Update: I just realized that new readers would have no idea what this post is about :). We are challenging ourselves to feed our family of 8 on $400 a month until we recover from a financial loss. This is week 1 of our second month and includes a detailed list of what I bought.
This post could be titled, “How I completely fell apart and embarrassed myself in the blogging world.” Or “It doesn’t get any more real than this….”
After reading this post you are going to feel GREAT about yourself, lol.
First of all the good news is, I stayed within my budget. The bad news is the spending included several fast food trips and some Quick Trip cappuccino’s which is totally out of character for me. One of those days, Darren came home from work to find me in a blank stare typing furiously at the computer. When he asked me what was for dinner, I gave him a 30 minute play by play of my day starting at 4:30 am that morning. He left and came back with Arby’s. Good man.
The boring stuff is coming–an itemized list and prices of the first week’s spending, but first….a story.
A few weeks ago I offered a little bundle sale for 2 of my best menu plans. After all my expenses, I made $750.75 profit. I offered the sale to try to put some of our savings back since we spent it all for our foundation repair. Turns out one of my children needed educational testing done and the timing was getting critical. The cost for the service was exactly $750. God knew our need before we did and provided the means to take care of this child. Our expenses along this line are just beginning and I’m seeing a pattern here. God is moving on our behalf before we even know how desperate we are. So I’m trying not to feel nervous, just trusting Him along the way.
And last Sunday night after the Children’s Christmas Musical (which was AMAZING) a young man approached us in the cookie line. He said “An anonymous member here has hired me to finish your kitchen. I can start tomorrow, when’s a good time to come by?” Just. Like. That. He came by yesterday and worked several hours. DH didn’t know how to proceed with our wonky un-level floors and this young man had the knowledge needed to start us moving again. I don’t know what to say. I’m so grateful for the help. And feeling humbled, looking forward to the time we can pass on the blessing.
Here’s what I bought last week:
| Date | Store | Item | Amount | Total Price |
| 12/3/2013 | Dirty Don’s | Kraft Shredded Marble Cheese | 2-8 oz bags | 3.00 |
| Kraft Finely shredded Mexican Cheese | 2-8 oz bags | 3.00 | ||
| Velveeta indivudually sliced cheeses | 2-24 slice pkgs | 4.00 | ||
| Refried beans 32 oz can | 1 | 1.00 | ||
| Black beans 32 oz can | 2 | 2.00 | ||
| Deli meat: Cajun roasted chicken | 1 lb | 0.50 | ||
| Organic Raspberry Applesauce 32 oz | 2 | 1.50 | ||
| Best Choice Canned Kernel Corn | 3 | 1.00 | ||
| Sun Dried Tomatoes, julienned | 1 | 1.00 | ||
| Bolognese Sauce | 1 | 0.75 | ||
| Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup | 4 | 2.00 | ||
| Alfredo sauce–3 pack | 1 | 3.00 | ||
| Trader Joes Uncured Pre-Cooked Bacon | 1 | 2.00 | ||
| Whole wheat tortillas | 20 ct | 1.00 | ||
| Heinz chipotle style bbq beans | 4 | 2.00 | ||
| tax | 1.38 | |||
| 12/4/2013 | Aldi | Cream of chicken/mushroom soup (light) | 8 | 3.92 |
| Baked beans, large can | 1 | 1.39 | ||
| Crackers, club style | 1 | 1.45 | ||
| Crackers, cheese | 1 | 1.89 | ||
| Crackers, Ritz style | 1 | 1.79 | ||
| Crackers, wheat thin style | 1 | 1.25 | ||
| Grapes, red | 2 lb | 2.98 | ||
| Bananas | 2.58 lb | 1.14 | ||
| Spinach, fresh | 10 oz | 1.69 | ||
| Bread, 100% whole wheat loaf | 3 | 3.87 | ||
| Bread, Hot Dog Buns (white) | 1 | 0.89 | ||
| Sweet Potato Chips | 2 | 3.98 | ||
| Light Ranch Dressing | 1 | 1.39 | ||
| Milk Chocolate Chips | 2 | 2.58 | ||
