$$ The Money Challenge $$

I love to shop and with 4 hungry kids we do ALOT of grocery shopping and household spending. So much in fact that our grocery bill is typically $2,000/month. WOW! What does this include as part of what I consider our grocery bill?

• toilet paper, paper towels, soaps
• random items for the house (hello Target!)
• bulk food (yes Costco we are on a face name basis with the sample clerks)
• ALOT of what did I buy and why? (Like the below chickpeas...good intentions to make but that end up just sitting in my pantry till I toss them). 

I feel like everytime I go out with my 4 kids whether it be to shop for necessities or luxuries we end up spending $100-$200 without even blinking an eye. So it doesn't matter if we really need it or not it becomes a habit to just buy it. So just for the fun of it (and of course who doesn't want to save $) I am putting myself on a 21 Day Money Challenge. What does this mean for me?

• No "quick" trips to Costco to pick up a "few things" =a $300 bill
• No drive thru's for fast food or treats (we should not be eating them anyways...not good for the waistline or the budget)

As I type this, I am actually on day 4 (I started on Monday and today is Thursday). Here is what I have purchased this week (this is almost my 2nd phase of the project which involves no excess spending, which involves asking "do we really need it" or "do we really want to do it?"):

• dance camp for my daughter $80
• preschool annual fee for my son $900

While most families can just go and do whatever they want for us I think we need to install some good habits in our kids while they are young because if I take to them to the movies that can easily cost $50 for tickets. 

How are we going to do this you ask? 

• Step 1: Mission eat from our fridge, pantry and freezer (and rather well I must say). It feels so good to use up items we have already bought and spent good money for. AND maybe I can convince my hubby to wash out the fridge for me when he comes home and finds it so empty after a week of travel lol.
• Step 2: find better alternatives for summer...we already purchased swim lessons, tumbling passes and groupons. I am going to use those up and do the activities we have planned while finding good deals to do the things we already like to do ($4 movie theatre days!).

I will check back with you all weekly and let you know how the challenge is going!