Thursday, September 8, 2016

Pantry Living weeks 10 & 11

We did it! Pantry Living Take 4 has ended. I'm happy because it means I can freely grocery shop again. I'm sad because it means summer is over. My hubby and kiddos are back in school and the real work now begins. I will reflect on my entire experience in my next post. For now, let's wrap this baby up.

Unopened boxes of cereal after week 11: 11
Gifts received: 5 boxes of cereal from my parents, pack of diapers in exchange for simple sewing job,
Jars/ bottles opened: spaghetti sauce, flour, sugar, green beans, mustard, soda, toilet paper, wipes, diapers, glass cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, bbq sauce, chicken broth, black beans, ranch dressing, italian dressing, rice a roni, pasta, chips, cookies, crystal light rasp lemonade, graham crackers, peanut butter
Allowable purchases: gas, milk, bread,
Cash purchases: cute chapsticks for stocking stuffers ($1 each), party favor bags and banner for Lilia's bday in March($1.50 each), posters from Justice for Christmas gifts($1 each), matching pear dresses for my girls from H&M($5 each), silly paper and pen sets($1 each), new butter colored purse for me from Guess(amazing deal $40), giant glass measuring cup/bowl($5), travel carrier for cupcakes ($9), dish scrubber, front loader toy for Levi's birthday ($15 used a gift card with a few dollars cash) , 2 new school shirts for Max ($1 each) (I added up my savings that shopping day: $229!), lunch and dinner out, strawberries, bananas,
Cheats: pizza (it was a desperate situation. Found out while relaxing on the beach Max had soccer that evening. Ordered a pizza from the beach and picked it up on the drive home. Ate in record time and got him to practice only 3 minutes late.)
Garden: Green beans and sugar snap peas are finished, blueberry bush is still dead, but cherry tomatoes are making for delicious mozzarella caprice
Unexpected huge credit card purchase: a new hot water maker. Discovered ours was leaking. $1700 later we are good to go. ouch!
Pantry after week 11

I have an announcement to make. Technically Pantry Living is over but my hubby has asked if I could try to sustain it a little longer.  So for the next month I will be shopping minimally. Strictly what is needed and what is an amazing sale. I still have enough frozen meat to get us through the month as well as a lot of food in our pantry. This message is sponsored by my plumber and hot water maker.
Hope your Summer was amazing!
Happy September!