$100.00 a week challenge

[kidsrfun70]

Hi there everyone!!
Ok I just went through this whole board on this 100.00 a week and I am totally confused Well that didn't take much did it? Is this 100.00 for EVERYTHING including gas, groceries, rent/mortage, personal items, electric bill, gas bill, water bill, and everything else? NO WAY can't be!!!
Here is my deal, I just started my job, dh has been working for the time being... And it was really difficult anyway because he gets paid biweekly!!! YUCK It has been really rough. We moved to CT from FL in September and I was looking for a job in my career for that long... Talking about driving me crazy Anyway we pay rent and groceries one week and then the next time he gets paid we pay utilities and such and car payment... For the groceries, we look through the flyers of all the grocery stores around this area and look for the bargains!!! Usually for meat we go to Shaws, cleaning products and such is definately Wal-Mart, and then other groceries we go to Big Y.. Big Y has a lot of buy 1 get 1 free, and buy 1 get 2 frees.... But it seems as if they up their prices of the meat when they do this and it then isn't worth it.. Does anyone else have a big y and know what I am talking about? Then for bread we definately go to the Sunbeam outlet store.. they have bread for 4 for 1.00 and then hot dog rolls and hamburg rolls for 2/1.00 . So that is a help..
I tried to put together the meals for the week at the beginning of the week but they always seem to fall through.. What am I doing wrong.. How do you guys plan for the month??? WOW I am really impressed!!! Well if there is anyone out there that can give me some imput... Let me know.. I think it will be somewhat easier now that both of us are working also.. I am kinda scared to start to work again, but let me tell you very excited that I will be helping to pay the bills and such.. ;-)
Ang

[kimmyo]

kidsrfun70...... you will find some great tips and ideas over in the Planning Ahead Forum.... Meal Planning & Grocery Shopping. Take a peek over there and if you have any questions on meal planning and shopping you can post them there and we will be glad to help you out!



Good luck on the new job! I remember how scary it was to go back to work! You will do just fine!

[Mom2twoboyz]

I failed miserably this week!

I spent $150 this week and that doesn't even include a couple of times dh took me out for a meal. He's leaving tomorrow morning for the month. So, we were pretty bad this week.

Next week should be better..frugally speaking.

[EMMJEAN]

mom2twoboyz,i think you can over look this week.things happen.you can't be good all the time.what fun would that be.you can easly make up for it.i did o.k. this week until i found out we have family coming for a visit.two days notice or i would had bought extra food a little at a time.so i went 25.00 over my fifty dollar a week budget. but i'm not going to sweat it.i'll just try extra hard next week.
i love this site.
and this challenge has really kept me inline with my budget.thanks for starting it.

[Mom2twoboyz]

EmmaJean

Thank you....I feel better now. $96 of that was groceries last Sunday. Then, I went again to get some hamburger (because where I was shopping Sunday was too expensive) and this store had so many great deals for things I will definitely need(stocking up stuff) so I picked up another $27 worth of stuff there. This week, I won't even step foot in a grocery store so that should help alot. Then, my ds2 had two field trips in a row that he needed a special drink for. I don't usually buy single drinks for the kids, so that was an extra. I also drove more than usual this week, as my ds1 kept changing his after-school plans on me and I drove all over creation looking for him two different days. (after school English project at different friends' homes). It's a 20 minute drive each way to their schools from my home and I drive it twice a day. Thank goodness for my geo...but I did buy more gas than usual this week. Next week, I shouldn't need to buy gas (although, dh is syphoning some out for the lawn mower in a minute, soooo we'll see)

Anyway, now that I've made all those excuses...

I hope you enjoy your company!!! Drop-ins are fun sometimes. $50 a week, huh? There are weeks I spend nothing, but an average of $50 a week...I don't know about that.

You're right about this site. It's wonderful and it makes me accountable. Everytime I buy something, I think...is it worth having to tell the ladies about?

Love, love, love you guys.

[EMMJEAN]

i know 50.00 a week is hard sometimes.but i'm so tired of being in debt.and just barely making ends meet.so all debt is going bye bye.and no more credit cards we've learned our lesson.something i think you do have to learn the hard way.oh,yeah we are thinking about trading our sedan in for a geo.are the good cars?do you have to repair them much?i just don't trust most car salesmen.and it would help to get the opinion of someone who has one.and it wont cost any more then what we are paying of the sedan.gee i'm long winded today.bye

[Mom2twoboyz]

Getting out of debt is definitely worth it. I have no debt but I like to hold on to the money we have....and I also look at it this way...the longer I hold onto the money, the longer dh can go between working trips. (he's a traveling nurse).

I love my Geo. I have only had it since September. It's a '96. I bought it used (obviously) from a friend of dh. It runs great...maintenance is the key. The previous owner was adamant about oil changes and dh carries on the tradition for me.
My main concern was gas mileage. For 9 years, I drove a Ford Aerostar and it guzzled gas. The Geo will go a full week of driving 80 miles a day on $10 or even less. Then again, mine is the little metro...not a sedan, so I'm not sure what the difference in gas mileage there might be. Definitely worth checking out, though.

[Renee]

A friend of mine has had 3 Geos and loved every one of them. We lived in West Virginia and it did go alittle slow up the large hills. She didn't mind, she just chugged along with the coal trucks!

[BellasMom]

I can drive! Did I mention I can drive? So.. I am ready for the challenge:
I got out 100.00 today:
spent 15.00 on food, and am done for today.
85.00 to go!!

[EMMJEAN]

i'm glad to hear that you can drive bellasmom.i couldn't stand not to be able to.i'm always on the go.