*Feed Your Family $10 A Day Challenge*(AT HOME)

[mom2dea0813]

I should Honestly take pictures of my pantry for you guys . Has anyone here planed the grocery game??? I play it on my own . Do you relise how much food you can get for 10-30 cents with coupons ????????? BTW florida shoppers plublix is now double coupons up to 50 cents !
I spent the same in Tampa florida a yr ago . Plus I got Organic fruits and veggies from a organic farm in Tampa . Also go to the pick your own strawberry and blueberry farms and get TONS . Come home make jam, butters , muffins (freeze) , mini breads and cakes (freeze) , freeze them whole , smash them and freeze them for diffrent recipes threw out the yr . Now in SC I get to not only do it with starwberrys and blueberrys but Apples too .

There is alot to be had if you take the TIME to look around . I also will not by jugs of OJ we do not drink it often and when we do I buy the cans and add yes tap water . Milk is 3.99 a gallon here and everything is going up in prices here but when that happens we lose another snack item and keep on going . Or I learn a few more meals with out using a ton of meat to cook.

Also Angel food ministry and Share florida (for those in florida) help a ton with prices .

Garden even if in mason jars inside . If you have a small pice of property you do some garden stuff and have a friend do other items and swap . Look around for butchers to get better prices on meat and then share the whole cow with a friend or family member . Now sence being in Florida Dh church friends have taken him hunting he came home with dear meat the first time , Wild Hog meat the second time and this last time with 5 HUGE catfish . In sept they go Shrimping and I am sure they will come home with lots then also .

Agian my only point is there is Ways to make a budget work .

Sarah

 

[mom2dea0813]

Mom, wouldn't using cloth diapers in the long run end up costing more than the disposables? You have to figure in your cost of hot water, laundry soap,bleach and softeners. PLUS the cost of using the dryer does
add up.
Then you would also have to figure your time is worth something. Washing, sorting,folding,putting away. Where is the savings? With disposables, you could find them on sale and possibly using a coupon, get them really reasonably priced.

I brought my cloth diapers when I was pregnant with #2 (I had no clue there was such a thing with DS #1 ) I spent all in all 250.00 for all of them from preemie to Xlarge . They have already been used on two babies and going on #3 in sept/oct when ever this jelly bean decides to make her way into the wrold . I also Air dry the diapers as Drying them in the dryer can ruin them much faster . I wash them yes in Hot water with a Quarter of the soap that most americans use . no bleach can be used on cloth diapers as it will agian ruin them and You don't want to use softeners as then the pee dose not get soaked into the diapers .

So / my 250.00 by 3 kids using them (for the first child just over 3 yrs old , 2nd child still in them at 2 1/2 working on getting out of them befor baby and then for the time being add another 2 1/2 yrs for the new baby ) I do two extra loads a week (3 extra loads the first 4-6 monthes ) So in reality nope I am Saving lots of money .

Sarah

 

[disneyjunkie]

I do not feed day care during the summer. I take in less children. I do it during the school year

How do you know they don't acess the internet through the public library or at work, how do you know that they don't save up coins for three years to be able to give thier kids a vacation. You don't and neither do I.

WIC is not like welfare(for one thing even the middle class can qualify for WIC), it's almost impossible to abuse since it only covers about 6 food items and nothing else. I don't begrudge a baby getting formula and don't think any kid who gets subsidized for milk is not worthy of a little pixie dust.

I know all about WIC. I received WIC for my son when he was younger. During that time we didn't have internet, heck I didn't even own a computer back then. We didn't go to WDW during that time.

I just think there's something wrong with receiving assistance while you're paying for vacations.

I always assumed people on assistance used it until things got better for them. During that time, they put off the extras. Once they were on their feet, they discontinued the assistance. At that point you start saving/paying for the extras.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Let's try to stay on-topic here. The title of the thread is "Feed Your Family $10 A Day Challenge". The subject of who should be on WIC and whether they should vacation at WDW is better suited for the CB. Let's get back to sharing budget recipes and meal planning.

 

[phorsenuf]

by the way pondorosa was 10.06 and 1$ tip. That place was crazy . and not to clean

I'm sorry and not to go off topic, but you only left a dollar tip for the 5 of you?

 

[50 years Too!]

