Feb $100 challenge

[Verdant]

After a few months of not-so-frugal living, I've embarked on quest to spend only $100 this month on food and miscellaneous purchases.

It's a good thing I like beans and rice ;). I'm charting it out over on my blog:

http://verdantsf.blogspot.com/2007/01/february-100-challenge.html

[Kiz]

That's an interesting challenge. Can you use stuff you already have in the cupboard?

[greenheart]

Interesting challenge! Good luck! :up:

[Tofu-N-Sprouts]

Hmmm - are we not talking about rent/utilities and those sorts of things?...

I know this can be done. I've had to do it out of necessity in my not-so-distant past, going the entire month without spending much of ANYTHING... - I could probably do so even now, EXCEPT for gas for my car... :brood: Unfortunately it sucks gas and I have a ton of commuting between my own work, my daughter's work, three kids at different schools...

Do you have a freezer or well stocked cupboards? That helps.

[tom90022]

That's amazing. I was just wondering how much most people spend on food. I mean to say, on average how much do most people spend on food in a month. I spend 20 dollars a month on everything. I pay for all my own food.

[Verdant]

Yup, anything in the pantry is fair game. The $100 is for food (both groceries & eating out) and all entertainment (including a haircut prior to dinner with an ex). I'm not counting necessities like rent, utilities, comic book printing/shipping fees, etc. To put things into perspective, I live in San Francisco, one of the most expensive cities in the US to live in. You'd be amazed at how fast little things add up.

Tom, where do you live? That's great that you're able to live on just $20 a month for food. Does this include the occasional restaurant meal?

[evan_fabiani]

20 a month for foood?? i spendd more then that a week on just produce. :S

[Tofu-N-Sprouts]

I have lived very frugally in the past, but 20$ a MONTH? Come on. Either you're deluding yourself or eating bread and water or you grow ALL your own foods (and even that would cost more than 20$ a month to grow, I imagine.)

Show us a typical shopping list and expenses so we can learn how you do it...

[froggythefrog]

Where do you live, Tom? Is this US currency?

[Bonoluvr]

I am trying to keep to a budget of $150 a WEEK for my family of 4 and I am finding it very difficult. I break it every week and hit the atm.
i am terrible with budgets!

[smedley]

i am tracking food spending and for my family of 4 i am averaging 100.00/week. we are vegan and eat a fair share of organic food. that includes toiletries and laundry and dish soap.

[Katt Fink]

Bleh.. I would love to see if this could be possible for me, but I'm not even going to try since I have some monthly bills that get deducted automatically from my bank account, plus I spend at least $20 a week on the Rats for CareFresh and food, plus any emergency vet trips that might pop up (a lot can happen to a rat in a month, you never know). So yeah, $80 for rats, $18 for Netflix. That leaves... $2 for me. If you count the car insurance that was automatically taken out at the beginning of Feb, I'm already $450 in the hole for the month, lol. Just ain't happening...

But good luck and more power to those of ya who try! I think it's a great idea...

[Tofu-N-Sprouts]

That's actually given me an idea for a new thread Katt. I can't fathom spending 80$ a month on my pets, much as I love them, but I'm sure many people have the budget to spend far more... interesting...

[Mskedi]

For all of college I did that on $80 a month or less. Now I splurge and have $150 a month.

And I never starved... I just planned my shopping well. :)

[Bonoluvr]

smedley and TNS i would love to hear some tips for being frugal, i seem to go over my budget every week, i cant seem to stick to it.

[Tofu-N-Sprouts]

If you don't have the money, you can't go over... I had X amount of money for food. No more. It wasn't an option of 'going over' because I would have overdrawn my bank account which would have led to more problems!!

You just go for simpler and simpler foods. Bulk beans, rice, potatoes and fill in the gaps with nutritional items - no frills, no snacks, no convenience foods, no processed junk, no going out to eat.
We shop at discount scratch-n-dent outlets, farmers markets, Asian markets and co-ops.
We make a list and then cross off about half. It's amazing what you truely can do without, when faced with that as your only option...

