Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping (Week 3)
Our family finished week 3 of our no grocery shopping goal. Every new year we set goals, challenge ourselves to reach new heights, and to focus on what’s really important in life. I have made it a goal to simplify my life more by enjoying the blessings and not wasting what God has given me. One of the ways I did this was by going through several No Grocery Shopping weeks, picking up only necessities while trying to use the items we already had in our fridge, freezer, and pantry.
When I did it this 2011 it was my intention to go 1 month, but I made it 8 weeks (with only a few hiccups). It is my plan to do this again with the hope of making it at least through the month of January. I will be sharing with you the successes and challenges on those specific areas in my life as I go through them.
Life Simplified Goal:
- No Grocery Shopping (except for necessities) in the month of January.
Explanation of the Goal: My goal during the month of January is to not shop for groceries other than necessities (milk, eggs, bread). Our freezer is full of meat, produce from our garden this summer, fruit, and other great items. Our pantry is also overflowing with all the great deals that we have picked up over the past few months. One of the reason for the goal is that I want to use the items I have and not waste them. Stockpiling is wonderful but there may come a point when we need to eat through that stockpile before it expires, save the extra money to work on a financial goal, and be creative with what we have at home. I have been thinking about this challenge for several weeks over the Holidays. Over the past few months (including our experience traveling to India) it has really hit me that we have been really blessed yet there are children and families that content with a lot less. Menu planning may take a little extra creative thinking on my part but I think I can do it. If I do purchase something it needs to meet one of the following criteria:
- FREE – I don’t want to waste free grocery coupons that my family will use while doing this goal
- Necessity – Milk, Eggs, Bread, etc…
- For Someone Else outside of my household. For example I make meals for new Moms in our church and if I need to pick up an item for them on the way to deliver a meal that will be an exception.
What Happened this week?
I finished the third week of this goal. The only thing I purchased this week was a 1 gallon, 1 loaf of bread, and a handful of fresh produce. Our menu was pretty basic this week, but mostly because it was a busy schedule this week.
It takes a little more time and focus to come up with a menu but everyone seems to be doing pretty well. The real challenge will come at the end of the month when we are getting low in the pantry and when we host guests!
I will share with you the challenges, successes and what I had to purchase so you can keep me accountable or even go through the journey with me by participating and sharing your story. I would love to extend this goal into February if I can make our pantry stretch!
Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others. Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff” and if you are like us we just have too much. I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives. When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.
Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping (Week 2)
Our family finished week 2 of our no grocery shopping goal. Every new year we set goals, challenge ourselves to reach new heights, and to focus on what’s really important in life. I have made it a goal to simplify my life more by enjoying the blessings and not wasting what God has given me. One of the ways I did this was by going through several No Grocery Shopping weeks, picking up only necessities while trying to use the items we already had in our fridge, freezer, and pantry.
When I did it this 2011 it was my intention to go 1 month, but I made it 8 weeks (with only a few hiccups). It is my plan to do this again with the hope of making it at least through the month of January. I will be sharing with you the successes and challenges on those specific areas in my life as I go through them.
Life Simplified Goal:
- No Grocery Shopping (except for necessities) in the month of January.
Explanation of the Goal: My goal during the month of January is to not shop for groceries other than necessities (milk, eggs, bread). Our freezer is full of meat, produce from our garden this summer, fruit, and other great items. Our pantry is also overflowing with all the great deals that we have picked up over the past few months. One of the reason for the goal is that I want to use the items I have and not waste them. Stockpiling is wonderful but there may come a point when we need to eat through that stockpile before it expires, save the extra money to work on a financial goal, and be creative with what we have at home. I have been thinking about this challenge for several weeks over the Holidays. Over the past few months (including our experience traveling to India) it has really hit me that we have been really blessed yet there are children and families that content with a lot less. Menu planning may take a little extra creative thinking on my part but I think I can do it. If I do purchase something it needs to meet one of the following criteria:
- FREE – I don’t want to waste free grocery coupons that my family will use while doing this goal
- Necessity – Milk, Eggs, Bread, etc…
- For Someone Else outside of my household. For example I make meals for new Moms in our church and if I need to pick up an item for them on the way to deliver a meal that will be an exception.
