T minus 31 days!

Starting January 1st 2011, not only will I attempt to spend $100 a month or less on groceries & toiletries, but I will blog about it with pictures (the best part if you ask me). To prepare myself for 2011′s $100 a month challenge, I have a plan in place to slowly wean myself from my current monthly budget of $400 a month for my family’s food & toiletry needs. The month of November I planned on spending $200 a month and $150 a month for December. Here’s what I bought this past month with my $200 budget:

PLEASE keep in mind that we donated A LOT of food to the food bank this month! Here are the pictures of all the crap I brought home, with a HEAVY emphasis on the word CRAP.

So I think I’m finally getting the hang of this whole coupon thing.

It amazes me every time I stand behind someone in line at the grocery store.

I was behind a lady the other day who’s total came to $283.

I nearly fainted, and I probably would have too if it wasn’t for the free cheese sample and the free cookie I snagged in the bakery department just moments before.

My new motto is: If it’s FREE, toss it in the cart.

If I don’t want it maybe someone on my Christmas list will.

And if not, well then it gets donated to the food bank. But the gum? And the candy bars? I’m saving those for my latest and greatest pinata creation. I mean c’mon, who wants to bust open a pinata stuffed with crappy small candy.

Trust me, you never know when a 2 year supply of Swiss Miss Hot cocoa will come in handy. I’m thinking if we get that big snowstorm everyone is talking about this year I can trade the hot cocoa and chili for something good. Who knows, if the neighbor folk get really desperate maybe even furniture.

Holy Cow. Is that REAL fruit? As in not from a can or a box??? How did that get in there?

I’m not sure how much this lovely little suture kit is going to cost me yet. I suppose I’ll have to wait for the bill from Urgent Care center to find out. Note to self: do not let your teenage son play with knives at 7am unless you enjoy cleaning blood stained carpets and pulling out stitches.

My son’s school had a Food Drive and guess what? Their homeroom won! Their class alone brought in over 1,400 items! (My son brought in 800+ items)

Gotta Love Rite Aid: $1.70

YES, I now have enough brownie mix for track season.

Who on earth buys shake & pour pancake mix? And at $1.99 a bottle? Oh well, now I have enough FREE pancake mix to host another “pancake party” for the teenagers.

I think I may have enough freezer bags to last me an entire year.

FYI: I want you to know that ALL that soda was FREE. And now when my kids come home and tell me their class is having a party, I know just what to send in.

I LOVE turkey season. My goal this year was to pick up 6 turkeys for the freezer. I figured a big turkey dinner (and all the leftovers) every two months was about right.

This trip included: 2 turkeys, 36 cans of veggies, 1 doz. rolls, 10lb potatoes, 1 bag of chip, 4 boxes of crackers, 2 2liter sodas, 1 box of pasta, 4 boxes of hot cocoa, 3 boxes of rice, 2 bags of coffee, and 37 jars of pasta sauce.

I’m thinking that between now and Christmas I should be able to stock up on a year’s supply of butter.

My daughter wanted the handsome husband to make her bruchetta for Thanksgiving. I’m EMBARRASSED to say that I paid $19.12 for the above items. She even felt bad when the lady said my total and I didn’t have any coupons to hand over.

Oh and FYI, we don’t eat that crappy frozen boxed corn, but it was FREE. So we feed it to the chickens and it makes them happy!

So that’s it. That’s what I purchased this month for a grand total of $198.36 What do you think?