The Ultimate Grocery Budget Challenge – Day 2

 

 

If you missed my FB Live you can watch it here.

 

Happy Day 2 of the Ultimate Grocery Budget Challenge!

 

If saving money at the grocery store is on your 2018 I-really-need-to-do-this-list, this is just for you. 

 Remember how I determined not to spend any money this week? Well it turns out my family had eaten all the eggs, so I was SO excited when I found these expiring in a week for just 59¢ compared to $1.29 for the rest of the eggs ~always look around on the shelves to find the best deal! 

Here's what you need to do TODAY to join the challenge:

1. Sign up HERE for our Free Ultimate Grocery Budget Challenge. 

2. Complete the Day 2 Worksheet, How Much Are You Spending On Food?

3. Determine to go on a Spending Freeze until Friday if you're able. (If you need to pick up a few staples make a grocery list and shop only using items on that list.)

4. Invite a friend to join you (I promise, you'll save so much more if you get a friend involved too!) BONUS? If you share this video with them on Facebook  you'll be entered to win a Ninja!!

5. Determine how much you  are really spending on food each week (groceries AND eating out), decide how much you'd like to save on that number this week, and pick exactly where that saved money will go.

 

SO HOW MUCH ARE YOU REALLY SPENDING?

To get a good idea, check these statements of what you've spent this month (and print the Day 2 Challenge Worksheet HERE to keep a running total.)

• bank statements
• credit card statements
• receipts in your purse

 

Today on Facebook Live I shared just how much I love saving money on eating out (and one of my all time favorite “copykat” recipes!)

 

While this isn't all that pretty (eek?) it is so good if you love an Egg McMuffin, but don't want to pay full price. (Scroll down for recipe.)

 

Here's what I figured out today:  making 6 Egg McMuffins  cost me $6.34 or $1.04 per muffin (even less if you can find better sales on the items you need.)

 

Buying an Egg McMuffin at our local McDonald's costs $2.82 each ~ so I'm saving more than half  AND wasting less time by cooking at home instead of driving through the drive thru.

 

But wait.

 

there's more. 🙂 

 

If you (or I) drive thru McDonald's, odds are pretty good being the “penny pinchers” we are that we'll be sure to get the meal for just $1.21 more so that our drink and hash brown is thrown in too.

 

Not only would we eat MORE food that's not all that awesome for us, we'll spend an extra buck.

 

Now $1 or $2 each day may not seem like a big deal at all in your food budget.

 

But let's just imagine you choose to do that five days a week on your way to work.

 

Over the course of the month you'll spend $2.99 every single day more than making it at home, or $59.80 per month.

 

Now just for fun, let's multiply that by a full year . . .

$2.99 per day X 5 days per week X 52 weeks per year = $777.40

 

And imagine we go really crazy and choose to do that for a whopping 10 years.

 

That's $7777.40

 

The price of a VERY nice trip to Hawaii.

 

Or a decent used car.

 

Or maybe some outstanding medical bills you just can't beat.

 

And we're only talking about one meal at one of the least expensive restaurants around. Imagine we made that same choice when eating out at a more expensive place.

 

Ooch.

 

So, did you really want that Egg McMuffin (or whatever . . . ) at the drive thru . . . or does Hawaii sound just a wee bit more fun? 🙂

 

 

Now that you've had my full on pep top, it's time to print out your food spending tracker, fill out the How Much Are You Spending On Food, and let me know how it goes for you today.

 

And if you saw today's Facebook Live, here's the recipe I made in my Ninja too: 🙂

 

Egg McMuffins in the Ninja

INGREDIENTS

• English Muffin
• Eggs
• Swiss or Provolone Cheese
• Canadian Bacon
• Butter

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Toast English Muffin
2. Use mason jar lid to make Canadian bacon round shape
3. Spray Pam on mason jar lid
4. Put mason jar lid over heat, then break egg inside mason jar lid
5. Add a small bit of water around pan and lid to let steam cook
6. Add a small amount of butter to English Muffin
7. Add provolone or Swiss cheese to English Muffin
8. Remove egg from mason jar lid (use knife if you need to)
9. Warm Canadian bacon over heat for about a minute

 

I'm sooooo excited for tomorrow's challenge, when Erin from $5 Dinners and Grocery Budget Makeover will share her amazing formula to determine what you really should be spending at the grocery store (I think you will love this ~ it's the best formula I've seen!)

 

Take a minute and let me know if YOU need to change your grocery budget, and be sure to let me know how it's going for you! Go HERE to sign up for the challenge if you haven't already ~ it's going to be a great week!