$0 spend week

[crosses]

I was talking with my friend that is super-organized when it comes to her food inventory. Or, I thought she was because it seemed she always had the correct amount of everything.

She told me that she really isn't that good, but what she does every three months or so is have a "no shopping week" for food. They have whatever is in the cabinets, refrigerator and freezer. She said that if she didn't do that, she would have all kinds of extra stuff. The no shopping week cleans out all the excess food that otherwise would be passed over again and again.

I thought it was a good idea and I'm going to try and have one next week.

[amomof4]

Here's wishing u luck! I'm trying to get rid of all the food in my cupboards too.

[PrincessPerky]

I do that all the time, though it is more related to the fact that I forgot something at the store, or I am out of cash! And there is no way I could ever go without spending anything, you should see the looks my family gave me when I suggested we only get 2 gallons of milk for the week instead of three!

Oh my! only 2 gallons of milk! I now get dirty looks when I suggest only 4! times change...course I know have a family of 5 milk drinkers (at the time of this original post I had only 3)

[barbd00]

I usually shope only twice a month. Then I just grab a gallon of milk when I need to or whatever. I buy in bulk and there have actually been months (yes months) when I have spent less than $100 a month for a family of 5.

When my hubby got sick and couldn't work, I had enough food in my pantry and freezer to last us 3 weeks without buying anything but milk.

Of course, when he got back to work everything was bare! and I spent $150 each week for the next 2 weeks!

[Tree0164]

I do a main shopping trip once a month and sometimes will stretch it out a week by doing what is called a Pantry Challenge week. Especially if we have an extra bill coming up-it works out great.

[shelbylovesmelby]

I usually stock up on meat when it's on sale & I have enough to spend on buying so much. Then the other weeks I just get the things we are out of.

I have skipped a week here & there when we were well stocked.

I know about the looks Princess Perky is talking about! *LOL* Especially if I mention leftovers or manipulate some leftovers in an unusual manner that tastes fine but then they try to get all picky on me GRRRR>>>

[th_tan]

oh thats good, probally a good idea to bank the extra income if you can. If it was me though, I'd just spend it on myself, shop or go out a couple times that week.

[Aleta]

When I straighten and clean my cupboards, I put items in the front that we have forgotten about and it's always a surprise when you open the doors.

I also like to have a day usually Friday, where we eat the leftovers from a few days. It makes the dinner interesting and you're not throwing away the extra food.

We also buy a gallon of milk and take half of it out and put it in a half-gallon milk jug and freeze it. You can do that with a gallon as well. You have to take some out because it expands. I freeze bread as well. Make sure that you double wrap it.

[th_tan]

Wow, aleta thats some nifty saving. I put bread in the fridge so it lasts longer.

Freeze milk? Never knew you could do that, does it taste the same, say a month later?

[Aleta]

Yes, you just have to make sure that it thaws completely and then shake it because it can separate. I don't see any difference, some may, but I don't. If I have a few cups left and the expiration date is right at hand, I will measure into 1 cup increments the milk and place it in zipper baggies and double bag it as well. When I need the milk, I take the baggie out and use the 1 cup that I need for whatever (expresso coffee with half milk, mashed potatoes,). We used to lose milk because we could never use it up before the due date.

[Lori63]

One night a week we eat the leftovers from the past 6 days or so-everyone usually eats something different, and sometimes things don't actually go together, but the fridge gets cleaned out and nobody starves.

[zakity]

We call that HodgePodge or Smorgasbord night.

[AmbitiousSaver]

I do this... my husband is in the military and I save a TON of money when he leaves cause I just start pulling stuff out of the cupboards and the 4 kids are a lot less picky than he is. They even eat leftovers. We always have leftovers from meals so I end up only having to cook 4 or 5 days out of the week when he is gone.

Besides, cooking with just what you have in the cupboards also opens up ways to invent your cooking habits. Around Christmas time I made Spritz cookies and when I was craving something "chocolate" - I made no bake cookies since we had Oatmeal, butter, sugar, peanut butter, and cocoa powder.

[Beckiboo]

We use up leftovers in "Fend for Yourself" nights, where everyone has to fix their own meal from leftovers. Of course, if I haven't been cooking at home much, or the leftovers are gone, it becomes canned soup night for the kids!
The additional benefit of "Fend for Yourself" is that your kids learn to reheat in the microwave (if old enough).
We skip grocery shopping some weeks, but not on a regular planned schedule. Usually when the weekend is too hectic to squeeze it in! We do still pick up milk those weeks!

[meatloafkend]

Okay, the milk thing would be a problem for me as well! There is only so much room in a fridge for gallons of milk. There is no way I could stock up when it's on sale either. They are WAY too big and they expire. That being said, I have gone weeks without buying anything except milk and bananas. Yep, we can't go without bananas in our house

[Aleta]

meatloafkend: I had stated earlier that all you need is 1/2 gallon milk containers. I buy the usual gallon and will put less than 1/2 of it in a half-gallon containere and freeze it. You can either keep the gallon container in your fridge or get another 1/2 gallon milk container and transfer the remainder of milk to it.

[Emily26]

Good idea. I only go shopping once every couple of weeks, unless it's for products that I need to get more often (i.e. bread, milk). I try to make sure that anything I buy is something that I will actually eat (and is worth it for the price), so that I don't have things sitting in my cabinets for months that go to waste! Leftovers are great too.

[Walt_Pennsyl]

I spend $20/day on food. I've tried to do less than that, but it's more trouble than it's worth!

[SoCalifrugal]

I have been using Quicken Online for one year now, and I went back and calculated I spend about $30/week on groceries on average. This doesn't include when I buy chips or something for a potluck/group gathering. That has a separate category. This is purely meals eaten at home and for brown bag lunches.

This month, a blog I read is posting a Eat From Your Pantry challenge, where the goal is to make due with what you already have. I've allowed myself to buy perishables such as veggies and bread, and food for my upcoming birthday party (which is a separate budget category from groceries). One week in and I've only spent $5. Considering that my budget for January is $20, this is looking good. It's fun getting creative while using up stuff that's been sitting in my cupboards and freezer for a while.

[SavingSheila]

My husband and I are gearing up to start once a month shopping to do a no spend MONTH.

Obviously we will need to buy gas for our cars still and we've set aside $15 a week for milk, bread and fresh produce - the kids (8 and 2) can't go without bananas, carrots and red peppers! LOL But, other than that, if it isn't purchased on our once a month trip, we go without - unless it's something the kids need or a medicine, obviously.

We are cutting out all of the little extras we buy - a 20 oz pop and a pack of gum at the gas station, a donut on the way to work, that sort of thing - while we are saving for a house and paying off our credits cards.

We went two weeks with only spending $1.35.