Does thinking about how much money you spend on food each week make you a little crazy? Do you wish you could stick to a specific budget, but aren’t sure you can do it alone? Let’s do it together. For [...]
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Goal: $100
Actual: $153.76
Aaaand. I’m back to being over budget. Why does it feel like this time around it has been more an exercise of how much I can go over versus sticking with any semblance of a budget?!
I may up the budget to $125 and call it a day. I may still be over, but I think that’s truly a better reflection of what we buy and eat each week.
This week was a bit of a make-up week. Since we didn’t spend anything last week and the trip will be able to stretch for almost 2 weeks, I’m not so disappointed.
It also saw the purchase of some bigger ticket items like coffee for The Hubster, and vanilla extract (all that chocamole has taken a toll on the extract). As well as some new finds like Special Dark Hershey’s chocolate powder (to die for) and copious amounts of cheese for Eggplant Parmesan (for The Hubster, he made it and ate it all by his lonesome).
How did you do this week? What insights did you have on the budgeting?
I’m excited to report that I have some great company on my Project: Food Budget challenge. Please check out these wonderful blogs, and give them support as they take on this challenge.
All have different budgets, number of mouths to feed, and food preferences (veggie + meat eating). And yet, all have a common goal of saving money and making better choices when it comes to the food we put on our table.
Want to get on board? Fabulous. (Now go here.)
Participating blogs:
Goal: $100
Actual: $126.47
Goal: $100
Actual: $0
I was hoping to be able to take it easy with the budget last week (Week 31), but clearly that wasn’t in the cards. And while it might not look like that much over, it’s a good amount over following a major stock-up over the previous two weeks.
The main reason for the overage: The Hubster was on a strict low fiber diet, meaning we had to get totally different food in the house.
Side note: it’s amazing how difficult it is to do low fiber on a vegetarian diet! He literally ate white pasta with tomato sauce, pizza, grilled cheese on white bread, bagels, white rice, and ice cream for a solid week. What he wasn’t able to eat: beans, legumes, vegetables, whole grains, or fruit.
This week (Week 32) we caught a bit of a break. Hoping I can stave off a trip until Monday. Though, may not be able to wait. Fresh produce is a necessity in our house.
How did you do this week? What new items have been cropping up on your menu?
I’m excited to report that I have some great company on my Project: Food Budget challenge. Please check out these wonderful blogs, and give them support as they take on this challenge.
All have different budgets, number of mouths to feed, and food preferences (veggie + meat eating). And yet, all have a common goal of saving money and making better choices when it comes to the food we put on our table.
Want to get on board? Fabulous. (Now go here.)
Participating blogs:
Goal: $100
Actual: $141.53 (Costco: $74.09; Giant Eagle: 67.44)
Goal: $100
Actual: $164.70
Yeesh. I totally overspent. Totally, utterly, depressingly overspent.
That’s what I get for not stepping foot into a grocery store for a few weeks. Crash and burn. Or, should I say CASH and burn.
Last week (Week 29) was actually a fairly good week for food shopping, considering I hit up Costco. I have really enjoyed the grapes ($1.85/lb), the avocados (7 for $5.79) and the campari tomatoes (for the kale-i-fied pasta with tomatoes and beans).
This week (Week 30) saw a lot of stocking up on pasta (9 bags/boxes – the brand we like was on sale!), beans (again, sale), and frozen dinners for The Hubster (5 at $6 ea.), and syrup (maple, and regular).
The worst part: I went in with a very short list, and ended up totally blowing it. Sigh.
For those who are able to stick to their budget (or even come in under each week) how do you do it?!
I’m excited to report that I have some great company on my Project: Food Budget challenge. Please check out these wonderful blogs, and give them support as they take on this challenge.
All have different budgets, number of mouths to feed, and food preferences (veggie + meat eating). And yet, all have a common goal of saving money and making better choices when it comes to the food we put on our table.
Want to get on board? Fabulous. (Now go here.)
Participating blogs:
Goal: $100/week
Actual: $86.25
The good news: I didn’t go over budget!! In fact, I was super under budget by like $115. Whoa.
The bad news: I didn’t really do any cooking or grocery shopping. (The Hubster has not been so happy either.)
I have slipped into a food funk of epic proportions. Probably because I have had some epic projects, late nights, and evening events. Making dinner totally sporadic, and mostly an after thought.
I’ve also slacked off majorly with menu-planning. Which is never a good thing. Even Pinterest hasn’t kept my interest.
I told you…a food funk of epic proportions.
When the food funk strikes, how do you find your dinner making mojo again?
I’m excited to report that I have some great company on my Project: Food Budget challenge. Please check out these wonderful blogs, and give them support as they take on this challenge.
All have different budgets, number of mouths to feed, and food preferences (veggie + meat eating). And yet, all have a common goal of saving money and making better choices when it comes to the food we put on our table.
Want to get on board? Fabulous. (Now go here.)
Participating blogs:
Goal: $100
Actual: $100.16 (Costco); $75.92 (Giant Eagle)
Today marks the halfway point of Project: Food Budget. Which means that we’ve been at it for a whopping 6 months. I just can’t seem to wrap my head around that.
I still feel like I have so much to learn about budgeting and menu planning. Like, for example, actually sticking to it! Or how to use coupons for healthy and good-for-me products. I know it’s possible…
This week was a bit of an odd week. The Hubster and I broke down and joined Costco (yipee!!) and did a semi-major stock-up. We purchased the largest bag of spinach known to man. I got 4lbs of grapes for a measly $7.79. I got 10lbs of onions, and 10lbs of sweet potatoes. I got organic flax granola. I got more edamame (non-GMO!) than I know what to do with. And was shocked that we managed to stay around $100.