What Happened this week?
I finished the second week of this goal. The only things I purchased this week were a 1 gallon of Milk, a jar of Mayonnaise, and soft foods for my daughter who was recovering from tonsil surgery (bananas, popsicles, drinks, yogurt, etc…). I was able to plan our menu around the foods we had on hand, plus Jake was traveling for a couple days this week so we tried to keep it a little simpler.
It takes a little more time and focus to come up with a menu but everyone seems to be doing pretty well. The real challenge will come at the end of the month when we are getting low in the pantry and when we host guests!
I will share with you the challenges, successes and what I had to purchase so you can keep me accountable or even go through the journey with me by participating and sharing your story. I would love to extend this goal into February if I can make our pantry stretch!
Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others. Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff” and if you are like us we just have too much. I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives. When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.
Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping
Every new year we set goals, challenge ourselves to reach new heights, and to focus on what’s really important in life. The picture above is a handful of receipts where I bought grocery items over the last few weeks. Back in 2011 I made it a goal to simplify my life more by enjoying the blessings and not wasting what God has given me. One of the ways I did this was by going through several No Grocery Shopping weeks, picking up only necessities while trying to use the items we already had in our fridge, freezer, and pantry.
When I did it in 2011 it was my intention to go 1 month, but I made it 8 weeks (with only a few hiccups). It is my plan to do this again with the hope of making it at least through the month of January. I will be sharing with you the successes and challenges on those specific areas in my life as I go through them.
Life Simplified Goal:
- No Grocery Shopping (except for necessities) in the month of January.
Explanation of the Goal: My goal during the month of January is to not shop for groceries other than necessities (milk, eggs, bread). Our freezer is full and our pantry is overflowing with all the great deals that we have picked up over the past few months. One of the reason for the goal is that I want to use the items I have and not waste them. Stockpiling is wonderful but there may come a point when we need to eat through that stockpile before it expires, save the extra money to work on a financial goal, and be creative with what we have at home. I have been thinking about this challenge for several weeks over the Holidays. Over the past few months (including our experience traveling to India) it has really hit me that we have been really blessed yet there are children and families that content with a lot less. Menu planning may take a little extra creative thinking on my part but I think I can do it. If I do purchase something it needs to meet one of the following criteria:
- FREE – I don’t want to waste free grocery coupons that my family will use while doing this goal
- Necessity – Milk, Eggs, Bread, etc…
- For Someone Else outside of my household. For example I make meals for new Moms in our church and if I need to pick up an item for them on the way to deliver a meal that will be an exception.
I have already started this goal. The only things I purchased this first week has been a loaf of bread and 1 gallon of milk. Last week we ate a bunch of leftovers for several days since our fridge was full and we don’t want to waste the food we have. Plus a sweet friend brought us a meal after my daughters surgery which was amazing and got us through more than two meals. It takes a little more time and focus to come up with a menu but everyone seems to be doing pretty well. The real challenge will come at the end of the month when we are getting low in the pantry and when we host guests!
I will share with you the challenges, successes and what I had to purchase so you can keep me accountable or even go through the journey with me by participating and sharing your story. I would love to extend this goal into February if I can make our pantry stretch!
Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others. Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff” and if you are like us we just have too much. I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives. When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.
The Big Book of Slow Cooker Casseroles & More by Betty Crocker
The best part about using my crockpot is on those super busy days I can stick a meal in it and when we all come home at night dinner is ready to eat. My sweet husband, for my birthday last week, got me The Big Book of Slow Cooker Casseroles & More by Betty Crocker and I LOVE it!