[PinkString]

We used to spend over $100 a week on food,etc. We've pared it down to $40-$60 a week depending on what we need. The $40-60 a week covers all food, household items, cat food, litter, for 2 people and 2 kitties. Prices keep going up where we live though, so it's tough to cut it down much lower.
I always look for deals like $1 a bag for frozen veggies or 99cents for 5 lbs of potatos. Whenever a staple like brown rice, whole wheat pasta and other goods are on sale, i stock up.
I also make my own soups and rice bowls and freeze them in individual serving sizes. Much better than the store bought versions and so much cheaper. :) (and salt free)

[piscesmom]

For myself (vegetarian, not vegan) and my omni boyfriend I spend about $80 every two weeks for groceries, which includes stuff like toilet paper and cat litter or laundry soap, etc. So roughly $160 a month.. oh, that also includes cat food.

[Kit Kat]

Verdant, cool thread.

I started tracking our expenses starting January 1st. I had an idea how much we were spending but now I have it in a spreadsheet. I can compare how we are doing compared to last, but I think it will take a few months to even out.

When stuff is on special, we tend to double up ( like the 1 kg can of Maxwell House coffee ). We found tofu at Costco that is $ 2.67 for 3 packages, so that's 2 weeks of meals * happy chick here *

I don't include dog and cat food ( we buy premium stuff for the furkids )
and since we don't eat out ( try and find a decent Veggie place in the Toronto suburbs, hah ) our "entertainment" costs are to a minimum.

I cook and bake everything.....soups, bread, muffins, you name it, I am definitely a kitchen witch. ( girlfriend who cannot boil water is very happy too *chuckles* )

[Invictus]

Geez, I'm impressed. I spend at least $500 a month on food (4 cats, 1 rabbit, and 2 people) and miscellaneous stuff. At least. The rabbit alone is at least $10 a week. And we make most meals from scratch. I must buy expensive ingredients. I've started baking more, and that has cut it down a little.

[Katt Fink]

That's actually given me an idea for a new thread Katt. I can't fathom spending 80$ a month on my pets, much as I love them, but I'm sure many people have the budget to spend far more... interesting...

Yeah, really... and it's not even like I'm spoiling them, I'm just talking basic food and clean bedding...

[anonymousemo]

Hm... interesting idea.
I don't pay for anything, like food, rent, or gas, but I would like to try this when I do! Right now, my family spends $100 plus every week on food, just to feed three people. tsk tsk tsk...

[Katt Fink]

Hm... interesting idea.
I don't pay for anything, like food, rent, or gas, but I would like to try this when I do! Right now, my family spends $100 plus every week on food, just to feed three people. tsk tsk tsk...

This reminded me that I wanted to add that I also don't have to pay for a lot of the things that would probably cause others' budgets to be tight. No rent or utilities for me... all I pay for is gas, car insurance, food, phone, and Rat expenses. I make enough that I have plenty left over at the end of the month to do what I want, and save the rest. I know it seems like this should be all the more reason to put myself on a budget so I can really save up, but I guess I'm kinda splurging right now because I know when I move out I'll be on a tight budget, too, so I figure I might as well have some fun while I have the $$$ :) It's not like I'm completely excessive in my spending though, I am pretty careful...

[Wolfie]

That's actually given me an idea for a new thread Katt. I can't fathom spending 80$ a month on my pets, much as I love them, but I'm sure many people have the budget to spend far more... interesting...

I spend over $100 a month just on pet food, not counting treats and other stuff. I don't really have the budget for it, but I do it. :p

[MZCsmpsns]

Didn't read all posts...

$100 bucks a month???
Cat food is prolly $25 a month... if not more.. dog food about the same... so that's at least $50, gas when I have a job is about $100 a month... food is like $120 a month... then on top of all that.. toilet paper, napkins, kitty litter.. and that doesn't count cable, internet, utilities...etc... GL w/that! lol