August Grocery Challenge

After bragging to several people over the summer about our grocery budget, I got a healthy dose of humility when I added up my grocery receipts for July. Instead of being disciplined and recording my expenditures every week, I assumed I was doing fine and just recorded at the end. Instead of spending $150, we spent $234.38! This month, I am determined to stay at (or under - ha) $100. I believe it will help to hold myself accountable here. Now, I realize that spending money on food is FINE, and we are way under what we could be spending. Nevertheless, I want to know how little we can really spend on food and still eat a tasty, well-balanced diet.

Here is what I have spent so far:

July 31 - IGA

• 2 loaves sandwich bread - $1.98

August 2 - Walmart

• Block of cheese, 2.77 lb. of nectarines, 1 lb. dried northern beans, light sour cream - $8.31

August 2 - Save a Lot

• Unsalted butter, 34.5 oz. coffee, 2 8-oz blocks cream cheese (Seth wants a cheesecake), bag of flour, 1.36 lb. fresh tomatoes, 24 oz. bottle of ketchup, 1 lb. bag lentils, head of lettuce, package of bologna, 2 12-oz bags shredded cheese, 3 lb. yellow onions, 2 gallons orange juice, 1 canister quick oats, 1 package turkey franks - $30.97

August 3 - IGA (New ad + I was already right next door at my eye appointment)

• 2 half-gallons milk, 1 dozen large eggs, 1 canister of Parmesan cheese, 4 packages of hot dog buns (I freeze these, and when we have pasta dishes I split them spread them with garlic butter and bake them--great bread sticks!!!), 7 lb. whole Boston Pork Butt, 8 1/2 lb. chicken legs and thighs (Pilgrim's Pride...no hormones or antibiotics), 1 package bologna (for freezer...it was only 37 cents after coupon)- $22.10

August 3 - Mor For Less

• 3 lb. ground beef - $4.40

My total so far is $67.76, so I have $32.24 to spend. I know it's early in the month, but if you could see my freezer(s) and pantry, you would surmise that pretty much all I will have to buy for the rest of the month is bread, milk, orange juice, yogurt, cheese and some fresh fruit. We have fresh veggies from the garden, so no need to buy those! And we could make the bread-YUM!

Update:

August 8 - Mor For Less

• 2 loaves bread - $2.18

August 9 - Walmart

• 2 cans crushed tomatoes, 2 cans tomato paste, huge canister of peanuts, applesauce - $8.10

August 9 - Save a Lot

• bananas, graham crackers, 1 gallon orange juice, 48 oz. tub margarine - $8.08

New Total: $86.12

Left to Spend: $13.88

Update:

August 12 - Wesselman's

• 2 dozen medium eggs - $1.18

August 18 - Mor 4 Less

• 2 loaves bread - $2.18

New Total: $89.48

Left to Spend: $10.52

Update:

August 23 - Walgreen's

• Smucker's Strawberry Jam 32 oz, 2 boxes Frosted Mini Wheats, $1.19 (I had $6 in register rewards and several coupons)

August 23 - Walmart

• 16 oz. frozen peas, 16 oz. frozen green beans (garden has not been doing well), 32 oz. yogurt, 2 lb. fresh plums - $5.94

August 23 - CVS

• 1 box Wheat Thins, 2 gallons milk - $.38 (I had $4 ECB and coupons)

New Total:$96.99

Left to Spend: $3.01

All that is left to buy before the end of the month is probably 1 loaf of bread. Yahooooooo!