To all of you who don't believe you can feed a family (well) for approx $10 a day.
Before I started the grocery game and spending time and effort to reduce my grocery bills, I also couldn't believe those people who went on TV and showed how they got $90 worth of groceries for $5 and some change.
Then I tried it. Wow, it works. My then 16 year old son loved it because we never had so much food in our house. I used to pick up groceries haphazardly for a dinner or two. You know, running to the store 5 times a week.
I probably spent $800 a month, and we went out tons.
After I spent a few months trying the GG and other techniques, it was down to $300. For instance, with rebates, coupons and sales I got 10 large boxes of a name brand oatmeal for $1.85 Ten bottles of softsoap for money back, after coupons and rebate. Vegetables and fruit are always $.99 lb. IF you buy what is in season and on sale. For example, asparagus in April can be had for less than a dollar a lb. It is 4.99 right now.
I've gotten lazy again, eating out, buying gourmet premade dinners etc.
We actually have a lot less food in the house and spend 3-4 X's as much.
It is work, don't think it isn't, but if you put in the time and effort it can be done. I have a garbage can husband, active 18 year old and 20 year old daughter.

 

[CEDmom]

Perhaps it's regional. Spagetti is one of my cheap dinners for my family.

one can of Sauce: 96 cents @ walmart
1/2 box of whole wheat pasta: 1.25 per box @ walmart -- 63 cents for the meal.
Garlic Bread: 1.25 @ Aldi
Meatballs (1/2 bag per meal): 2.00 per bag @ Aldi -- 1.00 for the meal

so.. rough math.. around 3.84 before the salad. For a family of five.

Wow, you either have very young children or don't eat much. We're a family of 3 and none of us are overweight but a 1/2 box would barely be enough. I can't imagine trying to feed 5 with that small an amount.

 

[rach2674]

I haven't read through the entire thread yet, but has anyone seen "John and Kate plus 8"? It's the family that had twins and then sextuplets. She was saying she averages out about $150 a week for them...a family of 10. And she tries to buy as much organic as much as she can and buys lots of healthy food. She says she uses a lot of coupons and stocks up when things are on sale. I wish I was that good with coupons!

I was watching a show about them when the sextuplets were younger and they showed them going to Sam's Club and their bill was $1100. I guess she's really streamlined her shopping since then.

Rachel

 

[Plantlady]

Wow, you either have very young children or don't eat much. We're a family of 3 and none of us are overweight but a 1/2 box would barely be enough. I can't imagine trying to feed 5 with that small an amount.

I believe the box comes with 14 ounces. It says on the box that it has 7 servings. Yes, I divide it in half. We each end up with 1 cup of cooked pasta. 1 cup is the recommended serving size for pasta by the USDA.

When you add bread and meatballs it is quite a filling meal.

The kids are boys, 10, 8, and 5. The eight year old will eat himself sick, the 10 year old and five year old are much better about eating proper serving sizes. none of them are starving by any means.

 

[CastleCreations]

I haven't read through the entire thread yet, but has anyone seen "John and Kate plus 8"? It's the family that had twins and then sextuplets. She was saying she averages out about $150 a week for them...a family of 10. And she tries to buy as much organic as much as she can and buys lots of healthy food. She says she uses a lot of coupons and stocks up when things are on sale. I wish I was that good with coupons!

I was watching a show about them when the sextuplets were younger and they showed them going to Sam's Club and their bill was $1100. I guess she's really streamlined her shopping since then.

Rachel

I love that show. I think her husband is hot! LOL, anyway, I saw that episode too and I couldn't get over it. I also don't know why she brought all of her kids and husband with her to do that much shopping. She should have gone alone and just took his credit card..LOL

 

[briannesmom]

I have been reading this thread since it started and I think I am finally ready to join in. I went to the grocery store tonight and I can’t believe how much prices have gone up in just the two weeks since my last big shopping trip. I am feeding a family of 3, DH (very active, big eater), me, and DD 4 (not at all picky, eats a huge variety of food). I doubt I will ever be able to hit $10 a day but I am just trying to keep track of what we are spending and trim the budget a bit. I didn’t decide to keep track until dinner tonight but I will try to do the whole day tomorrow.

