 comments:

Cheryl Nichols said...

Tasha, Do you have a Kroger? I found last month that they pull their bread off the shelf early on Mon or Tues and mark it to .50. This has been such a savings because it is also buns and rolls.
It's fun to find those bargains!!
Cheryl

The Via Colony said...

Thanks Cheryl. No, we don't have a Kroger and I have heard such GREAT things about that store and their "deals". Thanks for the tip though, I'm sure some of the stores do something similar that I can keep a look out for...

Unknown said...

You are doing great Tasha. To me the point of the challenge, while trying to stay under $25 per person, is really to learn to coupon more and spend less oop.
When I went into my $25 Challenge, I decided that even if I went over the amount - I know I would be getting much more food for a lot less than I normally would. I plan to continue the Challenge each month just to keep my food bill in check. Who know - one month I may actually get under $25 per person :)

Keep on Keeping on!

Shumway FAM said...

i've been keeping an eye on your blog, since i've been trying the challenge also, and am fialing. just a little more to spend. But you are totally right about the losing of stockpile. I couldn't bare to think of losing all i had stockpiled and then would have to spend even more next month, to get back what i had to use.
I know that i could do this challenge, if I didn't want to lose my stockpile. Thanks for sharing.
come check my blog out sometime.
www.theshumway5.blogspot.com
Cari