After the Thanksgiving Holiday we had some leftover ham that needed to be eaten up. So I grabbed my new book and found a great recipe to try “Ham & Wild Recipe Soup” and made it up on the cool Fall day. The soup was delicious plus it helped me utilize some of the leftover ham.
I already have several of the other recipes marked to try soon. I am thankful for quick easy meals especially on those crazy days. This cookbook will come in really handy as we approach the busy Holiday season too.
Ham & Potato Casserole (Regular or Dairy & Egg Free Recipes)
Our family had ham over the Thanksgiving Holiday so we had a little bit leftover to make some more delicious meals. I decided to make a ham casserole recipe and it was a hit with my family. Since I had some ham I was using up I made one casserole to eat right away and put together another one to freeze for a later meal. It was a big hit with the whole family (two thumbs up) from everyone. I made the dairy and egg free recipe, but I included both so you can choose what you want to do for your family. The directions for both are the same only the ingredients between the two recipes vary slightly.
Ham & Potato Casserole (Regular Ingredients Recipe)
- 4 cups frozen shredded Hashbrown Potatoes
- 1/4 cup finely chopped Onion (or 1/8 cup Dry Minced Onions)
- 8 ounces Ham, cubed
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese (or a cheddar blend)
- 1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Pepper
Ham & Potato Casserole (Dairy & Egg Free Ingredients Recipe)
- 4 cups frozen shredded Hashbrown Potatoes
- 1/4 cup finely chopped Onion (or 1/8 cup Dry Minced Onions)
- 8 ounces Ham, cubed
- 2 cups shredded Soy Cheddar Cheese
- 16 ounces Soy Milk (boiled down to 12 ounces)
- 1 Egg substitute
- 1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Pepper
Grease 8-inch-square baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
LAYER 1/2 potatoes, 1/2 onion, 1/2 ham and 1/2 cheese (or cheddar or soy cheese) in prepared baking dish and repeat layers. Combine evaporated milk, egg (or egg substitute), pepper, and seasoned salt in small bowl. Pour liquid mixture evenly over the casserole.
Cover and bake for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Layered Ham & Potato Casserole ready to be put in the oven
Although, we ate this casserole for lunch it would be a great breakfast or brunch recipe to use for your family or when you have house guests. Since we have a little one that is not eating dairy or eggs I made the egg and dairy free version for our family, but I also included what you would use for a regular recipe
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
It was my fourth full week of doing my new cash budget system – Groceries $40 for 4. This week I was able to get quite a few items with my $40 budget thanks to clearance items and coupons! Although it has been a learning process the last few weeks this one went pretty well. It is always a learning and growing progress for our family. We are continuing to utilize the food we already have in our pantry and freezer. Below are my grocery shopping adventures for the week!
RiteAid Groceries Grcoeries from RiteAid:
- $2.16 at RiteAid for Cake Mix (25 cents), Hamburger Dinner (25 cents), Onion Spices, Ground Cinnamon, 2 Tomato Juices (25 cents each), Individual peanut packs, Combos, and two free Easter Candies. Plus I used an UP Reward towards the purchase.
FREE Mushrooms at Walgreens! Groceries from Walgreens:
- $0.00 (FREE) at Walgreens for 4 cans of Geisha Mushrooms (used the Walgreens Coupon Insert and Register Reward to pay for the mushrooms! Can’t beat free!
Groceries from Bi-Lo Groceries from Bi-Lo:
- $36.52 at Bi-Lo for 4 gallons of milk (froze 2 gallons), 1 pack of Cheese Crackers, 2 Slow Cooker Packs, 2 Applesauce Packs, 1 Loaf of Bread, 1 box of Uncle Bens Rice (on closeout), 4 bags of Individually Wrapped Chocolate Covered Raisins (on clearance for 75 cents each), 1 bag of Chickpeas, 2 packs of Pasta, 2 packs of Cheese Sauce Mix, 1 jar Raspberry BBQ Sauce (on closeout), 4 bags shredded cheese, 2 bags sliced cheese, 1 package of fresh Chicken (99 cents / pound). I used several store and manufacturer’s coupons plus I had a coupon from Bi-Lo for $5 off the entire purchase which helped bring the amount down below $40.
