The next day POST #2

June 23, 2009 (Tuesday)

It’s now Tuesday. I slept my typical 5 hours on it, got up and worked out and I’m still really excited to do this. Our grocery budget (including Health & Beauty) for our family of 4 is currently only $350-$400 a month and we do fine. And I have a massive stockpile built up in the basement and in the stockpile cabinets in the kitchen. So we could go a whole month and not buy a single thing. However, my creative self has come up with a way to challenge ourselves.

Our modified challenge will be a role play. The scenario is that our house burns down on the night of July 12 (sad and morbid thought, I know, but stay with me). It is good fortune that I work Sunday nights so I will have all I have in my car usually (diaper bag, coupons, etc. I will take a picture soon to show you my typical trunk contents on a Sunday night). We will assume saving the second car as well. But the stockpile is gone. All our household items are gone. We are starting from scratch! Rules for my game, so as still to maintain the basic rules of the All You contest:

(1) We will assume we will have a place to stay at a friend’s rental apartment or some such for 1 month. Has water, electricity, sewer, trash, furniture and appliances, but nothing else like dishes, utensils, detergents, etc.
(2) $400 grocery budget. Will also include health and beauty items in our scenario. Here’s where tips and tricks I’ve learned should really benefit us. From making homemade laundry soap to getting items for free on sales with coupons.
(3) $100 household item budget. Plates, cups, silverware, clothing. We don’t have to “buy” all this. I will price out thrift store clothing, yard sale, etc. to “buy”. I will be honest and log everything, but we have plenty, I don’t want to buy $100 worth of stuff just for sake of contest. But we will only use what we’ve “bought”, this will mean more washing and more re-using, something we should get used to anyway.
(4) We will entertain friends at least once. It’s something we have always done and I don’t want to stop that just for the sake of bargaining.
(5) We will maintain our low-fat, high-flavor diet for myself, my husband and my 3.5 year old daughter. But my 2 year old son with Cerebral Palsy has weight maintenance issues and aspiration issues. We have to specially thicken his liquids and he has to eat a higher fat diet. We will accomplish both these objectives within the $400 budget.
(6) We have some herbs and tomatoes in pots near the house. I will assume they made it so we can still use whatever matures during that month.
(7) Our children are in daycare at least 4 days a week and they receive breakfast, lunch and snacks there. This will not change so I won’t be including their food there in the totals of the budgeting. I have to provide extra fat snacks, juice and milk for the 2 year old given his dietary needs but that and all other food purchased for consumption will count in the totals, whether actually consumed in this month or not.
(8) If I buy coupons for use, that will be included in the budget totals.
(9) I will attempt to “begin” rebuilding our stockpile. I will find the best deals and use at least some money toward rebuilding the stockpile. Still, it counts in the $400 budget.
(10) We have a wedding that month but all our clothes for that occasion are stored at my in-laws, so no replacement of those will be necessary.
(11) I will post 7 money saving activities for the week. I don’t always get to an activity per day but I’ll make it up with 2 activities on the weekend if necessary.

Those are all the rules I have for us right now. I think it will be a challenge to curtail eating out, even though we only do it 1-2 times a month and we usually use http://www.restaurant.com/ gift certificates purchased at 70-80% off when we do. Still, I want to prove to ourselves, if no one else, that minimalism can be achieved and the results can be just as satisfying and rewarding.

So, after sleeping on it, coming up with a plan and rules, I am excited to throw my hat in the All You Grocery Challenge ring, neener neener Hubby!! Stay tuned for menu plans and detailed purchase lists :)