| Turkey Hot Dogs | 2 | 2.58 | ||
| Christmas decorating sprinkles | 1 | 2.99 | ||
| Avocados | 4 | 1.16 | ||
| Tax | 1.84 | |||
| 12/5/2013 | Subway | 12 inch black forest ham sub | 1 | 5.39 |
| 12/6/2013 | Arby’s | 15 Jr. Roast Beef Sandwiches2 large curly fries | 18.00 | |
| 12/7/2013 | Quick Trip | 1 cappicinno and abreakfast burrito | 3.19 | |
| 12/7/2013 | QuickTrip | Hot Chocolate x 4 | 4.50 | |
| TOTAL | 98.99 |
Some of the stuff like the Rtiz crackers, chocolate chips and candy sprinkles were for cookies that we “made” to take to social events. Many of the items were things I bought to store for the future, like the sun-dried tomatoes, and canned foods. I didn’t have an immediate plan for them but the prices were stellar and I filled up my pantry. The lunch meat, tortillas and hot dogs were to help with packing lunches. This week, I’m trying to plan ahead better. If I forget to put dinner in the crock-pot there’s an issue since I don’t have an oven to heat something up quickly. I have a ham bone in the crock right now, and will add sweet potatoes, white beans, and corn for a nice soup.
oh my goodness – that brought me to tears….what an incredible and kind thing to do for you. Not to mention that it provides work to another also. God is good.
Leanne, I know. Right? I’ve been a blubbering mess of tears for weeks now as I see God show His hand in my life on a regular basis. Those are happy, Praise Him, tears.
God is so good! Thank you for sharing your shopping trips. You may think it’s boring, but it sure is educational. 4 avocados for just over a dollar??? I am spending way too much! We accumulated debt for the first time in our lives over the last year. I have never had to worry too much about the grocery budget, even though I’ve been studying for years thanks to you and some other bloggers. I need to get serious. Gazelle serious! You are so encouraging. And it’s also so cool to hear how God is working with your faithfulness! Keep it up this December!
Thank you for sharing! I love pay it forward stories! This is exactly why I also do a home based business. I believe in them so much and hope to also some day, pay it forward!
This is so great. I like how you are honest and genuine. What I don’t like are the people who ONLY show when things are great. That doesn’t help anyone and is actually really depressing. We all “fail” sometimes and life just happens with things that are out of our control. So how do we handle it? That is the question! Thank you for your sincerity and honesty!!
Angela good to see that you are feeling positive again and doing what you do best..the reason we follow you..helping us shrink our grocery bill no matter what the circumstances!! The circumstances do change and throw us curves..but you showed us by faith we can persevere!! Keep up the positive posts and your faith!! God bless you and your family.
We all have weeks like that and I love how real you are. You are such a great example of what I am working towards, financially, because our food bill is much higher than I wish it would be. I also appreciate how you share how God provides your needs. My husband and I enjoy talking about how God provides for our needs. I am working on concentrating on being a good steward of what he bestows on us but leave the details to him. Sitting back and watching God work is neat. Merry Christmas!
Angela dont be embarassed that you r human. Most people these days are struggling now adays no matter where they are in the world. The Almighty has a plan. May we be fortified in our faith in Him and continue to realize that all He does is for our best.
Stay well. Thanl you for sharing.
With blessings from the Promised Land
Tanya
I think you did a great job! And I just love how our Lord provides!