It was our fourth week of the challenge – Groceries $40 for 4 and we spent $38.68 thankfully we did better this week . I was able to stock up on some great dairy items this week – Milk (even froze 2 gallons), Cheese (which freezes well too), Chicken (enough for 2 to 3 meals for our family) and snacks for after school! I am still trying to work out all the details of how to make the budget most effective for our family and I think some weeks have been easier than others. I used some coupons, bought clearance items, and utilized weekly ad discounts to help save us a little extra on our grocery budget. I hope to do better next week! We’ll see how I do!
It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks! As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me. I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too. The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.
Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances. Life doesn’t always go as planned. We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given. Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life. A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others. There is so much more to life than having all the stuff. We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of March 16 – 22, 2011
The Save A Lot deals are listed below for your convenience. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Fresh Whole Chicken– $0.79 lb
Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs (16 oz) – $0.99
Schooner Fish Fillets (12 oz) – $1.99
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Hot Pocket Singles – $0.79
Banquet Fruit or Pot Pies – $0.50
Use $0.40/2 coupon found on packages (Expires 5/31/12)
$0.30 each after couponFisher Boy Fish Sticks – $0.99
Use $0.75/1 printable coupon from Fisher Boy
$0.24 each after couponFairgrounds Bologna – $0.99
Frisby’s Shoestring Fries – $0.99
Imperial Spread Quarters – $0.65
Coburn Farms Lowfat or Light Yogurt – $0.50
Household
Pert Bath Tissue – $0.89
Wrightware Foam Plates (40 count) – $0.99
Axis Bleach – $0.99
Angel Fresh Fabric Softener Sheets (40 count) – $0.99
Being Well Body 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner – $.199
Produce
Fresh Green Cabbage – $0.49 per lb
Fresh Express Salad Mix (12 oz) – $0.99
Carrots (2 lbs) – $0.99
Grocery
Tuna Skillet Masters – $0.79
StarKist Chunk Light Tuna – $0.50
Prego Spaghetti Sauce (24 oz) $1.50
Use $0.35/2 coupon from insert 1/2 Smart Source (Expires 3/31/11)
$1.33 each after couponKaskey’s Chicken Noodle Soup – $0.53
J. Higg’s Crackers – $0.89
Kurtz Yellow Mustard – $0.69
Kurtz Hot Sauce – $0.99
Krutz Ketchup – $0.89
Portemann’s Salad Dressing – $1.25
Potatoes on the Side Scallop or AuGratin – $0.99
Mantia’s Pizza Crust Mix – $0.49
Mantia’s Pizza Sauce – $0.99
Mantia’s Grated Parmesan Cheese – $2.55
Tangy Original Sunny D – $0.99
Use $0.25/1 coupon from insert 1/16 Smart Source (Expires 4/30/11)
$0.74 each after couponSundia Fruit Cups – $0.89
Libby’s Pineapple – $0.99
Gourmet Select Oven Baked Onion Rings – $0.99
Jones Potato Sticks – $0.99
Cactus Joe’s Hot Fries or Dipping Chips – $0.99
Cheese Curls Cheese Balls – $1.29
Mike Sell’s Kettle Chips – $1.79
Vinter’s Multipack Chips (16 count) – $3.99
So Cheezy Shells & Cheddar or Deluxe Mac & Cheese – $1.00
Del Pino’s Beef or Mini Beef Ravioli – $1.50
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.
