Maybe you've heard of it, but if not, it's where (assuming you begin with a decently stocked pantry/freezer) you greatly reduce or even halt your grocery shopping for a specified amount of time and use what's on hand instead.
I decided to give this a go as I enjoy a challenge and I've gotten sloppy in the grocery shopping department. We don't need to find any 'extra' money this month, but that's one reason some folks give it a go. It's also time to use up some of the stored food I have on hand for emergencies but we don't tend to eat regularly (canned food isn't a big part of our regular diet). I am still shopping for produce and dairy products, some snacks, and I've also accounted for some 'extra' to purchase a few pieces of meat when they're on sale (For instance, I don't want to miss skinless, boneless chicken breasts at 1.99 a lb. instead of 3.29 a lb). So instead of my usual $140 a week for groceries, I've cut it back to $80 for our family of 4. This is it for 4 consecutive weeks.
It's been 2 shopping trips and so far, so good. I am slowly working my way through some of our stored food, and my family is generally happy with what I'm making (save the night I paired the last box of Spanish rice with kielbasa- my husband does not care for spicier foods, but he was a sport. I made beef and pea pods for him tonight as a thank you- one of his faves).
What I've figured out so far-
-bringing cash helps keep me in check but I need to do better (I usually just use my debit card). While my food budget is usually $140, I often go a bit over, but our budget is somewhat flexible so this doesn't mess anything up, really. I reduced the budget to $80 a week for the challenge (-$60 a week or $240 for the month). First week- $80.75, and I had the extra change. Second week- $85.xx, and I whipped out the darn debit card to cover the $5.xx. That was embarrassing! A good exercise for me about really watching that allotted dollar amount. I will keep working on it, as I clearly need to. I've gotten too sloppy the last few years with it.
-I am including cat/dog items in this $80. Not sure how if I'm regretting that or not or if it really matters.
-The 'challenge' budget could be whittled down more. Next time, I will shoot for less, probably $50 or $60 a week.
-Doing this will not empty our pantry. I had a little fear that when I'm done, we'll be down to a box of macaroni and a can of pasta sauce and nothing more. Then I'd have to restock EVERYTHING. Not nearly true, I'm finding. I doubt we'll eat even half of our stores. Hmmm...probably means I could indeed whittle down the skinnier budget quite a bit.
-I will be doing this twice a year. It's good for my wallet, and a good 'check up' of my shopping habits and frugality in the kitchen. Both are lacking lately. Time to get back on track.
So, 2 more trips to go, and so far, so good. I can't imagine NO shopping though- having milk, yogurt and fresh fruits and veggies is a must in this household, especially with young, growing kids.
Thought I'd share for anyone considering doing an eat-down-your-pantry challenge or for anyone unfamiliar with them. I hope you'll share your experiences with the rest of us!
I decided to give this a go as I enjoy a challenge and I've gotten sloppy in the grocery shopping department. We don't need to find any 'extra' money this month, but that's one reason some folks give it a go. It's also time to use up some of the stored food I have on hand for emergencies but we don't tend to eat regularly (canned food isn't a big part of our regular diet). I am still shopping for produce and dairy products, some snacks, and I've also accounted for some 'extra' to purchase a few pieces of meat when they're on sale (For instance, I don't want to miss skinless, boneless chicken breasts at 1.99 a lb. instead of 3.29 a lb). So instead of my usual $140 a week for groceries, I've cut it back to $80 for our family of 4. This is it for 4 consecutive weeks.
It's been 2 shopping trips and so far, so good. I am slowly working my way through some of our stored food, and my family is generally happy with what I'm making (save the night I paired the last box of Spanish rice with kielbasa- my husband does not care for spicier foods, but he was a sport. I made beef and pea pods for him tonight as a thank you- one of his faves).
What I've figured out so far-
-bringing cash helps keep me in check but I need to do better (I usually just use my debit card). While my food budget is usually $140, I often go a bit over, but our budget is somewhat flexible so this doesn't mess anything up, really. I reduced the budget to $80 a week for the challenge (-$60 a week or $240 for the month). First week- $80.75, and I had the extra change. Second week- $85.xx, and I whipped out the darn debit card to cover the $5.xx. That was embarrassing! A good exercise for me about really watching that allotted dollar amount. I will keep working on it, as I clearly need to. I've gotten too sloppy the last few years with it.
-I am including cat/dog items in this $80. Not sure how if I'm regretting that or not or if it really matters.
-The 'challenge' budget could be whittled down more. Next time, I will shoot for less, probably $50 or $60 a week.
-Doing this will not empty our pantry. I had a little fear that when I'm done, we'll be down to a box of macaroni and a can of pasta sauce and nothing more. Then I'd have to restock EVERYTHING. Not nearly true, I'm finding. I doubt we'll eat even half of our stores. Hmmm...probably means I could indeed whittle down the skinnier budget quite a bit.
-I will be doing this twice a year. It's good for my wallet, and a good 'check up' of my shopping habits and frugality in the kitchen. Both are lacking lately. Time to get back on track.
So, 2 more trips to go, and so far, so good. I can't imagine NO shopping though- having milk, yogurt and fresh fruits and veggies is a must in this household, especially with young, growing kids.
Thought I'd share for anyone considering doing an eat-down-your-pantry challenge or for anyone unfamiliar with them. I hope you'll share your experiences with the rest of us!