Last week I received a surprise email from Clair over at Mummy Deals inviting me to take part of a new challenge she was putting together with Beth from IN Good Cents. I love a good challenge, especially one that promises to help me save money. Who doesn’t want to do that?
I read the proposal, jumped for joy, squealed in delight, and signed on. Introducing the 90-Day Budget Boot Camp.
Each week, for the next 12 weeks, I’ll receive a challenge designed to help me trim my grocery budget. Meal planning, couponing, organizing and planning. And each week, after I’ve completed the challenge, I’ll be sharing my experience with you. Good and bad. Triumphs and failures. I’m baring it all.
So, to start things out on the right foot, here’s our approximate weekly grocery budget, including diapers (which is thankfully dwindling) and toiletries. Ready? It’s $50-$80. Let’s say it averages around $65. Or $260 a month, for our family of three, and two dogs. The majority of our shopping is done at Aldi, and a half-hearted attempt at couponing.I imagine that this is lower than most families, but there’s always room for improvement.
Here are the goals that I’m hoping to accomplish with the 90-Day Budget Challenge:
- I want to become a crazy coupon lady. Complete with binder, check list and crazy look in the eyes.
- I want to organize my coupons. In a fancy folder or binder specifically for coupons. Hey, if you’re going to do it, do it right.
- I want to be good at couponing. I don’t want to buy something just because I have a coupon. I want to buy something because we need it, I have a coupon and it’s on sale. How’s that for specific?
- I want to reduce my impulse spending. Especially when something is on sale, but it isn’t necessarily something that I need or would normally buy.
- I want to create wriggle room in our budget that allows for more organic produce.
- I want to shop smarter. Buying things that we need with they are on sale (hopefully with a coupon!) instead of buying them when we need them (most likely without a sale or coupon).
- I want to be more aware of our spending, and not just groceries. That soda when I filled up with gas. That bag of M&M’s at Target. That late night trip to Dairy Queen. I want to know where our money goes, so we can better budget.
- I want to be able to save. I’m a saver at heart, and since going down to one income, our ability to save on a monthly basis has dwindled. I want to start again, even if it’s only $10 a month.
- I want to try shopping during double coupon times at our local grocery stores, to see how it compares to shopping at Aldi.
- What would you like to change in your grocery budget?
Follow along with the other 90-day boot camp challengers, or join in! Please visit Mummy Deals and IN Good Cents for all of the challenger’s weekly challenges and their results. And check out what we are talking about on Twitter with the hashtag #budgetbootcamp.
Of course, make sure that you subscribe so you can follow along with my weekly updates.
This post is linked up with Top Ten Tuesday over at Oh Amanda!
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
That does sound like quite a challenge!
Our grocery/medicine/wal mart stuff budget for five people is $300, so you will totally be able to do this!
.-= Muthering Heights´s last blog ..An Easy Way To Gauge Your Priorities =-.
Our budget is easily twice yours. And I am a coupon queen. So, I will be reading and learning from you!
.-= Jen´s last blog ..Complete and confident composure or self-assurance – Poise =-.
I have to say, I’m really impressed with your budget plan. I might have to take it on, too. We’re in a place now where we need to be careful and I need to look for a bit of extra work, and I know I’ve been un-budget-full lately. (See my post “Simple Pleasures”–how quickly those days of buying purses and gardening hats seem to be a thing of the past!) Ugh!
Good luck. I might have to join this challenge, if I can bring myself to face it head-on. I’ve actually been working on our grocery budget this week. Before buying more snacks, I’m determined to eat the ones we have. I always buy new stuff because I assume the old stuff just isn’t good enough after a week, but I really have to get over that. Really.
@Jana @ Attitude Adjustment, My hubby is like that. I’d rather finish what we have in the house before buying new snacks. He would rather having something new each week. Good thing I do all of the grocery shopping, or we’d have 15 bags of uneaten snacks in the house.
I’m a coupon addict, so I’m your girl! Use me
But be warned… I love to talk and coupons are my favorite topic.
Good luck. I can’t wait to get to know you better!
@Beth @ In Good Cents, I might just have to hit you up for a Q and A post.
I think this budget boot camp is SUCH a good idea! Can’t wait to see the rest!E
Love it!! Looking forward to reading your journey & maybe even following along too … (I left too much wiggle room in there, didn’t I?!)
@mandi@itscome2this, Ha! That was a lot of wiggle room. Maybe you’ll find one challenge to play along with. That’s better than nothing.
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