For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of March 9 – 15, 2011
The Save A Lot deals are continued from last week so if you haven’t had an opportunity to stock up on these items you have another week to do it. Here are this weeks deals at Save A Lot. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Pork Picnic Roast – $0.99 lb
Frozen Boneless Chicken Breast – $1.49 per lb
Ground Beef (73% lean) – $1.99 per lb
Schooner Fish Fillets (2 lbs) – $4.99
Port Side Battered or Breaded Fish Fillets – $2.99
Port Side Cooked Shrimp – $3.99
Port Side Popcorn Shrimp – $2.17
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Banquet Fruit or Pot Pies – $0.50
Totino’s Party Pizzas – $1.19
Use $1/5 coupon from insert 2/13 General Mills (Expires 5/7/11)
Use $0.50/3 coupon from insert 2/13 General Mills (Expires 5/7/11)
Use $1.25/4 coupon from insert 1/30 Smart Source (Expires 4/23/11)
Use $0.50/1 coupon from insert 1/23 Red Plum (Expires 4/16/11)
As low as $0.69 each after coupon
Michelina Pizza Rolls – $1.99
Coburn Farms Shredded Cheese – $2.59
Haas Cheesecake – $3.49
Household
Trend Laundry Detergent – $1.88
Triumph Big Roll Papers Towels – $1.29
Solutions Glass Cleaner – $0.99
Glo Classic Dish Liquid – $0.99
Angel Soft Bath Tissue – $2.49
Produce
Idaho Potatoes (10 lbs) – $2.49
Navel Oranges (3 lbs) – $1.49
Whole Watermelons (select locations) – $3.99 each
Grocery
Ocean Spray Cranberry Cocktail Juice – $.188
General Mills Cereal (24 to 25.2 oz) – $2.49
Use $1/3 coupon from insert 2/13 General Mills (Expires 3/26/11)
$2.16 each after coupon
Prego Spaghetti Sauce (24 oz) $1.50
Use $0.35/2 coupon from insert 1/2 Smart Source (Expires 3/31/11)
Use $0.60/3 coupon from insert 1/2 Smart Source (Expires 3/31/11)
As low as $1.20 each after coupon
So Cheezy Shells & Cheddar or Deluxe Mac & Cheese – $1.00
Del Pino’s Beef or Mini Beef Ravioli – $1.50
Portmann’s Tartar Sauce – $1.39
Portmann’s Seafood Cocktail Sauce – $1.29
J Higg’s Potato Chips – $0.99
Save-A-Lot Soda – $0.69
Crystal Drinking Water (24 package) – $2.49
Kaskey’s Onion Soup Mix – $0.79
Portmann’s Real Mayonnaise – $1.99
Panner Peanut Butter – $1.47
Bramler’s Grape Jelly – $1.49
J Higg’s Saltine Crackers – $0.89
Kaskey’s Chunky Soup – $1.49
Mantia’s Spaghetti – $0.79
Mantia’s Grated Parmesan Cheese – $2.49
Crisco Vegetable or Canola Oil – $2.49
Green Giant Vegetables – $0.59
T.G.I. Friday’s Cheddar Bacon Potato Skins – $0.99
Hunt’s Snack Pack Pudding – $0.99
Bakery
Country Treats Donut Holes – $2.29
JJ’s Chocolate Pie – $0.44
Bakery Fresh Cherry or Apple Pie – $2.99
Theodoro Mini Bagels – $1.49
Lofthouse Pink Frosted Sugar Cookies – $2.49
Guiseppe’s Garlic Bread – $1.79
Baby
Tickles Diapers – $5.99
Pet
Trooper Dog Food – $5.99
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.
For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
Family Recipe: Homemade Egg Noodles
Grandma Willa makes the best Egg Noodles! She received this recipe from her Mom, my Great Grandma Joedemann. If you are wanting some great tasting homemade egg noodles these are amazing. The ingredients are ones you typically have on hand and it is easy to make.
Egg Noodles:
- 4 Eggs
- 1 1/2 cup Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
- Optional – dash of garlic salt or caraway seed
Mix and place on a floured pastry sheet roll out & cut. You may need a little more flour depending on the moisture of the dough. The dough should be pretty thick you want it just enough to roll it out. Use the noodles immediately or let them dry for a few minutes before using with your favorite dish.
