Starting Monday June 16 through next Sunday.

Ok....lets start with a re-cap of last week....

what's everyones final numbers???

if you went over the $50 ~ how are you in comparison w/your MONTHLY budget?

How many were able to make it all week on one trip to the store?

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This week will run the same as the last 2 as far as posting what you get and the cost,coupon savings totals,and keep those weekly menus coming as well!


2 added challenges:

This week lets also shoot for what you can come up w/for ONE meatless meal and 1 meal $5 or less

(You CAN feed 4 for $5...just last week....I got bone/skinless chicken breast on sale for BOGO...got 6 breast,filet them to make 12...pan fried 4 w/corn on the on sale for 3/.99(I made 6 of them)and made a box of rice a roni(just 1 )that was on sale 10/$10....total meal cost...$4.48 for 4.

Let's see how creative we can be this week??!!

Also....check those cupboards for things you not only can use but NEED to use....look for any items that have worked their way to the back of the cupboard or freezer.

MommySavers also has a great new feature that could be a huge help....

Be sure to check out the new GROCERY BARGAINS section!!!

http://mommysavers.com/boards/grocery-bargains/

And for those of you who don't feel creative in the kitchen or when planning those weekly menus,you def wanna check out the...

5 ingred or less recipe.....

5 ingredients of less recipes

check out other MommySavers Members fave $5 or less meal ideas...

Favorite Meal $5 or less

We're halfway there gang AND DOING GOOD!!!!!

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Avoid Fruits~N~Nuts....you are what you eat!!!

What if we were able to stay under the $50? Does that amount go towards this week or should we stick to the $50 budget??

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Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate.
Jon Bon Jovi

You can work that however you want really,but for me....I would enevelope that money....re start this week w/another $50 and use the enveloped money towards any exceptionally good stock up bargains you might find.(10 for $10 deals you might have coupons for...marked down meats you can put in the freezer etc)

Then your initial $50 will have not only got you through a week....but will have contributed to a stockpile you can utilize in future weeks.

Keep the challenge going mentally though.....if you were able to feed your family with a $50 bill and have money left....that's aweseome....even if you only have $3 left....challenge youself to get the most from it.Look for multi purpose meat(whole chicken...for example can be made into various meals)ham hocks....ground beef.....or other things you can stretch...rice...10lb bag of potatoes etc.

Good Job:Thumb Up

Girl you are kicking some serious retail boo-tay with this challenge!!!!

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Avoid Fruits~N~Nuts....you are what you eat!!!

Where do we find coupons such as red plum? I know our Sunday paper has the smart source. Where are other places that I can get coupons? I know one store around here will not accept computer printed coupons. I'm a rookie at this and need help!

thanks,
kathy

You can sign up to print coupons here......

Coupons

Join one of our coupons trains.... .

http://mommysavers.com/boards/coupon-trains/

Look up your Sunday paper on-line(we can do that here and they are printable)

I also get alot of coupons from Ebay.

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Avoid Fruits~N~Nuts....you are what you eat!!!

I just signed up for our Sunday paper here to be delivered for 13 weeks for $13. We can't get the coupons online and my main store won't let us use computer printed. It is saving me 75 cents a week this way so hopefully I will eventually see a difference with my grocery bill.

You can also find "coupon clipping services" online where you pay a handling fee for each coupon. That's a good way to stock up on coupons for those items that you stockpile or use regularly.

Also, if you are not in a large city, but are close to one, consider buying or subscribing to the city newspaper. Chances are they have the Redplum insert along with the SmartSource.

The Coupon Board here on Mommysavers is a place where you can trade coupons.

http://mommysavers.com/boards/couponing/

The "Taylortown Preview" is a website where you can see what coupons came out in previous weeks and get a preview of what's coming in the next paper. This can help you plan if you want to purchase from a coupon clippig service.

Taylortown Preview

HTH and have fun!

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SAHM of 4

August food budget (groceries/take-out): $500.00/$75.00
Total spent: $238.97/$14.12

July budget/spent: $500.00/$650.00

I haven't figured out my menu for the week but tonight we are having shrimp fried rice - using left over rice from the other night and helping to make use of some shrimp that has been in the freezer for a long time. Tomorrow I am planning on making an egg dinner - not sure exactly what but it will include some unknown type of sausage I found in the freezer. The rest of this weeks dinner will also come from the freezer/pantry - probably some pasta- We are having company on Friday so I want to keep some money for that. The only thing I have spent $ of for this week was milk and some bananas - we still had stuff left over from last week so I am going to use them.

Technically I did buy a few things that weren't for this week just because I wanted to start stocking up on things for when DS isn't in preschool in 2 weeks - I won't be anywhere near Trader Joes and didn't want to have a huge bill next week so I bought some cereal today. Normally I would buy some meat while there but decided I would just use what was already in the freezer instead.

We will probably have tacos one night this week as well - meat is in the freezer and we have everything else in the pantry or fridge.

I only made the one trip to the store so I stand at $48 and some change. I didn't count non-food items but I was still about $30 below normal so I'm happy. Don't think it's going to work this week though. We live on the lake and the water is rising. We are in no danger of being flooded but we only have one road out and that gets flooded. Last year it flooded and I was stuck here for 6wks. So dh just said IF I can get to the store tomorrow I better stock up which means buying enough for at least 6wks. The budget will be shot this week but if I do it right I won't have to go shopping again for weeks.

ok, let's see where I am at as of today

Walmart

Malt o Meal cereal $2.73
Bag of apples $5.58-went up almost $2 since about a week and a half ago
18 carton of eggs $2.36
Powdered gatorade 51 ozs $8.38
great value oatmeal (not instant) 18 ozs. $.98
Total: $20.03

Lynns Dakotamart-local store
head of lettuce $1.69
vine tomatoes $2.44
land o lakes onion dip $0.79
Chips $2.50
milk 2% gallon $3.69
bread-store brand $1.59
Total: $13.46

Total from both stores: $33.49
Balance: $16.51

I am pretty sure I went over again.

Safeway 6/18/08
Kraft singles-double pack $4.38
Kraft bagel-fuls $1.98 **FREE** Had coupon
Safeway brand rice crispies $1.99
Fruit cocktail two cans $2.00
Safeway brand marshmallows $1.78
Nutter Butters (2 packs) $2.00
Stick butter $1.09
Radishes (one bunch) $0.50
Pears $3.76 *Yikes, only got four of them too!
Baby carrots 1 lb $1.00

Total: $19.50
Total from all three trips $52.99
Balance -$2.99
I guess I didnt do too bad.

__________________


Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate.
Jon Bon Jovi