2011 Grocery Budget Reduction Challenge

**mango** · 01-10-2011, 11:00 PM

Spent $32.90 on some stockpile groceries today. Will need some more fresh fruit/veg tomorrow but that should be it for the rest of the week.

**madhen** · 01-10-2011, 11:38 PM

Spent $71.71 on bird food today. I am going to add it to my grocery budget this month, just to track it.

**OOwl** · 01-11-2011, 09:52 AM

Mad Hen, I also have five parrots (Congo Grey, Amazon, RB cockatoo, and two very spoiled lovebirds) so I know what it's like trying to keep them in fresh fruits and veggies, to supplement their regular diet without it blowing the human grocery budget (in fact, my family knows that all the fresh stuff in the 'fridge is the parrots' and we humans get to share THEIR produce!). Something I've found that is SUPER healthy and REALLY fills them up is fresh sprouts. I buy a quality organic mix (from china prairie) and then I add bulk grains they really like (more black-oil sunflower and wheat berry, which are both REALLY cheap in the bulk bin at my local feed store). Mine eat sprouts almost every day, which has really reduced their intake of fresh fruits and veggies. You may already do sprouts for your guys but I thought I'd mention it for those that don't.

**madhen** · 01-11-2011, 10:01 AM

Thanks, OOwl,

I've tried sprouts off and on, and my parrots aren't very excited about them. The finches and parakeets LOVE sprouted wheatgrass, but the bigger guys won't even try it. I've also tried the sprout mixes you can get for birds...same results. My guys are really picky. It makes me crazy, because my sister has parrots, and hers eat EVERYTHING!! Mine don't like cooked meat at all. They don't like pasta or most grains, cooked or otherwise. They aren't very interested in bread, although my little Hahn's will sometimes eat some. They DO like most veggies and fruits, and they are pretty good with nuts. Sunflower seeds - good. Pumpkin seeds - bad.

Maybe I'll try the sprouts again. I know it can take time for them to get used to certain foods, and I will typically go for a couple of months with something before I give up. Then I don't want to waste money on the same stuff, if it just ends up on the floor or worse, untouched in the bowl, so I don't buy it again. But maybe I should go a little longer and see what happens.

**dexterteach** · 01-11-2011, 10:07 AM

Yesterday spent 64.26 .....stockpiled on some organic shampoo and conditioner that was on clearance, and some toothpaste! I now have enough shampoo for the rest of the year! Or to share with my daughter who is going to college in August.....

**OOwl** · 01-11-2011, 10:31 AM

Mad Hen, my 18-year-old Amazon was a seed junkie when I adopted her about 9 years ago. It took a YEAR to get her converted over to a pelleted diet. I got her to eat sprouts by sprouting her favorite food, sunflower seeds. They're easy to sprout and must taste pretty good. At first, I just served them to her soaked so they looked like food she already was familiar with. Then, I'd start serving them to her with a tiny tail. When she would eat those with relish, I'd start adding the other grains. Now she'll eat the entire bowl. It's been years since she's enjoyed a dry seed.

My parrots LOVE proteins, beans, pasta, rice, and birdie bread (made with high Vitamin A baby foods). I do know what it's like dealing with a picky parrot, though. My Amazon was a tough customer due to her previous home that allowed her to have junk food. To this day, if she sees a pizza box she starts SCREAMING for her share. Good luck with your conversion process with your flock and staying on budget.

**dexterteach** · 01-12-2011, 09:49 AM

spent 4.50 at DD basketball game yesterday (candy, and drink for the kids)

**madhen** · 01-12-2011, 09:51 AM

I may try that with the sunflower seeds. Mine are pine nut junkies, but they will eat sunflower seeds. Primarily, they eat pellets, but they get fresh food in the morning and a small scoop of seed at night. When I'm home all day, they get a little of whatever I'm eating. Kenya, my African Grey likes pasta, but none of the others do. Kenya is probably the LEAST picky of all of them, but he has that typical Grey attitude of "if I don't know what it is, it must be bad."

**OOwl** · 01-12-2011, 11:55 AM

Manhen, I love the name Kenya for a Grey! My Grey's name is Bleu. To keep this on topic, my main financial goal for 2011 is to reduce my grocery expenditures. I feed anywhere from 2 to 9 people, depending on what adult kid (and their spouses, BF, or friends happen to be with them). I'm horrible about wasting leftovers or not using all the fresh food I purchased before it goes bad. This is a HUGE challenge for me. I'm a cooker/baker and most of what I HAVE made in my kitchen requires lots of ingredients and (sometimes) costly ones. Learning to do it a frugal way. I'll be visiting this thread a lot this next year as I learn to do it better with less.

**Gotonenerveleft** · 01-12-2011, 02:51 PM

Just did the first shop for the month. $76.13. Mostly just meat though. Should be under budget for sure.

**alotofgooddeals** · 01-12-2011, 03:20 PM

$140 for the rest of the month...got plenty of stuff and should be able to make it. Just need to buy milk....dh has started making bread...

**madhen** · 01-12-2011, 03:23 PM

Oowl, if you haven't done so, you might want to sign up for the waste no more food challenge.

I'm like you. I love to bake, especially around Christmas, so I end up with all sorts of things left over. One bottle of rum to make rumballs, and I've got about 95% of the bottle left over. Same with crystallized ginger, instant espresso coffee, etc. I need a teaspoon or so in the recipe, then don't need it again until the next year (or worse, didn't like the recipe and don't need it again at all).

**wunsagin** · 01-13-2011, 11:43 AM

I was in town yesterday and stopped for milk, bread and a few other items. Spent 7.10

**mcphlips** · 01-13-2011, 05:30 PM

Ok.. I didn't make it to the 16th.. and I went over!
I thought I could do $400.00 for the month, thinking I could get away with $100.00 per week. I'm at $235.15 right now, so I'll keep shooting for the $400 for the month and see where I end up.
I am hoping not to shop again until the 20th or 21st.
On a positive note I did pick up some pasta and tuna fish which were good stockpile items.

**Mamaw** · 01-13-2011, 06:02 PM

spent 14.57 today. Milk, frozen veggies on sale, salad dressing on sale, marinade on sale, beets and kohlrabi. Matched coupons to the veggies, salad dressings and marinade so saved a bit there.