$100 Two Week Challenge

As you know, we have been taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class.  Last week, after discussing budgeting at class and with a new month starting, we sat down and drew up a budget and gathered everything we needed to pay cash only for groceries.  Our budget is $200 a month for all food, cleaning supplies and health and beauty products.  It is the same budget I've had for the past year but using cash only is a LOT more serious!  Sometimes the last minute pack of diapers at the end of the month puts me over the top but I am determined to stay within the limits this month!  The only way to make such a strict budget work is to lay out a great plan and stick with it.  After looking at what was on sale, I wrote down 14 ideas for breakfast, lunch and supper and armed with $100 and very few coupons, started my shopping. 

I was so amazed once again at how far a $100 can stretch using just a few coupons!  I stopped first at Randalls and picked up lots of protein including sausage, lunch meat, steak, catfish, pork loin and sliced cheese.  I also picked up some potatoes frozen veggies and granola thins.  All together I paid $33.53.  The best deals I found at Randalls were for Jimmy Dean sausage and Hormel pork loin.
*Jimmy Dean sausage is $4.69 and is buy 1 get 1 free.  If you "like"  Jimmy Dean on Facebook you can print two coupons which are $1/1 any Jimmy Dean product.  If you apply both, the sausage about $1.35 each!
*Rancher's Reserve New York Strip Steak is $3.77/lb.  That is a fairly good price as well.
*I was able to purchase the Nature Valley granola thins for .24 after 3 (.50) e-coupons were applied as well as a .75 coupon.  For free granola thins use the three e-coupons from Cellfire and Shortcuts as well as the .50 printable coupon.

My next stop was Whole Foods!  I love getting as many organic vegetables and fruit as possible there.  I was able to get organic apples, oranges, grapes, romaine lettuce, carrots, cucumbers and celery.  I love their bins of organic cereal and grains.  I picked up some organic steel cut oats, muesli and wheat berries.  I found a great deal on Food Should Taste Good chips and bought those as well.  Of course, I also picked up a gallon of organic milk and a quart of half n' half.  This trip came to $34.30 and I left with so much healthy food!
There are some good deals at  Whole Foods.
*Valencia oranges are on sale for $1.69/lb.
*Fuji apples are $1.69/lb.
*Grapes are $1.99/lb.
*Food Should Taste Good chips are on sale for $2.  There is a $1 printable coupon which brings them to $1 each.  

I stopped briefly at Kroger on my way home and found a great in store sale on bacon and sausage.  Oscar Mayer thick bacon was on sale for $2.09 a pack and Jimmy Dean sausage was clearanced to $1.49.  I wished I had more coupons!  I didn't expect to spend that money but it was too great of a deal to not stock up!  I also picked up yams, pepperoncini, onions, garlic, organic raisins and several spices.  Altogether I spent $23.36. 

I think I did pretty well.  I didn't use very many coupons and still managed to get quite a bit of food.  For me, the most important thing is that we eat healthy foods and use products that aren't harmful to our bodies as well.  I am excited that we can accomplish those goals easily with a little planning and budgeting!