Angela! You are amazing!!! I absolutely LOVE your blog…your “REALNESS!” God has blessed you with many talents. Thanks for sharing…
My best friend always laughs at me because when life seems to handing us more than our share of struggles (which it seems is God’s way of allowing us to glorify Him) I always say “Well, life more abundant!”. She knows that is my way of saying God didn’t promise us an easy life, or a simple life, or that things will always go our way he promised us an ABUNDANT life and He decides what abundance is for us. I’m glad has given you abundance And the grace to live out your abundance in such a faithful way and the courage to do it in font of all your readers. What a wonderful example!
God is good. All the time. It is hard to walk and trust Him, just Him rather than ourselves. However, it is so worth it to see His plan and to see that He knows better than we ever could. Thank you for continuing to share your story. I know that I’m not the only one struggling to trust God, but reading your blog is a good reminder. Thank you for being you and for sharing your gifts!
Blessings!
Hi Angela, this is such an amazing post,$400 to feed a family of 8? It’s our monthly budget to feed 4 of us and I’m still trying to find ways to trim it down. Keep on posting for great tips!
Thanks, Gladys. This will be a regular weekly feature–the good and the bad. Even our makeshift sink and laundry area where we prepare food and wash dishes will be out of commission for the next 2 days. DH says if I can find the money we can eat out dinner two days in a row. It sounds like such a treat! I’m weighing the cost of buying paper plates vs eating out inexpensively like at a grocery store cafe or pizza buffet. When it’s x8 even an inexpensive place adds up.
Keep up the posts, Angela. Keep bringing remembrance of Jesus – your testimony did just that for me. He is always working on our behalf, we just need to trust and follow His leading. Thank you for the gentle reminder –
There were 3 things that I loved or found intrigued about today’s blog. The first being that when you were asked about dinner your response was babbling about your day. As to which your husband leaves and comes back with Arby’s. I think that is hilarious. We have about 2 Tuesdays a month that look like that because it’s when I have my prenatal appointments, it’s a long drive and takes up almost the whole day. But our rescue dinner is Papa Johns. Secondly it is overwhelming awesome that someone anonymously hired a worker to finish your kitchen. That’s one aspect that I love about living in the kingdom of God. Someone recently called a friend of mine who had been saving for a new car and they told her they wanted to help her get a car. They told her to go pick one out, pay what she had been saving and they would pay the rest so she would stay debt free. They ended up paying more than she did and it was a complete blessing! The last thing that I find intriguing about today’s read is this Dandy Don’s you keep mentioning. We don’t have any stores like that around my area, but I can’t wait until I run into one. Although I did have the opportunity of going to a Costco recently bc I was visiting in Houston. I went there because you’ve also written about Costco a lot.
Elizabeth, You made my day. I love the story about the car. I hope to be a giver like that one day. BTW congratulations on your pregnancy. I LOVE babies! They are such big blessings.
AMAZING! God is SOOO Good!
WOW!!! I just stopped and stared at my computer screen when I read that, lol. The awe inspiring goodness of God just gets better and better. Couldn’t happen to a nicer family. Thank you so much for sharing that.
thanks for sharing this…. and it is inspiring when believers do things for each other (anonymously to not take the “glory”)
Oh, Angela!! Though I haven’t been able to read every post, my heart has been aching for you and all the blind-sided setbacks you’ve had with your house. This is amazing and such a wonder to share. Wow. Your tenacity, your openness, and your heart are each one an inspiration.
Praise the Lord!!!
Angela, this is a great post! So happy for you about your kitchen remodel, and the wonderful blessing of a man who knows what he’s doing. 🙂 Awesome news.
I would love it if you added next week what meals you made – just to get some ideas of how you put those groceries together with what you had on hand. Thanks! If it’s a huge imposition, please ignore me. 🙂 I’m good with that… I have two kids who regularly ignore me, it seems. 😉
Happy Christmas to your family, and I love following your blog!
Emily in Michigan
What a blessing. I am curious are you going to eat more meatless meals during this time?
Lydia, we might. But I’m convinced animal protein is essential to a healthy diet. So if we use less beef, we’ll use eggs or fish or something instead.