How to Feed Your Family for $100 a Month – Week 8 of 52

You know that kangaroo pouch most of us moms have? Well usually mine only gets a workout during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, but right now, when I take off my coat, it looks like I am four months pregnant with a food baby. A food baby that was formed almost entirely out of pastries and bread.

I am going to go out on a limb here and assume The Girl and I ate a little better than the HH and Monkey did this past week. Sure we left them with a batch of homemade cookies and some ready meals in the refrigerator, but that doesn’t mean they actually made them.

So while we’re living on biscuits, jam and tea, I suspect they’re dining on Doritos, chimichangas and Hungry Man dinners. It’s kind of like we’re both living very different versions of food heaven this week!

All I have to say is it’s a good thing calories don’t count on vacation. I’ve walked my way through this city, because my metabolism does not match The Girls. So walking 10+ miles a day while I stuff my face with cupcakes seems to be a good way to combat those calories if they try to catch up with me when I land on American soil.

Of course we didn’t live on pastries alone. We took the occasional carb break and threw in some fruit and some juice.

But then we found a way to incorporate a pastry into pretty much every other meal. It didn’t feel right otherwise.  When in Rome London, right?

I mean can you think of a more perfect breakfast than the one you see above? And yes, that cupcake tastes just as awesome as it looks. And no, I didn’t share.

Because The Girl is leaving for college in a few short months {excuse me while I go sob into the hotel pillow}, it’s sitting around a freakin amazing meal like this and just enjoying the moment that I totally cherish. Having some of my favorite food on the planet in one of my favorite places on the planet with one of my favorite people on the planet. Pretty much sums up what life is all about.

She’s the very best go-with-the-flow travel companion. And, she understands why moving to London some day makes perfect sense. Just the food alone is enough.

It’s so nice to take a break from the $100/month budget when we travel. Budgeting and being careful with my money is really important, but letting yourself splurge every now and then while on vacation is totally awesome, and so worth it. Indulgences like these are what we live for.

Because I stocked the pantry and fridge before we left, I’ve technically spent $0 this week. No, all that totally awesome food above wasn’t free, I just don’t count it towards our weekly food budget because it falls into one of the challenge rules I live by:

Here are the One Hundred Dollars a Month Challenge Guidelines I’ve been living by for the last few years:

1. Money spent on vacation food does not count.  Why?  Because when we travel we use money from our “vacation fund.” Money that has been set aside specifically for vacations. 🙂

2. If anyone in our family receives a gift card to a restaurant  it does not count towards our out of pocket expenses.  Why? Because the gift cards were a gift.  We did not have to pay for them out of our own pockets.

3. If one of us wins a free gift card/gift certificate to a store it does not count.  Why?  Because we won it and did not have to pay for it out of our own pockets.

4. If I am able to score a free $10, $20 {etc.} store coupon from the purchase of a gift card {ie: Amazon, Home Depot, iTunes ect.} the amount I spent on a gift card does not count towards my food purchase total.  Why?  Well to me, that one is a no brainer.  If I know my husband will be buying something from the Home Depot,  why wouldn’t I purchase a gift card and earn a coupon for some free food in the process?

5. If I purchase any seeds for my garden I count the seed purchase as “food” money spent.  However, if I can re-coup the seed money via selling my extra produce to neighbors, friends or family I will deduct any earned money from my “garden seed” total {I will keep this tally separate from my food purchases}.

What do you think, do those guidelines seem pretty fair to you?

~Mavis

Total Spent This Week $0
Total Spent This Year $272.07
Total Spent This Year on Garden Seeds/Supplies $4.50

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