Week 1 - $23.17, 18.32 eating out, 4.85 groceries
Week 2 - $22.28, 9.00 eating out, 13.28 groceries
Week 3 - $19.93, 7.00 eating out, 12.93 groceries
Week 4 - $24.14, 14.32 eating out, 10.52 groceries

Here's yesterday's menu

Breakfast
1 1/2 c cheerios
skim milk

Lunch
peanut butter and celery
1 tomato
grapes
1 glass skim milk

Snack
large Snickers bar

Dinner
Went to McDonalds after walking and spent $6.07 - got a fish sandwich and fries

The challenge is over. I'm so glad. There were some pluses though.

1. I think I ate pretty healthy overall.
2. I think eating 5 smaller meals a day is better for my diabetes. I'm going to try to continue this even though I'm not fond of thinking about food all day, which eating this way makes me do
3. I lost 5 pounds - woohoo! This has inspired me to try to lose 5 more in the next month.

The negatives are

1. This is too restrictive for the way I buy food and in the long run costs me more. I prefer spending more in the weeks there are good bargains and really stocking up rather than spending a set amount each week. I average $20 a week in groceries anyways. Eating out averages $20 - $25 a week.
2. It was hard for me to plan well. I don't know when events will happen that far in advance and just because I ate out early in the week, I don't want to have to turn down time to be w/family or friends because I already spent my budget for the week. I like to be more flexible. Spend a little more now, spend less later.

Overall a good experience.

I ordered 2 more $100 Walmart giftcards from plasticjungle last night. They were 4% off plus 1% from the credit card. Almost $10 savings. I need a new tire and an alignment so wanted to get the cards before getting that done.

Met my parents at Red Lobster today. They raised the price on their popcorn shrimp lunch from $7.25 to $8.25 probably because of the oil spill. That makes for a fairly expensive lunch now. We usually have coupons, but didn't this time. Spent $10.12

At Border's I got 2 books at 33% off and used my reward cards so free.

I went to Target on the way home and spent $1.82

4.78 - 2 packages Pampers wipes
.35 - taxes
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5.13
-4.00 - 2 $2 q's
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1.13 - goes to food pantry

2.91 - 3 trial size Tide
.21 - taxes
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3.12
-3.00 - 3 $1 q's
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.12

2.58 - 2 packages Stride gum
-1.29 - manufacture BOGO q
-1.29 - target q
-----
FREE - goes to the nieces

1.94 - 2 trial size J&J first aid kits
.15 - taxes
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2.09
-3.00 - $3/2 q
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.91 moneymaker - 1 goes in car and 1 gets donated

1.34 - 2 snickers bars
.04 - taxes
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1.38 - tossed in at the last moment because I realized I had too much overage. Could have just used one though.

Of the $1.82 I spent .97 was taxes.

I finished reading my book Black Jack by Lora Leigh. Adventure - very good