Final Check in.
I stayed within the three times eating out.
I bought chips and bakery goods both two times. I count that still successful as it was so much less than the months before.
Freezer is looking better, I stayed with the goal.
These goals will be ongoing ones, my overall food budget is looking pretty good. I tread meat already as its own category due to buying always in bulk and only add minced beef/turkey from a different source.
Thank you all for your stories, it is really encouraging to read about our common challenges
Jan recap: we did really well in eating down the 2 cup prepped meals that were in the freezer. Condiments I didnāt finish a lot, but weāre close on the harissa, mango chutney, mirin, doenjang, and preserved lemon
I didnāt set really measurable goals for the month but I think I did okay with packing food for work! Pretty sure I only bought one mid-day snack from the snack shop this month. Was also doing really well with packing a lunch every day I was in the office up until the past week when life blew up and I ended up buying lunch 3 days in a row whoops Although the easiest lunch option at the office is a plate of tasty Ethiopian food that costs ~$1 so Iām not too upset about this.
-gas because I was feeling anxious not having my tank full for ~reasons~ $20
-signing up for local food co-op membership $25 and $27 for a small staples (and treats tbh) shop while we were there
-burger king $8 because friends were going (not an ideal reason)
-winter season CSA membership first payment $39 because ~reasons~
I came in under my grocery budget by $100 even with the CSA, and under āfunā budget where fast food/restaurants/coffee shops usually go, after a months long pattern of blowing both of these out of the water. This was aided greatly by the various gift cards, but also because I was tracking and aware of every expense.
Goals next month are tracking alongside mindfully restocking the pantry because ~reasons~
Final check in:
All good! Definitely want to keep these habits going forward. Still have some eating down of te freezer to do, but definitely making progress
Final check in:
So I went even further over on eating out. Our cat got really sick and I spent a night sleeping at the pet ER, so I ended up getting some takeout just to make myself eat.
Groceries: $290/300
Eating out: $481/400 (WAY over my already larger budget)
My overall budget balanced fine, but yeah. Definitely had a run of not great luck this month that meant I ate out a lot for morale. Also Kitty is doing better, and hopefully that will continue.
Finished the month spending $80.61 in groceries, which is about 50% of our usual rate. Did not spend any money on restaurants or coffee (thanks to stocking up on coffee from work trips).
We are continuing the eat down the pantry challenge in Feb because we still have like 8 cans of kidney beans and even more quinoa to eat down in the pantry. I appreciate we are well-stocked. Only a few years ago there is no way we would still have food after a month of only buying fresh foods. Itās a great abundance. I do think we will take notes for the future pantry, though - maybe fewer kidney beans.
I am looking forward to buying corn tortillas and popcorn though, both of which we have run out of it. I prefer corn tacos to flour tortilla burritos as I have been doing.
final check in:
stayed at 2 meal deliveries!
spent $503/600 budgeted! I didnāt go out to eat much so I think thatās why it stayed well below.
managed to do a small pantry clean out on the 31st and have a better plan going forward. Iāve been watching people cook on YouTube and somehow that is inspiring me to cook more. so hopefully things will get used up.
Feeling great about the status of the freezer. Defrosting was long overdue - there were areas with almost an inch of ice - and between the defrost and rearranging everything I have a much better sense of what I have in there. I was also able to sort and make more freezer meals in advance of some upcoming busy times.
Late checking in for the final one, sorry!
Overall spending goal: spend less than $475āyes, it looks like I spent $469.53
Goal 1: cook dinner 3x/week: not so much this week
Goal 2: donāt buy booze for the homeāaccomplished
Goal 3: grocery shop with a list: kind of went out the window, but I spent the last week of the month v sick so I didnāt do much shopping or eating. Great for the budget!
Yāall, due to ~~ all this ~~ snackuary stickers wonāt be shipped til late this week. That means if youāre behind on filling in this form you get a little reprieve!