I saved $100 with "cheap meal ideas" thread!

[mrsbornkuntry]

Okay, my usual grocery budget is $350, this includes everything sold at the grocery store (food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc) and one carton of cigarettes for DH. We are a family of 7 (Me, DH, DD9, DS8, DS6, DS4, DS17m) with no pets and that budget is for 15 days.

I decided to try an experiment. I made my grocery list using mainly ideas from the cheap meal ideas thread and spent $234!! It will be a little higher because I will have to go back for milk again.

These are the ideas I used:
2 nights breakfast for dinner (once a week)
smoked sausage
hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls
roast (I already had that on hand)
shredded bbq chicken sandwiches
homemade meatball subs
chicken legs and thighs
spaghetti w/sauce (meatless) and garlic bread (store bought)
tacos

The other 5 dinners were my own:
steak (at DH's request)
hamburgers
hamburger helper (already had it on hand from a sale)
pizza (frozen, not homemade, this is a splurge for us because we rarely eat out)
garlic lime chicken (bought a 4 lb pckg of chicken breasts to use for this and bbq chicken sandwiches)

What really surprised me is that on top of shopping for what I needed/usually buy I've split up my Thanksgiving menu between this trip and the trip on the 15th so I also bought half of what I needed for that so I would've been even further under budget if it hadn't been for that.

Thanks for all of the meal ideas!!! I plan to try more of them on the 15th as well.

 

[DisneyArk]

Congrats on saving so much money!! You've inspired me to try and do the same.

I need plan my meals before I go to the grocery store. Lately I've been spending way too much money at the grocery store.

Thanks for sharing your success!

 

[dismom9761]

That is great! I am also feeding a large family and could use some help.

 

[horsegirl]

Hurray for you Mrsbornkuntry! I have saved I have knocked my grocery bill from $150 per week for family of 5 to about $75 per week! I too have gotten ideas from the cheap meal thread. I also went to planning for every 2 weeks, which helps me buy less. I am so excited to save so much money. You sound really organized! It will be interesting to see what you save without thanksgiving! Great job! I used to hate the idea of budgeting, but now see it as a fun challenge and am excited to get by on less!