Clean out the Pantry Challenge!

Well, I have been reading about the challenge that Money Saving Mom is doing and I have decided to participate as well. Part of the reason is that January is such a busy month for me that not shopping much will free up some much needed time. Not to mention that I do have quite a few things from my recent shopping in December!

Here are my guidelines:

1. Make a list of what is already in my pantry and freezer.

2. I will purchase milk, produce, eggs, bread as needed during the month. I think the challenge is for 3 shopping trips in the month of January, but I will quite honestly probably go more often as I take my Dad shopping once a week anyway.

3. I will still purchase good deals as they crop up (and there are some coming up). But we are a family of 8 (4 boys, 2 girls, DH and myself plus 2 cats and a dog) and it takes a lot of shopping to keep up a stockpile anyway. I'm not going to pass up good deals because we will need the food later. I have coupons already that I had previously intended on using in January, so I will use them; but they are for frozen food, and we need to eat what has been hanging around for awhile to make room for the new.

4. Make more efficient shopping trips. I tend to not plan the trips so well and end up spending more than I should be spending. I would like to work on being a bit more efficient in that respect. Plus, just getting what I go in for and not justifying other things with "I'm saving so much money on what we need - it's OK if I get this too."

5. My budget is $200 every two weeks, so any money I save, I will keep it in my grocery envelope for a good meat sale so I can stock up on meat - especially since we will be eating what is in the freezer and will definitely need to replenish it!

6. Instead of a weekly menu plan, I would like to try a monthly menu plan or a biweekly plan. Maybe not down to the exact meal, but at least a general idea. I used to do a 2-week plan and it was so nice to not have to plan each week. It helped so much. I just quit doing it and we have suffered by eating alot of pizza lately (although it was free w/coupons) and other pre-packaged food. I don't mind doing that occassionally, but every night is not good.

7. I want to utilize my crockpot more during the month of January. I need to find/try more recipes, maybe one new one a week. I like Crockpot365. Of course, using what I already have in my pantry!!