My 2 Week No Money Experiment

[avoncallingu]

Good luck! Good planning! This is a great idea. Neccessity is the mother of Invention they say! So you should come up with some great meal plans! I know it!

[Mia001]

Hello ! just wanted to pop up this thread

[walkonby]

Is there anything new to tell us Kelly? How have the meals been working out? Not sure if you know this but I think mmany members who have not left a comment are also thinking about doing this as well. It just makes sense.

[KellyC]

I'm starting on Monday! I have a bunch of meal ideas written down, but not organized into menus yet. But I am all geared up and ready to do it!

[nosobbq]

you should post pictures too!!

this is fun!! cant wait to see what you are cooking up for 2 weeks!! good job!!

[garbagepicker]

go girl! I have wanted to do this,but always caved...Maybe I will try again!

G

[Insane]

We periodically do what we call "eating out the freezer". The goal is to empty the freezer so it can be defrosted and cleaned. But I still end up having to buy fresh produce, dairy, ect... but I stop buyign frozen stuff until the freezer is empty. Then I enjoy filling it back up again! LOL

[DiamondLil]

yes!!!! Post some pics of your more creative dishes!!! This sounds good - I know I must have a couple of roasts and some chicken somewhere in the bottom of my deep freeze.

[KellyC]

MONDAY, APRIL 4

The experiment starts! I did a bit of last minute shopping yesterday, picking up eggs, cheese, milk and yogurt....using coupons for everything. The food inventory is ready!

Inventory of my wallet: I have $255 in there. I hope it's still in there 2 weeks from now!

Breakfast: We all had whole wheat toast with some Dulce de Leche spread on it (both items were bought with coupons). Just a quick breakfast before school. Boys had chocolate milk and I had coffee.

Went to Metro and did some coupon shopping. Here is what I found:
75c Jakes Bake House
$1 Starbucks Via
50c Breton Minis
50c French's Mustard
$2 Stouffer's Saute Sensations
75c Saputo Mozzarellissima
$1 Laughing Cow
$1 Astro BioBest
$1 Minute Maid Heart Wise
75c Astro
75c Simply Egg Whites
$1 Egg Creations
B3G1 Whiskas
75c VH Chinese sauce
$2 WUB2 any VH sauce

Went to SDM...no Multibionta so I got a raincheck for 4

Then we stopped at Tim Hortons. Cookie for the boy and a large coffee for me = FREE with roll-up wins. Didn't win on this coffee

Lunch: Mac n Cheese made with whole wheat pasta (coupon), milk (coupon), butter, few spoonfuls of CheezWiz (coupon).

Did some spring cleaning in the garage. Collected up a few empty beer/wine bottles and returned them = +$2.80 MADE! and a clean garage!

My son had an after-school activity and he would normally get a drink out of the vending machine. Today I packed a drink and a snack.

Dinner: Crockpot meatballs (italian meatballs with Honey Garlic Diana bbq sauce), rice (coupon), mixed veg (coupon).


GRAND TOTAL OOP FOR THE DAY: +$2.80 made!

[KellyC]

Day 1 was a success! I actually made a bit of money!

[KellyC]

TUESDAY, APRIL 5 - Day 2

Breakfast - boys had waffles (coupon) topped with maple syrup (coupon) and sliced bananas (coupon), chocolate milk (coupon). I had a hot cross bun and a coffee.

Sent my son to school with enough packets of Scooby Snack treats for the whole room (45 packs - all SCOP'd).

Stopped at SDM...no vitamins...got a raincheck.

Lunch: Leftover meatballs, pack of Arctic Gardens rice (coupon)

My son had an afternoon activity and we packed a drink and a snack.

Dinner: Marc Angelo Porchetta Roast (50% off), Lipton Sidekick noodles (coupon), maple beans (coupon). Dessert: Chapman's icecream (free coupon) with Smuckers topping (coupon & 50% off).

I found the Marc Angelo 50% off...there were about 5 or 6 roasts there, but I have never tried it before and was hesitant. I just bought 1. Next time I will buy them all...it was DELICIOUS!

GRAND TOTAL OOP FOR THE DAY: $0

[KellyC]

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6 - Day 3

Today is an easy one...it's a rainy day and I plan on staying in all day. It's a good day to use up some of the cleaning supply stash!

Breakfast: Whole wheat toast (coupon), bowl of yogurt (coupon) with Roger's granola sprinkled in it (coupon - email the company!).

Made a jug of frozen apple juice (coupon) for the boys - one less container in the freezer!

Day 3 and I can't even tell that anything is missing from the stockpile or the freezers. I think we could live off this for months.

Lunch: Campbell's vegetable soup (coupon) and Premium Plus crackers (coupon) for the boys. Thai Chicken Lean Cuisine for me (coupon)...OMG I will be so happy when these LC's are out of my freezer...6 more to go!

Isn't it just amazing how after only less than 4 months of couponing, almost every single item in my kitchen was bought with a coupon!

Ok...mail came and I got a bunch of FPC's from when I registered my brother's cats on the Purina My Kitten site. Had to go get my shopping fix! http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/194680-...-spree-canada/

Dinner: Whole wheat pasta (coupon) with garlic & herb sauce (coupon) and little garlic crisps. Dessert: cherry jello!

Total OOP for the day: $0

[crAZy4dEAls]

Aren't those porchettas delish!

[$avvy$hopper]

Hi KellyC, wtg on your 2 week experiment, love reading the updates and wish you well for the rest of the journey! and yes, those porchetta's are divine though I'm still partial to their kebabs!

[momof5boys]

Great to read of this! Unfortunately my freezers are nearing empty and my boys would starve if I tried this We go through one jug of milk a day around here....don't ask about the amount of food!