So, we've been taking another hard look at our finances recently and trying to figure out where we can scale back to free up more money for savings. So, I've decided to see what I can do with our grocery budget. We currently use $120/wk for groceries and toiletries. Now I don't think this is a large food budget for a family of 4 by any means, but it's one of the few areas where we have some control. I mean we can't really just up and decide to lower the mortgage payment or the amount of gas we need in a given week to get to and from work, although the petrol usage will go down this summer when I'm no longer driving the kids back and forth to school and we can bike to where we need to go around town. Yay for warm weather!
Anyway, I've decided to see if we can eat just as well (insert "just as full") on $75 by focusing more intently on preparing lower cost meals. There is a website I have been perusing called www.5dollardinners.com. This Mom of 4 boys who started this site is known for preparing $5 meals to feed her entire family. They're not vegetarians so meat is regularly on the menu (as my hubby breaths a huge sigh of relief). She focuses on working with the more inexpensive cuts of meat and planning her menus around meats on sale and using inexpensive items (veggies and grains) to bulk up the meat she does use.
Here's the challenge I've given myself this week; $5 meals for 5 days that are low carb, and contain no processed sugar. ...... *sigh* That sure feels like a big bill to fill, especially the low carb requirement because a good amount of $5 meals contain pasta which I only dream about but don't eat anymore. :-( I would love to price out my own recipes at some point and see where they fall but for this week I'm gleaning from 5dollardinners database. Here's what I have in the line up;
Crockpot Pheasant
Frozen Pizza, Popcorn and Apples
I'll let you know what my total comes to after I go shopping tomorrow! *crossing fingers*
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