Like me, she actually started in December. Check out her blog for how she has done.
I saved 50% of what we normally spend. We ended up adding non-food and eating out into the total also so we really did good. We cut down eating out by 50% also and I can actually say except for the Chinese Buffet I haven't missed it until I got sick. I always crave fast food when I am sick...figures that's when I can eat it anyways.
We spent the savings on garden seed and some other odds and ends we would have been scrimping to pay. I even bought some foaming hand soap from Back and Body that Ree over at Pioneer Woman had talked about for myself as a birthday present. Better late than never I thought.
As for the Pantry Challenge, Hubby and I have decided to go at least until the end of February. We decided this on the following reasons:
#1, we will save enough money to finish paying for the garden supplies.
#2 we will be able to clean the pantry without moving a lot of food in March/April when I do the spring cleaning.
#3 we won't be wasting our resources buy throwing away food that went bad because it wasn't eaten.
The last reason really hit home this weekend when my step brother and I cleaned out our parents pantry. By today we counted up the food that had went bad and realized that my kids and their families (total of 21) could have been fed for 2 weeks with what we threw out.
That makes me very sad because our parents didn't have money to waste like that. I do understand that they forgot what they had because nothing was organized and it was all shoved in different cabinets and some was even in boxes and sacks in bedrooms and the hallways. What was still good I have split between my kids and us.
So now I have more in my pantry than I did when we started the pantry challenge...Guess that is reason #4.
We are going to think about some RULES for ourselves for the Pantry Challenge in February.
Tonight is leftovers or smoked sausage and mac and cheese if Hubby decided to cook because I have had a horrible migraine since last night and it isn't going away. Have a good day. Blessed Be
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That is sad about the food that your parents had going bad. My grandmother is like that. I am sure when the day comes that we have to clean out her house, I will find all kinds of foodstuff that has expired. I think it is important for that generation to feel as though they have enough to eat to last through any crisis - leftover from growing up during the depression. That is great that you have enough to keep going until the end of Feb. I had to do some replenishing, my family was ready to mutiny!
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