Chicken Tacos
chicken breasts 6.89 (make extra for tortilla soup later this week)
seasonings 1.00
chicken stock .50 (cooked chicken in crock pot then shredded)
can of rotel .79

tortillas 1.29
cheese 1.50
sour cream .50
hot sauce for dh .05 (just a guess I have no idea how to estimate stuff like that)
onion .50
lettuce free garden

salad free garden
dressing .50

Total for dinner $14.39

I don’t want to figure out who drank what and when so I am just going to average out the drinks per day. We drink about a gallon of milk every 3-4 days so I am just going to figure $1 a day for milk. We drink a lot of iced tea and water so I will figure about .75 a day for the tea bags.

 

[punkin]

I have never been to ponderosa, but I always thought it was kind of fast food where you did not have to leave a tip. Am I wrong?

 

[disneyjunkie]

I have never been to ponderosa, but I always thought it was kind of fast food where you did not have to leave a tip. Am I wrong?

Ponderosa is like a Shoney's or Golden Corral. If I remember correctly,(haven't been to one in about 10 years) there's a buffet or you can order a steak meal. A waitress brings your drinks and clears the plates if you using the buffet.

 

[Honu]

I believe the box comes with 14 ounces. It says on the box that it has 7 servings. Yes, I divide it in half. We each end up with 1 cup of cooked pasta. 1 cup is the recommended serving size for pasta by the USDA.

2 oz of uncooked pasta is considered one serving by the USDA and it yields one cup serving when cooked. It could be you're getting 1 cup servings because you're cooking it longer and it's absorbing more water. Nutrition wise though, you're coming up short.

 

[grlpwrd]

I should Honestly take pictures of my pantry for you guys . Has anyone here planed the grocery game??? I play it on my own . Do you relise how much food you can get for 10-30 cents with coupons ????????? BTW florida shoppers plublix is now double coupons up to 50 cents !
I spent the same in Tampa florida a yr ago . Plus I got Organic fruits and veggies from a organic farm in Tampa . Also go to the pick your own strawberry and blueberry farms and get TONS . Come home make jam, butters , muffins (freeze) , mini breads and cakes (freeze) , freeze them whole , smash them and freeze them for diffrent recipes threw out the yr . Now in SC I get to not only do it with starwberrys and blueberrys but Apples too .

There is alot to be had if you take the TIME to look around . I also will not by jugs of OJ we do not drink it often and when we do I buy the cans and add yes tap water . Milk is 3.99 a gallon here and everything is going up in prices here but when that happens we lose another snack item and keep on going . Or I learn a few more meals with out using a ton of meat to cook.

Also Angel food ministry and Share florida (for those in florida) help a ton with prices .

Garden even if in mason jars inside . If you have a small pice of property you do some garden stuff and have a friend do other items and swap . Look around for butchers to get better prices on meat and then share the whole cow with a friend or family member . Now sence being in Florida Dh church friends have taken him hunting he came home with dear meat the first time , Wild Hog meat the second time and this last time with 5 HUGE catfish . In sept they go Shrimping and I am sure they will come home with lots then also .

Agian my only point is there is Ways to make a budget work .

Sarah

I know exactly what you mean. I have been dealhunting and couponing heavily since 1998 with mycoupons.com . I have also used www.couponmom.com which was way before the grocerygame (as cutouthunger.org when she advocated giving any surplus goodies to foodbanks). I know very well that you can get free or nearly free stuff if you really want to, especially if you can double or triple coupons. I have known people that do this regularly and successfully. Those ladies are amazing!

I don't coupon like this as much because I eat differently, but yes, it is wonderful if you can do it. It doesn't sound like this is what is being done and it wasn't being accentuated.

I was expecting more of this kinda discussion. I think you should definitely post more and tell 'em how it's done.

 

[rach2674]

They've never done double coupons here are our Publix. I wish they did! That'd be awesome!

Rachel

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

Until just a few years ago, we had to watch every single penny that we spent. And I mean every single darn penny. Because I wrote down each and every expense, I was able to tell exactly how much I spent for anything (food item, kid clothing, gas for the car etc). Remembering prices became a habit and one that I still am able to keep

I still ONLY buy food/household items on sale. If it's something that never goes on sale (like dry milk that I use in baking), I purchase it at the store with the lowest regular price. I know that some things only go on sale once or twice a year so that when that time comes, I buy enough for the next 6-12 months. For example, every year in January ShopRite has their "can-can" sale. I buy enough large cartons of storebrand oatmeal (at half the regular price) for the year.

