$10 Weekly Menu Challenge - Take 2: $20 Windfall

[sabrelvssammy]

Yea for all of you that took the challenge and came up with some great ideas to make a bad situation liveable.

Imagine that you and your family have been on this challenge for the past 6 weeks. And you really see no end in sight. You are looking at living like this for many more months to come.

You have settled in. You are making do. You are not starving. However, you are being honest- you really miss ice cream. You really are sick to death of beans. But still, you go on without so much a grumble.

So, because you are such a champion, in the kitchen & as a moral booster- you have just been given a $20 bill. Now don't worry about where it came from, doesn't matter. It is yours to keep, to do what you want with - (within my rules, of course- lol)....

And here they are- the rules:

~You can spend your $20 all at once or .10 at a time

~You may spend it on anything that is food related (you cannot go to the movies with it)

~You can take the family to a buffet and go hog wild... or get McDonald's half a dozen times, ice cream from DQ - whatever

~You can use it for a piece of equipment for the kitchen to make your life easier -(a microwave from the thrift store, a new toaster- a blender, can opener, buy a cheap freezer from your neighbor who just wants it out of the garage....whatever)

~You can buy some seeds (but you cannot plant a garden out in your yard)... maybe it is dead of winter, maybe you have no lawn and live in a highrise- whatever, no garden)... however, you may plant the seeds in a bucket on the patio, on the windowsill in the house. You cannot spend the money on planters or dirt. If you are not a seed person you may also purchase the actual veggie or herb plant.

~You may purchase vitamins or other items related to health (protein powders, children's supplements....)

~Other than that- same rules apply - any foods to feed your family to get by. You still have your weekly $10 to spend also.

So, let's go shopping....

For me, I think I will sit on mine. I will keep it safe so that when I see a great loss leader or something that is reduced - but I would normally be too short for the week and could not buy - well now I can grab it and create a mini-stockpile. If I felt that we were lacking in nutrition at this point I may go to the dollar store and get a bottle of $1 complete vitamins. I would also be keeping an open eye for cheap spices, sugar, salt - anything to make meals a little more tasty that I would get a boatload of uses out of.

[227melissa]

I would buy cake mix and frosting $1 each at the dollar tree, to satisfy my sweet tooth. Start searching the ads for a really great sale or drastic mark down on meat, veggies, and go to the day old bread store to stock up. We would never have to waste money on junk food my Dh is a manager at a fast food rest, can bring home stuff for free. lol

[Sophiasmama]

Okay is it the same rules, we can't eat from the pantry or freezer? I might try this one. I'll update my post after shopping today.

[227melissa]

Thank you Sabre for these post, it really makes you think. Keep the challenges coming !!!!!!!!!!!

[Warren W]

I am here to learn.Thanks for sharing.

[Dixie]

I would do pretty much the same as, sabrelvssammy in waiting for a good sale. With a BOGO sale and double coupons at stores like Publix, you can get things real cheap.
I would buy baking cocoa,vanilla, 10x sugar, brown sugar and granulated sugar to make cake and cookies. Gotta have chocolate!
Thanks, sabre' for starting this challenge and the $10 one, both are thought provoking and interesting.

[227melissa]

I would love to buy flour, cocoa, etc, but I can not bake have tried and tried to make cakes, pies, and bread form scratch not one has come out right. Can't even make corn bread without Jiffy mix !!!!!!! lol

[sabrelvssammy]

Okay is it the same rules, we can't eat from the pantry or freezer? I might try this one. I'll update my post after shopping today.

Yup, I am mean - so no pantry, freezer, stockpile, neighbors, parents, food pantries, free meals from any source.... You only have what you can buy for your $10 and I allowed you to forage for FREE plants & edibles - and no that does not include any dumpster diving!

[Contrary Housewife]

The first thing I would buy is a box of cheap tea bags. Gotta have that caffeine!

[NikoSan999]

Yup, I am mean - so no pantry, freezer, stockpile, neighbors, parents, food pantries, free meals from any source.... You only have what you can buy for your $10 and I allowed you to forage for FREE plants & edibles - and no that does not include any dumpster diving!

