First week of the super tight 20.00 a week budget

So all of this cost a total of 20.53. Well right off the bat I am .53 over in  my food budget. Dang. I'm wondering if I can actually stick to this 20.00 a week budget. Let me explain what I mean. After taking a look at our budget, in order to get our emergency fund built up quickly we will have to take some drastic cuts. These cuts are temporary just until the end of April. We are basically eating through our stockpile and only buying dairy and fresh produce. Because of my couponing we have quite the stockpile built up.

For the next couple of weeks I will be posting a little differently. I will be posting what I got and then what I am making for that week. It might help give you guys some ideas. Cross your fingers we can do this, without having to eat ramen every night.  Especially since we don't have any ramen.

What was bought:

Piggly Wiggly

2 bags Fresh express bagged baby spinach- 1.99 each used a 2.00 off 2 coupon

1 bottle of lime of like juice 1.70 (check out what is going on with limes right now, crazy!)

1 red onion 1.21

1 5lb bag russet potatoes 1.79

.87 lbs Roma tomatoes .60

1 bunch green leaf lettuce .85- used 20% back from saving star 

1.59 lbs broccoli crowns 1.26- used .25 cash back from checkout 51

Walmart

1 can chickpeas .68

1 can kidney beans .68

1 can great northern beans .68

1 bunch parsley .74

1 yellow onion .57

1 deans ranch dip- used a free coupon I got after writing to the company 

1 16 oz daisy sour cream 1.98- used a .45 off coupon from writing the company

1 cantaloupe 1.19-  price match from Aldi's 

16 oz strawberries 1.29- price match Aldi's

1.38 lbs red grapes 1.37- price match Aldi's

Pick N Save:

3 packs of buns .88 ea- 2.64

4 Granny Smith apples 1.60

Meal 1

We are having a BBQ because my sister-in-law, brother-in-law and nephew will be visiting us this weekend. That's why we bought 3 packs of buns. We are not crazy bun eaters.

So for the BBQ we are having:

This bean salad, these pork burgers, grilled Italian sausages and hot dogs (from our freezer stock). 

For dessert I am making a fruit salad that is just cut up melon, strawberries, grapes and blueberries with a couple squirts of lime juice.

Meal 2 will be leftovers from the bbq

Check back for the rest of the weeks Meals!!