happy at home

WEEK 7 WRAP UP, SOCIAL EXPERIMENT

This week's score from the Discount Foods and IGA(actually, this is what I bought on my second trip of the week).
-1 Taco seasoning mix
-1 box of Cheez-its
-1 box of Cereal
-1 bag of 25, whole Cinnamon sticks
-3 rolls of scotch tape (Christmas presents to wrap!)
-1 bottle organic almond extract
-1 bottle whole nutmegs (these will last YEARS!)
-1 bottle laundry detergent (until I can buy washing soda and make my own)
-1 box of Borax (for homemade laundry detergent and other home cleaners)
-5 boxes of brown sugar
-2 pounds of butter
-bananas

5 boxes of sugar? 2 pounds of butter? Well, the brown sugar and butter, as well as all those spices, are being squirrelled away for Thanksgiving and Christmas cooking in the next two months. The sugar and butter were on sale at the IGA, so I stocked up. I have learned to grab things when you find them at the Discount Foods, because you don't know when they will be there again. I was able to get 25 cinnamon sticks for $2. That seemed like a pretty good deal to me. If I remember correctly, cinnamon sticks can be pretty pricey. Kuddos to my little man, Caed, for spotting the lone bag of cinnamon sticks! Good eye, Caed, good eye.

I spent a lot this week...between buying bottles and bottles of gatorade, lipton noodle soup and saltines for a sick hubby, and stocking up for holiday baking, I am now over my budget for the month, with one week still to go. I spent $69.24 this week and $211.30 for the month so far. I will probably come in about where I did last month. That's ok. You win some, you lose some.
I actually feel pretty darn good about the month anyway, considering that I was able to throw two birthday parties on that budget. Landing's party was sort of a potluck family party, so that didn't cost me much, but Caed's was dinner for 30, so that cost more. If I subtract out the cost of their birthday parties (about $90), I have only spent about $120 this month, with one week to go.

There is only one thing that I want to buy that I have been unable to find locally. Washing Soda. Not to be confused with baking soda. It is a neccessary ingredient in homemade laundry detergent and is not carried at IGA or Discount Foods. Other than that, everything I have needed for the last seven weeks, has been available locally. Notice I said needed, not wanted. There are things that I like to have, that I have done without. One week left to my social experiment. I am looking forward to next week, when I summarize how the experiment went, what I will do from here on out, and a new challenge for myself, and you, if you would like to join me!
Speaking of challenges, Crunchy Chicken just issued her new challenge. Let me know if you are going to participate. I am still thinking about it...