Too bad I also had to top up at the grocery store. For the small amount of things that we grabbed, I was slightly appalled that we spent $75 more. Clearly the little things add up.
Since we did a pretty big run, I’m hoping that next week will be minor in terms of actual needs. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
I’m excited to report that I have some great company on my Project: Food Budget challenge. Please check out these wonderful blogs, and give them support as they take on this challenge.
All have different budgets, number of mouths to feed, and food preferences {veggie + meat eating}. And yet, all have a common goal of saving money and making better choices when it comes to the food we put on our table.
Want to get on board? Fabulous. {Now go here.}
Participating blogs:
Goal: $100
Actual: $114.23
Another good week for the budget. Especially considering we had house guests this week.
No real menu to speak of this week, though we have been doing a lot of smoothies, salads, pasta, sweet potatoes, and maple pecan granola.
Feeling like my cooking mojo has kind of gone on vacation. Hoping it will come back soon so that I can start posting new recipes again. I have been missing it.
How was your week with budgeting?
I’m excited to report that I have some great company on my Project: Food Budget challenge. Please check out these wonderful blogs, and give them support as they take on this challenge.
All have different budgets, number of mouths to feed, and food preferences {veggie + meat eating}. And yet, all have a common goal of saving money and making better choices when it comes to the food we put on our table.
Want to get on board? Fabulous. {Now go here.}
Participating blogs:
Goal: $100
Actual: $125.05
Considering I hadn’t been food shopping in a whopping 3 weeks, I’d say that’s a pretty big win.
This week saw some major stocking up {almond milk, kashi waffles, flours – unbleached all-purpose + whole wheat, raw sugar, baking powder, ground sage} in addition to some new items {smoked salmon, tilapia, and oatmeal toppings for The Hubster}.
The rest was fresh fruits and veggies like grapes {duh}, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, broccoli, spinach, onions, oranges, cucumbers, carrots, mangoes, avocado, snow peas, tomatoes {!!}, and asparagus. I love that fruits are coming back in season. And with the unseasonably warm winter, things are peaking much earlier than usual.
If you hadn’t guessed by the list above, fruits and veggies account for a good 80% of our food budget. And that always makes me {and my body} feel good.
How does your shopping breakdown? How much are you spending each month on fruits + vegetables?
I’m excited to report that I have some great company on my Project: Food Budget challenge. Please check out these wonderful blogs, and give them support as they take on this challenge.
All have different budgets, number of mouths to feed, and food preferences {veggie + meat eating}. And yet, all have a common goal of saving money and making better choices when it comes to the food we put on our table.
Want to get on board? Fabulous. {Now go here.}
Participating blogs:
Goal: $100
Actual: $0
I know that number says zero, but I’m not counting is as a huge success. I was out of town, The Hubster survived on cheese ravioli and pizza for a week, and I just haven’t had a chance to hit up the grocery store. I’m guessing that next week is going to involve some catching up.
How do you handle the week after vacations? Do you try to get everything you run out of in one fell swoop, or do you try to space things outs?
I’m excited to report that I have some great company on my Project: Food Budget challenge. Please check out these wonderful blogs, and give them support as they take on this challenge.
All have different budgets, number of mouths to feed, and food preferences {veggie + meat eating}. And yet, all have a common goal of saving money and making better choices when it comes to the food we put on our table.
Want to get on board? Fabulous. {Now go here.}
Participating blogs:
Goal: $100/week
Actual: $155.68
That money was spent on Week 21. We had to go out of town unexpectedly, and ended up not needing much food for the rest of Week 22. So it worked out in the end.
There were a lot of different items on the shopping list {snacks and treats for The Hubster}, new treats for me {sweet potato fries! tomatoes!}, and some restocking of the pantry {honey, canned tomatoes, beans, granola bars}.
You know, the usual budget-killing reasons from the previous 20+ weeks. At least I got to use a few coupons in the process.
How did you fair for the week?
I’m excited to report that I have some great company on my Project: Food Budget challenge. Please check out these wonderful blogs, and give them support as they take on this challenge.
All have different budgets, number of mouths to feed, and food preferences {veggie + meat eating}. And yet, all have a common goal of saving money and making better choices when it comes to the food we put on our table.
Want to get on board? Fabulous. {Now go here.}
Participating blogs:
Goal: $100
Actual: $134.53
Ouch.
I’m not sure why this surprises me, considering I had no menu or shopping list to speak of. Just went to the store because I knew we needed stuff to eat. So I meandered. And wandered. And grabbed things on sale. To the tune of 34.53 over budget.
I definitely stocked up on the usual fruits and veggies. Also had to add in a few standards for The Hubster like pasta and tomato sauce, and Amy’s frozen burritos. All were on sale, so I grabbed a few more than usual.
Of course, we were also out of some pantry staples like dried cranberries, canned beans, vegetable broth, chocolate chips, and sea salt. I stuck with the bulk section as much as possible, but it adds up.
Another item on the shopping list that thrills me to no end: ketchup! First time I’ve purchased in 3 years. Don’t worry, it’s of the organic, agave sweetened, variety.
Menu for the week:
I’m excited to report that I have some great company on my Project: Food Budget challenge. Please check out these wonderful blogs, and give them support as they take on this challenge.
All have different budgets, number of mouths to feed, and food preferences {veggie + meat eating}. And yet, all have a common goal of saving money and making better choices when it comes to the food we put on our table.
Want to get on board? Fabulous. {Now go here.}
Participating blogs:
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