OCTOBER challenge: Living Off Of Your Stockpile. WINNERS declared!

[jenrose]

Well all, tomorrow starts this threads shopping. I won't know exactly what I am starting with until today is over. Don't know if I will be making it to Safeway today or not.

I am shopping for a family of 4. Me, DH and two little ones. One is potty training and the other is in preschool. I also pick up things to give to my sis and to send to MIL with the boys. Usually MIL watches the kids while I work but she is going in for surgery this month so my mom and sis will be filling in as sitters for me. I will need to send additional food to sis for compesation.

DH & I's aniversary is this month, we are taking an adults only trip, we have a snowmobile expo to do, Mom & I will be going to the holiday expo, we have 3 open houses to attend, a few birthdays and who knows what else. I hope I don't go overboard with spending this month.

[pkchicken]

With 2 teenage boys, do you have plenty of snacks on hand? I know how much my teenage son ate...wow. And milk? Will $100 be enough for milk? LOL We used to say we were going to invest in a cow just for the milk when ds was a teen.

Good luck on the challenge, its my first time to join the challenge too. But there is only dh and I and I'm aiming for $100. I do send care packages to both grown (college and military) kids at least once a month and I take postage out of my grocery money too.

I know what you mean about the milk!!

We have a large garden so that supplies alot of our vegies. We have a flock of chickens too so I won't need to buy eggs.

I've been power couponing latelly and have way too much chex mix and cinnabun bars along with granola bars of all types. The older boy bakes cookies and oddball things (grands bisquits stuffed with a variety of leftovers and cheese) he invites guys over to cook! so I think we're ok with snacks.

Good luck on your challenge, I'm really excited about it!

pk

[saving-n-va]

So is everyone ready to start tomorrow? I have actually sat down and planned a tentative menu for the next 2 1/2 weeks with mostly items from the stockpile. I don't necessarily plan for each day, I make a list of possible meals and we pick from that. I've always been a meal planner (one part of my life that I like to keep organized..lol).

Unless the rebate fairy has stopped at my mailbox today I am starting the month with my $100 budget and $29 in Walgreens RRs.

[kim_turtle]

I would like to try this... I am thinking $250 for the month.

I have:
$10 ECB
$20 cats to Shaw's

[jenrose]

So is everyone ready to start tomorrow? I have actually sat down and planned a tentative menu for the next 2 1/2 weeks with mostly items from the stockpile. I don't necessarily plan for each day, I make a list of possible meals and we pick from that. I've always been a meal planner (one part of my life that I like to keep organized..lol).

Unless the rebate fairy has stopped at my mailbox today I am starting the month with my $100 budget and $29 in Walgreens RRs.

I really wish I could get myself into the menu planning, but I first need to add new meals to my list. I always seem to make the same meals over and over again. If I actually put that on a plan I think it would depress me LOL.

And I'm rooting for the rebate fairy!

[cjpsmom]

Looks like we have a lot of fresh meat this month!!!

I wonder if they come with coupons??

Welcome to all!!

[cjpsmom]

I really wish I could get myself into the menu planning, but I first need to add new meals to my list. I always seem to make the same meals over and over again. If I actually put that on a plan I think it would depress me LOL.

It does me!:sad:

[saving-n-va]

I really wish I could get myself into the menu planning, but I first need to add new meals to my list. I always seem to make the same meals over and over again. If I actually put that on a plan I think it would depress me LOL.

And I'm rooting for the rebate fairy!

When my kids were young we kept to the basic menu plans too. I'd be happy to help you come up with some new ideas if you want. I don't always stick to my menu plan, if I run across a new recipe or we just aren't in the mood for whatever is planned I will change it. But I like to keep a basic plan. Like I said its one of the few areas of my life that I keep organized. LOL

Since I've not done a challenge before is it ok to post our menus on this thread?

[jenrose]

It does me!:sad:

At least I know I'm not the only uncreative menu planner .

Now if only we could change our ways. But too much change all at once they say isn't a good thing so maybe we better just stay boring.

[jenrose]

When my kids were young we kept to the basic menu plans too. I'd be happy to help you come up with some new ideas if you want. I don't always stick to my menu plan, if I run across a new recipe or we just aren't in the mood for whatever is planned I will change it. But I like to keep a basic plan. Like I said its one of the few areas of my life that I keep organized. LOL

Since I've not done a challenge before is it ok to post our menus on this thread?

Oh yes! We share recepies and menu plans and who irritated us that day. We are a very unfocused chat group. We use the stockpile as a reason to have the thread, then we chat away LOL.