Yeah, I am back at it again with weird money-saving tactics! It’s a new year, a fresh start, and I’ve cleaned out everything in my home. I mean- it’s all gone. I have gotten rid of 5 (and counting) totes of things, have added MORE things to my Poshmark closet, and am just in an all around purging mood. One thing I decided I wanted to work on purging is my FREEZER. I knew I had enough meat in there to last for about a month, so I decided to go ahead and try my hand at a “no spend” for the month of January.
If you don’t know what a “no spend” is, it’s basically just as it sounds. I am going to do my best to not spend “extra money” for the whole month of January. Brett and I already work on a limited amount of money that we allow for spending, but we are cutting those things for the month and focusing on putting all the money we can toward our debts. We won’t be using our restaurant, entertainment, or allowance funds for the month. We are also cutting our grocery budget from $50/week to $20/week. I’m able to do this by shopping my freezer and pantry, then getting fresh veggies, fruits, eggs, and small necessities weekly.
In another post, people were really getting down on my $50/week budget saying there is NO WAY we could eat healthy for this amount, but I assure you- we eat healthier than most people I know. We have mainly meat, fresh vegetables, eggs, cheese, and fruit as our typical diet. It IS possible to eat well on a limited budget, it just takes a good amount of planning, shopping at the right stores, and sticking to your meal plan. If you want to know more about our JANUARY NO SPEND, see the groceries I purchased in the first week, and hear my week one meal plan, then watch the video below!
Week 1 Meal Plan:
Mon- Mom’s House (Hobo Stew)
Tues- Honey Sesame Chicken w/ Rice & Broccoli
Wed- Pulled Pork w/ Green Beans & Rice
Thurs- Lime Chipotle Pork* w/ Rice & Corn
Fri- Cubed Steak w/ Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans
Sat- Mom’s House (Pot Roast)
Sun- Tangy Pork Chops* w/ Green Beans & Rice
I don’t usually go to my mom’s for dinner so much, but with the holidays and my birthday, we are doing New Year’s day and the weekend before my birthday there.
*Both made from the Skinny Slowcooker cookbook.
Would you be in to trying a “no spend” month? Let me know in the comments below!