I'm lucky that I have storage space in the basement at this house, but even when we rented a tiny townhouse I found storage space (under the beds ) I have a good-sized freezer as well for sale meats, homemade baked goods, double batches of meals, etc.

Anyway, I've been bad at posting our meals lately. I'm going to make it a goal for August to post every day. I want others to see that we can eat healthy food---and enough to satisfy all members of my family----on a budget.

Family of 5. Kids are ds14 (I swear he grew another inch last week!), dd12 (multiple food allergies diagnosed this March so we don't eat soy, sesame, peanut, hazelnut or watermelon anymore) and dd7. Dh works from home two days a week which means he wanders through the kitchen every so often, checking to see if the food stock has changed since the last trip through He also takes clients out for coffee or lunch or dinner. Since those are business expenses (taxes) I do not count those in my total.

Today's meals:

Breakfast (dd7 was at a sleepover so she didn't eat b'fast at home)

raisin bran and milk for 4, $1.00
(Milk is currently $4.00/gal We each use about 4oz milk per serving--so $0.125 each. The cereal was $1.99/20oz box. One serving is 1 oz. Raisin bran fills us up (not like corn flakes) thus no need for an excessively large serving.)
orange juice, 1/3 carton @ $2.50 (Costco), $0.83
coffee, etc for dh and I $0.90

total: $2.73

Lunch

egg salad sandwiches, 8 eggs @ $0.08 ea, $0.64
mayo, negligible cost because the qt was only $0.50
mustard, free after coupon
whole wheat bread, 8 slices @ $0.12 ea, $0.96
organic carrots (Costco), about 1/2 lb, $0.50
dh had leftovers
cantaloupe (huge!), local farm, $0.99
water

total: $3.09

Dinner

grilled chicken breasts, about 1.5 lb @ $1.99/lb, $3.00
marinated in balsamic vinaigrette dressing, 1/8 of 16 oz bottle, $0.19
herbs, garden, FREE
mashed potatoes w/ garlic, about 2.5 lb, $1.50
smidge of milk in potatoes, $0.13 (guessing at 4oz)
zucchini, garden, FREE
green beans, garden, FREE
milk, 3 kids, $0.75

total: $5.57

Snacks

some Cheez-Its (halfprice), 3 kids, $0.50
blueberries and raspberries, garden, FREE
Minute Maid frozen lemonade, 4 @ $1.50/box of 12, $0.50
decaf sun tea, 5 tea bags @ $0.04/ea, $0.20

Grand Total: $12.59

 

[jordansmomma]

Just let you know Krogers brand is on the list that's our fred meyers here on the west coast. And i love your chilli dog recipe i'll make that for the family they will love it.

Thanks. I dont have a Fred Meyers here. I have Wal Mart and Safeway. Our brands are either wal mart brands, safeway select, western family, and name brands. I have had it for a few months.

 

[ticktock]

I know all about WIC. I received WIC for my son when he was younger. During that time we didn't have internet, heck I didn't even own a computer back then. We didn't go to WDW during that time.

I just think there's something wrong with receiving assistance while you're paying for vacations.

I always assumed people on assistance used it until things got better for them. During that time, they put off the extras. Once they were on their feet, they discontinued the assistance. At that point you start saving/paying for the extras.

Totally agree with this. I don't have a problem helping people who NEED it but if you can afford a vacation you can afford your own milk and peanut butter. I don't think my taxes should be subsidizing someones LIFESTYLE choices.

 

[dawn1967]

ticktock;19925295] Totally agree with this. I don't have a problem helping people who NEED it but if you can afford a vacation you can afford your own milk and peanut butter. I don't think my taxes should be subsidizing someones LIFESTYLE choices.

When I worked when i had both my kids my husband and I brought home together 69,000 a year we qualified and took Wic for our kids. The average income for this area is 24,000 a year we were way over it, and still were able to get it. Not everyone here goes to disney it's a dream of there's maybe. And if they save 1 dollar a month toward that goal give it to them and get off your high horse and stop condemning and wish luck in a goal. If you think your taxes should subsidize something else best place to take it up would be local government then a forum for disney vacations.
Kindness becomes an action when done.