All You Challenge Update

The third week of the All You Grocery Challenge is over halfway over, and I'm happy to report that we've been sticking to the $75/week budget. It's actually been more challenging than I expected!

The first week was pretty easy, since the girls and I were out of town for a lot of it. Since we were staying with my parents, we only bought a couple of snacks. I had left Michael plenty of food, so he only spent money on one calzone from our favorite local pizza place.

Last week and this week have been more challenging, however. Last week I had to replenish the fridge and pantry with a number of essentials, like milk, flour, and fruit. This week we're cooking a birthday dinner for my sister on Saturday, so I bought a number of items I wouldn't ordinarily buy. I also bought a couple of more expensive spices to make homemade pickles with our cucumbers!

In order to stick to the budget even with these challenges, I've concentrated on using what I had in the pantry and freezer. Luckily, I had a decent amount of meat in the freezer, bought in the club packs when they were on sale. We've also been using the produce in our garden, which has saved me on buying vegetables to go with dinners.

I also find it a little inconvenient to have to stick to a strict number for the week, rather than for the whole month. It makes me less likely to be able to take advantage of some deals, since I have to allow enough money for all the staples I need for the week. On the other hand, it's a good exercise in figuring out what is really essential to get through the week, not to mention a reminder not to go overboard on deals and break the budget!

Here's what I've spent so far this week:

Harris Teeter - $2.60

Target - $2.31

Wegmans - $52.33

Total: $57.23

After Sunday, just one more week of the challenge!