How to Feed Your Family for $100 a Month

New Flash:

I did not exhibit self-control last week.  I went crazy!  Although I used several coupons, I went over budget BIG TIME and didn’t really care.  Why?  Because sometimes in life you just have to be a normal person and buy normal things.  Normal is good.  You can always get shock therapy later {if you have a coupon}.

Here is the low down on what I purchased this week.

Fred Meyer $10.59.  The Handsome Husband stopped by Fred Meyer grocery to buy half & half.  When he came home with 10 lbs of bananas I was like “Why on earth did you buy all those bananas?”
“I like bananas, plus they were on sale.”
“How much were they?”
“$.69 lb.”
“Costco sells bananas for $.39 a lb.”
“Well HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO KNOW THAT?”

Note to self: This is exactly why men should not shop for groceries.  Not only do they buy way to much, they have no clue as to what a good deal is.  If it’s shiny and they are hungry, that’s all that counts.

Albertsons $14.99

Thanks to some free coupons a reader had given me, I was able to score some free food at Safeway.

Safeway $19.83 This was an expensive trip.  However, I was able to pick up some unusual things like, frozen mussels, deli meat, fresh basil, meat, broccoli cheddar soup and a bunch of other goodies.  While unloading the bags the HH freaked out.  “What’s going on?  Why did you buy this stuff?  This isn’t what we normally eat.”  It was hilarious.

Target $.88 for the cookie mix and macaroni and cheese.

Albertsons $1.95 {I used a $5 Preferred card coupon}.

Amazon $ FREE Thanks to Swagbucks!

Costco $16.93 {not including the new rug}.

Feeding your family for one hundred dollars a month is easy.  All you need is willpower.  Anyone can cut coupons, read a grocery store ad, drive to the store and shop.  However you won’t get very far if you can’t control your purse strings.

Total Money Spent This Week: $65.17

Total Money Spent Year To Date: $65.17

Total Spent On Garden Seeds: $0

Yes, I will try to spend only $100 a month again this year.  BUT and here is the major but, I am not going to make myself crazy over it.  If I go over I go over. If the HH wants a bag of Doritos and they are not on sale. Fine.  I will buy them. Whoop T Do.  Getting there is half the fun right?

Here are the One Hundred Dollars a Month Challenge Guidelines I have set for myself:

1. Money spent on Vacation food does not count.  Why?  Because when we travel we use money from our “vacation fund.” Money that has been set aside specifically for vacations.

2. If I {or anyone else in my family} receives a gift card to a restaurant or fast food establishment it does not count.  Why? Because the gift cards were a gift.  We did not have to pay for them out of our own pockets.

3. If I WIN a free gift card or gift certificate to a store it does not count.  Why?  Because I won it!  I did not have to pay for it out of my own pocket.

4. If I am able to score a free $10, $20 {ect.} catalina from the purchase of a gift card {ie: Amazon, Home Depot, iTunes ect.} the amount I spent on a gift card does not count towards my food purchase total.  Why?  Well that one’s a no brainer actually.  If I know my husband will be buying something from the Home Depot in the near future why wouldn’t I purchase a gift card and score a catalina for some free food in the process?  Duh.

5. If I purchase any seeds for my garden I will count the seed purchase as “food” money spent.  However, if I can re-coup the seed money via selling my extra produce to neighbors, friends or family I will deduct any earned money from my “garden seed” total {I will keep this tally separate from my food purchases}.

6. If I am given seeds, barter for seeds or collect free seeds it does not count toward my total.  Why?  Because the seeds were FREE to me.

Whew!  That’s it.

How about YOU?

Do you have any grocery goals in mind for 2012?