The 200 Challenge - spending less on groceries in 2010

*Update: Ok, ladies...I have added a link-up at the bottom of this post.  We'll plan on making this a monthly thing.  So blog about this challenge then come back and link up your post!

It's already February and I'm on a new challenge.  A budget challenge that is.  I've been looking over our finances lately and trying to figure out some new ways to cut back on our grocery spending.  I'm all about coupons and they help us save a bit of money, but I've sort of fallen off that bandwagon here lately and it's time to get back on.  However, using coupons and watching sales isn't all there is to it.  I've found that cooking from scratch and planning out our meals helps a lot too.

Our budget for groceries has been at $240 per month, but, like I said, things have been a little off, so I know we've been spending more than that some months.  Not good.

So for the rest of 2010 we're going to be on the 200 Challenge.  That means that we will be spending only $200 per month on groceries for the rest of this year.  It may mean eating a lot of rice and beans, but that's ok.  Actually, that adds up to be $2400 a year.  Ouch!  That still sounds like a lot!  Especially when I read that a family of four spends only $800 on groceries per year.  Talk about inspiration!  If I can learn how to do that, I'll be doing really good!

If you want to join me in spending less and saving more, I'd love to have some company on this journey!  You don't necessarily have to do the 200 Challenge, but just look at your family and your needs and make your own goal for improving your current budget.

Yesterday I went on a big shopping trip.  I bought enough groceries to last us for a month (hopefully), except for a few things we will still have to buy throughout the month, like dairy and produce.  I've spent $157.05 of our $200 budget for this month.  That means I have $42.95 left to spend this month.  I bought a lot of rice and beans, and I'm stirring up my creative juices to find some different ways to prepare them so that we don't eat the same boring meal too often.  :-)

So what's included in the term "groceries" and what's not?  For us it includes all our food, trash bags, dish detergent, and paper products (ie. toilet paper, kleenex, etc.).

Here are some of the main dishes I'm incorporating into our menu this month (most of these we will eat at least 2 times because I usually make a big recipe and freeze some for later):

Chili Beans
Mexican Wrap Casserole
Black-Eyed Peas
Spaghetti
Costa Rican Pinto
Grits, Eggs, Biscuits
Black Bean Soup
Brown Rice Casserole
Nachos
Pinto Beans
Lentil Soup
Pancakes
Fried Rice w/Chicken & Veggies
Pizza
Bean, Rice, & Cheese Burritos
Lentil Rice Casserole
Mac & Cheese, Chesapeake Spiced Salmon Cakes
Tortellini w/Veggies
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Minestrone Soup
Simple Italian Pasta

If you have any grocery saving tips or frugal bean and/or rice recipes, please share them with me!  I need lots of new ideas!

And please come join the challenge fun too!  If I get enough reader response, I will put up a monthly or weekly link-up so we can all inspire each other with how we are doing on this quest for frugality.  :-)

Menu Planning Monday 1-25-10 & Pantry Challenge update

We're still on the Eat From The Pantry Challenge...this is week 4!!  So far, we've been doing really good sticking with our goals and we're using up a bunch of stuff that we have on hand.  We have, however, been out of cheese for a few days which has totally messed me up!  At least it messed me up in the sense of major disappointment at not having any cheese!  You see, I'm usually really good about stocking up on stuff (even though often I buy more than we need), just to make sure that we don't run out.  I'll have to admit that I'm just a little bit spoiled.  I told my husband today that this has made me realize that I do take it for granted to have plentiful options of food around to satisfy whatever craving may come day by day.  I really do feel blessed, too, as I think about the people who eat the same thing all the time and don't even get enough to be full.

I've changed up a few things from my original plan, but here's the menu for this week.  Happy Cooking!!

Monday - Costa Rican Pinto, Chips

Tuesday - Spaghetti, Salad, Garlic Bread

Wednesday - Crowder Peas, Green Beans, Brown Rice

Thursday - Homemade Pizza, Fruit Salad

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Curried Veggies & Rice

Sunday - Mexican Wrap Casserole, Salad

Breakfasts - 

Honey Crunch Granola

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Oatmeal w/Honey & Cinnamon

Whole Wheat Toast

Grits, Eggs, Toast

Lunches - 

Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese

Bean, Rice, & Cheese Burritos

Leftovers

Salad w/Homemade Dressing

Hummus w/Chips, Crackers, & Veggies

For more menu planning visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Check out more Pantry Challenge participants at Money Saving Mom or Life As Mom.

Eat From The Pantry Challenge - my plan

I haven't been very good about posting about the Eat From The Pantry Challenge so I thought it would be good to update.  It is going great here!  We have had plenty to eat so far, and I don't even feel like we've had to ration ourselves or anything.  Actually I feel so much lighter just knowing that we're not spending as much money!  This has made me want to be even more frugal and even tighter with our grocery budget.  So that will be challenge # 2, I guess.  I'm working on a new plan for our budget for next month.

I've been working on a list of meals for the rest of this month from the food in our pantry, fridge, and freezer.  Here's what I'm planning on for the next few weeks.

January 11-17
Pinto Beans, Rice, Potato Rolls
Chili-Cheese Black Bean Enchiladas, Fruit
Leftovers
Pizza, Salad w/Homemade Dressing
Fettuccine Alfredo, Whiting, Biscuits
Baked Potatoes, Salad
Tuna Cheesies


January 18-24
Lentil Chili, Whole Wheat Bread
Bean, Rice, & Cheese Burritos, Chips & Salsa
Spaghetti, Garlic Bread
Black-Eyed Peas, Cornbread, Collard Greens
Leftovers
Minestrone Soup, Salad w/Homemade Dressing
Grits, Eggs, Biscuits


January 25-31
Costa Rican Pinto, Chips
Pizza, Fruit Salad
Pinto Beans, Rice, Greenbeans
Leftovers
Mac & Cheese, Salad, Fruit
Lentil Soup, Pasta Salad
Baked Potatoes, Salad w/Homemade Dressing


Check out Money Saving Mom and Life As Mom for more Eat From The Pantry Challenge fun!

Menu Planning Monday 1-4-10

Like I mentioned here, I'm joining in on the Eat From The Pantry Challenge hosted my Money Saving Mom and Life As Mom, for the month of January.  I have been planning out meals with what we have in the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer.  I think it is actually sort of fun to do a challenge like this because it makes me more creative with meals and more conscious of how much food we are using.  So far, so good...I don't think we are in danger of starving at all.  :-)  One thing I should mention is that we will still be buying some produce this month and a few other things that we buy fresh like milk and eggs.  But overall we should be cutting our costs a lot this month.  We plan to put whatever money that we don't spend this month into our savings.  So here is what we'll be eating this week.  Happy Cooking!!


Monday - Lentil Soup, Potato Rolls

Tuesday - Costa Rican Pinto, Fresh Fruit

Wednesday - Spaghetti, Garlic Bread

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Pinto Beans, Rice, Potato Rolls

Saturday - Perfect Potatoes, Salad, Fresh Fruit

Sunday - Pancakes

Breakfasts - 
Biscuits & Gravy
Honey Crunch Granola
Oatmeal
Whole Wheat Toast
Banana Flax Muffins

Lunches - 
Salads (lots of them)
Leftovers
Sandwiches
Bean, Rice, & Cheese Burritos


For more menu planning visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.

If you are interested in joining in on the Eat From the Pantry Challenge (even for just a week or two) you can read more about it here.