$10 plus the one time $20...right? So for one week only you have $30?
And "food splurge" is only on the $20?
And with no end in sight for having to continue to do this on the $10 alone?
Just trying to clarify. No bullets or ball bats please

[sabrelvssammy]

$10 plus the one time $20...right? So for one week only you have $30?
And "food splurge" is only on the $20?
And with no end in sight for having to continue to do this on the $10 alone?
Just trying to clarify. No bullets or ball bats please

No bullets or bats - only hugs & kisses allowed in my threads!

To clarify-

$10 a week - you have been doing it 6 weeks already...

no end in sight- correct

One week you get an x-tra $20 (on top of your weekly $10, correct)
You don't have to spend that $20 that week- heck, you never have to spend it if you don't want to... it's just there now, a helping hand

Any of the money can be spent on food splurges at any time- if you want to spend your weekly $10 at McDonalds - that's fine

Any money - weekly $10 or bonus money must always be used to feed the family - there is no other way to get food/money to feed your family - this is it, all, nada...

This $20 is a bonus in addition to the original $10 weekly challenge...
One time, not once a week....(but if you all continue to be really good people about this- who knows... maybe Uncle Sam might send out another couple of dollars to everyone like they did one year)

[GrantsMom]

$10 plus the one time $20...right? So for one week only you have $30?
And "food splurge" is only on the $20?
And with no end in sight for having to continue to do this on the $10 alone?
Just trying to clarify. No bullets or ball bats please

I loved the last thread, and want to do this one too.

So yes, please clarify so I play correct.......

[GrantsMom]

No bullets or bats - only hugs & kisses allowed in my threads!

To clarify-

$10 a week - you have been doing it 6 weeks already...

no end in sight- correct

One week you get an x-tra $20 (on top of your weekly $10, correct)
You don't have to spend that $20 that week- heck, you never have to spend it if you don't want to... it's just there now, a helping hand

Any of the money can be spent on food splurges at any time- if you want to spend your weekly $10 at McDonalds - that's fine

Any money - weekly $10 or bonus money must always be used to feed the family - there is no other way to get food/money to feed your family - this is it, all, nada...

This $20 is a bonus in addition to the original $10 weekly challenge...
One time, not once a week....(but if you all continue to be really good people about this- who knows... maybe Uncle Sam might send out another couple of dollars to everyone like they did one year)

Thanks.....gonna ponder this a little bit. Can't wait to play!

[zakity]

What about a fishing license? I don't think that it would be enough for a deer tag.

What about spending the $20 on bullets/bird shot and hunting for rabbits or birds?

[GrantsMom]

With $20.00 extra dollars and no end in sight I would buy:

1 dozen eggs – on sale at Big Y supermarket for .99 cents a dozen = $.99 (12 eggs, strictly for baking)
3 pounds of Price Rite apples @ .69 cents a pound = $2.07 (I would pick out small-medium apples, 12 total)
1 Dollar General Cinnamon spice = $1.25
1 box of Clover Valley “Bisquick” Mix = $1.50
1 small box of Non-Fat Powdered Milk = $3.50 (makes 4 quarts of milk total) – baking only
1 large 40 oz jar clover Valley Peanut Butter = $3.50
1 Axelrod Plain Yogurt (6 oz) Price Rite = .33 cents
1 box of cheap-o tea bags at Dollar General (small box, less than 50 ct) = .75 cents
1 3.5lb bag of Granulated White Sugar = $2.50 (dollar General)
1 box of Clover Valley Granola Cereal = $1.50
1 box of Clover Valley Raisins = $1.50
1 bag of Easter Clearance Jelly Beans at DG = .45 cents – for my child!

$19.84

- Make Homemade Yogurt using the powdered milk, tap water, and 2 tsp of active yeast yogurt.
- Make crockpot applesauce using 6 apples, a little sugar, and cinnamon
- Make homemade “ICED TEA” using tea bags, sugar, and tap water
- Use the Bisquick to make “drop-in” dumplings in the soup (thus stretching the saltines)
- For breakfast, can on occasion have homemade yogurt with granola topping
- 6 apples – cut in ½ with peanut butter for child on occasion (makes for 12 snacks)
- Make 1 dozen “3 ingredient” PB Cookies using sugar, PB, and 1 egg