Photo by msufal
Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping (February Update)
Now that we are almost through February 2011 you may be wondering how I am doing with my No Grocery Shopping Month Challenge. I am wrapping up week 8 of my “No Grocery Shopping” goal. This month has been harder because the pantry and freezer are getting lower but for the most part I have been doing well as long as I do my menu planning ahead of schedule. When I go over what I am going to make for supper that morning, check for the ingredients, and have a plan everything goes so much smoother. Here are my criteria for purchasing any grocery items over the last 8 weeks:- FREE – I don’t want to waste free grocery coupons that my family will use while doing this goal
- Necessity – Milk, Eggs, Bread, etc…
- For Someone Else outside of my household. For example I make meals for new Moms in our church and if I need to pick up an item for them on the way to deliver a meal that will be an exception.
Although with all that being said I did have to purchase a few items not really within my guidelines for one meal recently. I was in charge of making our Community Group meal at church last Wednesday, we have an average of 16 to 20 people on Wednesday night. While we still have plenty to feed our family of four, I did pick up a couple items from the store to make the meal last week since there are people in the group that have food allergies and I wanted to make sure I had items that they could eat. The extra items that were not in my guidelines were:
- Bananas which I bought at Save A Lot | Rite Aid for $0.19 a pound to make homemade banana pudding, it was delicious!
- 2 lb bag of Green Giant Potatoes for $2.49 to make homemade potato soup, my friends recipe! You can find more of her great recipes at Reflecting on the Simple Things in Life!
- 1 cup Heavy Cream for homemade potato soup
- 1 onion for $0.68 for the homemade beef stew
So now you know that I didn’t entirely hit my goal of no grocery shopping except for necessities. When I first set the No Grocery Shopping challenge I was hoping to get through the month of January, the fact that I plan to make it to the first few days into March with only a few extra purchases during the challenge is a huge win (at least for me). In the month of February the only other groceries I have purchased are:
- 5 gallons of Milk
- 2 packages of Cheese
- 1 Loaf of Bread
For the most part the No Grocery Shopping challenge went fairly well. I spent a little over $19 (including tax) for the month of February on grocery necessities. We even did extra activities during this time of cutting back. Doing this challenge may seem silly to some but it has made a huge impact on my way of thinking. It has been a wonderful learning experience and made me appreciate how many blessings we have in our lives. I hope to do a similar challenge in the future to help remind me of the importance of saving as well as using the items we have on hand. Even with the challenge we were still able to participate in several extra events in February while only using items in our freezer or pantry:
- Hosted Guests in our Home
- Made food for a Super Bowl Party
- Brought Treats to the Girls Valentine’s Party
- Brought Cupcakes and Drinks to the Girls Birthday Party for School
- Had Snacks for Girls Night
I do have to say that I had a hard time buying the few extra items that I purchased this month……I felt guilty buying extra food during this challenge especially when I know we still have plenty. I am grateful for an amazing husband and two wonderful kids who put up with me throughout this adventure. It is my plan to try and make it through the first few days of March (only 1 more week) with this goal, which will be 9 weeks of only shopping for the necessities (with a few hiccups in the mix). I want to thank everyone for all the support and encouragement along the way. One of the BIGGEST ways that helped keep me accountable is that I knew people were watching, reading and commenting on the blog. Thanks for being a part of my life and helping me at least feel like I touched a finger tip on my goal.
So what’s next!!!! In the next few days I will be sharing with you my next Grocery Shopping Goal, don’t worry it won’t be as extreme, however I want to continue to utilize the stockpile we still have and not waste what God has given us. With this new challenge it will allow me the freedom to Grocery Shop for the family yet stay within a budget, PLUS perks! Stayed tuned as I unveil what is coming up next and if your up to it you can join me in the next adventure!
Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others. Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff” and if you are like us we just have too much. I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives. When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.
Photo by Little Blue Hen
