Happy New Year and a Birthday Month Tradition
Happy New Year! It's January, and it's our birthday month! (All power to the Capricorns out there!)
Aric and I were only five days apart on our birthdays, so we celebrated them as a whole month! We usually take a trip somewhere during our birthday and anniversary months (September) instead of buying something for each other. Trust me, it gets old after celebrating Thanksgiving and holidays in December, followed by two birthdays in January and Valentine's Day in February. We both ran out of gift ideas and decided to do more experience instead.
BUT! We are facing a challenge this year!
A Tough Financial Reality
Sigh. We had many unexpected expenses, especially towards the end of 2024. In November, during the snowstorm, we needed to fix Aric's old Tacoma. I also got a flat tire and had to change all four tires. Our precious Sous Chef Kitten, Ka-En the Firecracker, has a recurring skin issue that has required us to return to our vet several times. (Luckily, our Dish Pit Puppy, Senna, has been healthy and now weighs 90 pounds!)
After we budgeted for 2025, we realized we couldn't have our annual vacation this January. (Have you ever faced a similar challenge—skipping a vacation or cutting back on expenses to make ends meet? We'd love to hear how you managed it!)
We faced a devastating reality, but I need a vacation! (And we all deserve it after working so many hours!)
The $100 Grocery Challenge
There is only one place we can cut expenses: not going out to eat or having a tight budget for groceries (which is already expensive!)... Not going out to eat is easy because we rarely dine out, so we must cut our groceries. We concluded that if we had a budget of $400.00 for our groceries for several months, we could go on vacation by spring 2025.
Can two adults eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at home for $100 a week?
That's the challenge we're taking on, but to make it work, we're setting some ground rules:
Weekly Budget: We'll stick to $100 per week, focusing on fresh ingredients and proteins. The budget won't include pantry staples like spices, oils, and rice (things we already have).
Meal Variety: No repetitive meals like "chicken, brown rice, and broccoli" all week—every meal has to be delicious and satisfying.
Balanced Meals: Each meal will include a protein, a vegetable, and a starch or grain. If the budget allows, we can add snacks and desserts!
No Dining Out: Every meal, snack, and coffee must come from home.
Although this budget is tight, we're ready to get creative with fresh produce, meat, and meal planning. Plus, we have a secret weapon: Chef Aric is already brainstorming ways to stretch every dollar without sacrificing flavor.
Looking Back: How We Made It Work Before
Aric and I talked about how we survived when we were younger after Aric agreed to take on this challenge. We both were in the restaurant industry, and we mainly lived off of tips (cash) we got. We learned pretty quickly how to divide the money where it needed to go instead of using it up in one day.
Aric and I laughed about how we used to cash out our paychecks and immediately make them into a money order so we could pay rent, water, electricity, and phone bills without using the money for other things. (I wonder if younger people know what a money order is.)
We used to have a giant pickles jar and saved pennies and quarters for our vacation. We always felt we accomplished our goals when we took all the coins to a bank and changed them into bills.
I guess old habits die hard. We will do what we used to do for our groceries again.
Get Involved: Share Your Tips!
Next week, we will make a shopping list and a menu for the week and prepare some of them. Share your favorite budget-friendly recipes or grocery shopping tips with us in the comments! Your idea could be featured in our next video or blog update!
Check out our Instagram and Facebook pages, where I will update you on this ongoing challenge! Want more delicious inspiration? Sign up for our email newsletter for exclusive access to weekly menu ideas, delicious recipes, and smart budget tips—delivered straight to your inbox! And don't forget to SHARE our email newsletter link with your friends and family!