I can't say that I'll blog about each day this month, but I'd like to try and document this journey! I'm also thinking I should call it "spend very little" June because I am buying groceries and things we absolutely need. Oh well, it just does not have a great ring to it.
Day 1:
We saved money by shopping the thrift stores for bikes helmets ($3.50 for all 3 that we needed). I used cash in my wallet for that.
Instead of making frozen pizza or ordering pizza, Quintin made ours. It costs about $4.50 to make a huge pizza that feeds our entire family. Frozen pizza in Hawaii is super expensive. Even the cheap Tombstone's are almost $5 each at the commissary. Because we need 3, we would have to pay $15 for frozen pizza! Ordering pizza for everyone costs about $30 here. I have yet to find a super cheap pick up deal here. Obviously $4.50 is the winner here...not to mention it is healthier and I even like how it tastes better!
We got our movie night at the library instead of the redbox.
After movie night we enjoyed a park visit and riding bikes/scooters on the trail across the street thanks to our new helmets.
Day 2:
Grocery shopping day! Yikes! This was discouraging for me. Hawaii is just plain expensive for food.
I made a menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next 2 weeks. This took up way more brain power than I'm used to using. I got some ideas off of the Angel Navy Wife blog for cheap meals. However, I know it helped save a ton of money.
When we got to the store, I stopped at the front and was able to find $2 worth of coupons for things I was going to buy anyway. (It payed for goldfish for the babies for being so good during an hour long grocery shopping trip!) It does not sound like much, but every dollar counts I'm beginning to see.
I bought yogurt that was not organic and less than 1/2 of the price of organic yogurt. This was the most painful part of the trip! I only use it in smoothies and not that much, but still. Yucky hormones.
The total for the groceries, surcharge, and bagger tip was $125. I was anticipating it being way more as I filled up the grocery cart, and am thankful for the low cost of beans and potatoes! I will need to go back a few times to get lettuce, but it's only $1.30. I had just done a big COSTCO shopping trip and have quite a stockpile of cereal so that was a big help in keeping the cost low.
Our menu for the next to weeks (breakfast and lunch repeat)
Breakfast
M-eggs with spinach and feta and toast
T-oatmeal with walnuts and raisins
W-cereal and almond milk
Th-oatmeal with walnuts and raisins
F-banana bread and fruit smoothies
S-eggs and sausage or bacon
S-cereal and almond mild
Lunch
M-PBJ and veggies
T-pinto bean and rice burritos
W-lunch meat and cheese sandwiches
Th-black bean dip and chips
F-Calico rice
S-manwich mixed with rice to stretch the beef
S-enchiladas with beef, rice and pintos (crock pot)
Dinner week 1
M-Cilantro lime rice, refried bean burritos with guacamole dip and tomatoes
T-mac and cheese with hot dogs (can you tell daddy's gone?) and salad
W-pintos and rice with leftover Quac dip and salad
Th-sloppy joe's with homemade hamburger buns and salad
F-pizza and baby carrots
S-cranberry chicken, cilantro lime rice and salad with tomatoes and cucumbers
S-BBQ beef sandwiches, homemade buns and potato wedges
Dinner week 2
M-spaghetti and broccoli
T-chicken rice soup and homemade honey wheat bread
W-lentils on rice and salad with tomatoes and cucumbers
Th-chicken and rice casserole with broccoli
F-pizza and baby carrots
S-black bean over rice
S-Sandwiches and fruit smoothies
This afternoon we are heading to the base pool and then home to enjoy what's cooking in the crock pot.
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