It was a busy week which started with traveling from a conference (we went to Nebraska and Kansas with a brief stop in Texas).   Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.

• $18.02 at Ingles for 2 loaves Laura Lynn Bread, 3 containers Fresh Strawberries (on clearance for $0.99), 1 bag Bananas (on clearance for $1.49), 1 bag mixed Fresh Fruit (5 pounds oranges, red delicious apples, granny smith apples on clearance for $1.49), 2 containers Fresh Raspberries (on clearance for $0.99), 1 half gallon Pomengranate Tea (on clearance for $0.99), 1 bag Fresh Organic Cucumbers (on clearance for $0.99), and 3 bacon wrapped Steak Filets (they are normally over $9 each regularly but got them on clearance for $1.99). (Everything I bought this week at Ingles was on sale, marked down, or on clearance.  The fresh fruit, veggies, tea and steaks will come in handy with the upcoming Valentine Holiday.   I don’t usually pick up fancy steak even with it on clearance for $1.99 but since Valentines Day is right around the corner and we are going to do a special dinner!)

Walgreens Groceries:

• $7.54 at Walgreens for 2 gallons Milk and 2 two liters Mountain Dew (They had their milk marked down to $2.79 each and their Pepsi products marked down to $0.98.  The soda is great for upcoming events).

I think my body was worn out by the time I got home from the conference that it crashed and I ended up getting sick.  Thankfully after a couple days of rest, extra fluids, and lower activities I was able to bounce back.  I appreciate my husband and kids for stepping up and helping out around the house.  Somehow they managed to stay healthy, yay!  I didn’t have around to doing a regular grocery shopping run until Friday with all the travel and sickness.

This week I spent $25.56 on groceries.  I was under on my budgeted amount for the week because of the busy week with the conference and traveling so thankfully I have a little extra to use towards groceries another week.  I was happy to find fresh produce and steak on sale for the upcoming Valentine celebration.  I hope that next week is better week, back to normal, and we can come under budget!

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.