Take Your Budget and Shove It...

At this moment I am staring at my shopping list and pondering the meaning of life.

My new grocery budget is $75 a week- to some it may seem like a lot and to others it may seems not not a lot. To me though, and I am the only one that really matters in this equation, it stinks and I hate it (yeah, I am reminding myself of a spoiled teenager right now).

I want to buy food that we eat and that is somewhat healthy. I want to try new recipes because I am sick of eating the same dinners week after week. I want my kids to be exposed to all different types of foods and for me to buy them even if they are not on sale instead of cutting them out of my list because my budget doesn't allow for it.

What kind of cockamamie world am I making for myself when I am deciding not to buy the asparagus or stock up on the cheap chicken breast because it will tip me over the edge? I have literally cut 99% of junk food (except for ice cream- which my husband will die without) off of my list, including the yummy Boston Market meals that are four for $4 this week at Shaws (though this is a good thing because those meals are full of stuff that does not mesh well with my new hobby of calorie counting).

Here is my pared down list for Shaws, at an estimate of about $75:

lettuce

onions

carrots

strawberries

pears

potatoes

1/2 lb shaws american cheese

1/2 lb shaws deli ham

boneless chicken breast

beef broth

Kens buffalo sauce (only $1 after coupon- need for new recipe this week)

tortilla wraps

 Frenchs mustard (free after coupon)

Chi Chis salsa singles

string cheese

Yokisoba noodles (free after coupon)

Flipz pretzels (free after coupon)

Yoplait yogurt

Snyders pretzels

Orville Redenbocker popcorn

Yo Toddler yogurt

Simply Go Gurt

3 Gallons Poland Spring Water (I refuse to drink tap water- it tastes and smells funny)

bread (I don't buy cheap bread with tons of added junk)

PF Changs meal (buy $20 get $10 back promo)

2 Breyers Ice Cream (buy $20 get $10 back promo)

2 Wishbone dressing (buy $20 get $10 back promo)

3 Del Monte tomatoes (buy $20 get $10 back promo)

How boring and extremely low on the deals.

I am in the mood to say screw the budget and to give my self a free week where I can go ape shit at the grocery store supermarket sweep style. My husband had a lot of overtime money in his check this week so I technically have a lot of wiggle room in our budget...

I suppose my blog title of Just Call Me Cheap should be revoked- perhaps a more appropriate name is Just Call Me Anti Frugal.