$5 Frugal Food for Others Challenge

The concept of this challenge is simple...How much food can you purchase for your local food pantry on $5 a month?

I plan to go grocery shopping tonight for the week.  Being sick this week has thrown me off a bit and I haven't made a grocery list...I have been shopping with coupons  without a list and I have found that I always overspend so I am going to make my list and head out this evening...so my total for the week 1 is zero dollars and nothing to contribute but I know I can make up for it in the next 3 weeks!

How did you do this week?

$5 Frugal Food for Others Challenge

The concept of this challenge is simple...How much food can you purchase for your local food pantry on $5 a month?

Tally for the month for $5 -

4 loaves of Hot Dog buns

2 bags of Kraft Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese

5 boxes of Quaker Instant Oatmeal.

Week 4 - I found more $1 off coupons in my coupon binder (or what is becoming my coupon binder....I took a readers advice and am in the process of placing my coupons in a binder with baseball card holders....but I am in the process so still a bit disorganized).  I went ahead and asked my hubby to pick up more of the Quaker Instant Oatmeal boxes.  So this week we added 4 more boxes.

Week 3 - This week I am adding a box of the Quaker Instant Oatmeal...it is on BOGO at Publix this week.

Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Assorted Varieties, 10.9 to 16.2 oz box,BOGO $3.89
-$1/1 Quaker Instant Oatmeal 9/12/2010 RP Insert (exp 12/31/2010)
-$1/1 Quaker Oatmeal 8/29/2010 RP Insert (exp 10/31/2010)
I did have two $1 coupons so the final cost for me was 1.89 for 2 boxes.  This is a favorite of Savvy for breakfast so we are keeping a box and giving a box.  The total for the week spent is 95 cents.  

Next week I still have $4.05 to spend for the month.
So far for the month we have - 2 bags of Macaroni and Cheese, 4 packs of Hot dog buns and a box of Oatmeal for less then a $1! 

Week 2 - I haven't gone grocery shopping this week...I will be heading out tomorrow...you see...I was a little {OBSESSED} with entering Blogmania giveaways and it through me out of whack...but heck....I WON a giveaway!

I won a 10 pack of product from Mrs. Cubbison HERE so I am tickled!

I do know what our family will be contributing to the $5 Frugal Food for Others Challenge this week.  We are contributing 2 bags of Kraft Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese....and the total price will be {Free}.  I got a coupon for a free product in the mail from Kraft First Taste...have you signed up yet????  Go HERE, it is free and you get coupons for free food ... it doesn't get better?!  I also got a coupon for $1.50 off so I will be purchasing 4 at Publix this week.  I will get 2 for free since they are Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) this week and I will purchase 2 for my family at a super price of $1.49 or 75 cents a package...so this week I am still at a total of ZERO dollars spent towards my $5 month contribution!  How are you doing?


Week 1 - bread ... hot dog buns to be exact.  4 loaves of it....and it was {Free}.

I shared the deal I scored this week HERE.  I was able to freeze 2 of the hotdog buns along with the hot dogs that I purchased but that left me with 4 packs...I don't have an extra freezer in the garage (maybe one day) so I did not have the room to freeze the extra buns.  Why let the buns go to waste?  They were {free} so my tally for the month is still $0 and I have $5 left to spend.
As a note -   Many food pantries do have freezer space or they will give it away quickly before allowing it to go to waste...contact your local drop off center and check to see if they accept perishable items in good condition...I think you may be surprised that many do.  You don't have to just donate cans of food...as I have mentioned before many are very happy to accept diapers, razors (you know we can get these nearly free if not free), deodorants, etc.

$5 Frugal Food for Others Challenge

The concept of this challenge is simple...How much food can you purchase for your local food pantry on $5 a month?

Week 3 - This week I am adding a box of the Quaker Instant Oatmeal...it is on BOGO at Publix this week.

Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Assorted Varieties, 10.9 to 16.2 oz box,BOGO $3.89
-$1/1 Quaker Instant Oatmeal 9/12/2010 RP Insert (exp 12/31/2010)
-$1/1 Quaker Oatmeal 8/29/2010 RP Insert (exp 10/31/2010)
I did have two $1 coupons so the final cost for me was 1.89 for 2 boxes.  This is a favorite of Savvy for breakfast so we are keeping a box and giving a box.  The total for the week spent is 95 cents.  

Next week I still have $4.05 to spend for the month.
So far for the month we have - 2 bags of Macaroni and Cheese, 4 packs of Hot dog buns and a box of Oatmeal for less then a $1! 

Week 2 - I haven't gone grocery shopping this week...I will be heading out tomorrow...you see...I was a little {OBSESSED} with entering Blogmania giveaways and it through me out of whack...but heck....I WON a giveaway!

I won a 10 pack of product from Mrs. Cubbison HERE so I am tickled!

I do know what our family will be contributing to the $5 Frugal Food for Others Challenge this week.  We are contributing 2 bags of Kraft Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese....and the total price will be {Free}.  I got a coupon for a free product in the mail from Kraft First Taste...have you signed up yet????  Go HERE, it is free and you get coupons for free food ... it doesn't get better?!  I also got a coupon for $1.50 off so I will be purchasing 4 at Publix this week.  I will get 2 for free since they are Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) this week and I will purchase 2 for my family at a super price of $1.49 or 75 cents a package...so this week I am still at a total of ZERO dollars spent towards my $5 month contribution!  How are you doing?


Week 1 - bread ... hot dog buns to be exact.  4 loaves of it....and it was {Free}.

I shared the deal I scored this week HERE.  I was able to freeze 2 of the hotdog buns along with the hot dogs that I purchased but that left me with 4 packs...I don't have an extra freezer in the garage (maybe one day) so I did not have the room to freeze the extra buns.  Why let the buns go to waste?  They were {free} so my tally for the month is still $0 and I have $5 left to spend.
As a note -   Many food pantries do have freezer space or they will give it away quickly before allowing it to go to waste...contact your local drop off center and check to see if they accept perishable items in good condition...I think you may be surprised that many do.  You don't have to just donate cans of food...as I have mentioned before many are very happy to accept diapers, razors (you know we can get these nearly free if not free), deodorants, etc.

$5 Frugal Food for Others Challenge

 The concept of this challenge is simple...How much food can you purchase for your local food pantry on $5 a month?

Week 2 - I haven't gone grocery shopping this week...I will be heading out tomorrow...you see...I was a little {OBSESSED} with entering Blogmania giveaways and it through me out of whack...but heck....I WON a giveaway!

I won a 10 pack of product from Mrs. Cubbison HERE so I am tickled!

I do know what our family will be contributing to the $5 Frugal Food for Others Challenge this week.  We are contributing 2 bags of Kraft Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese....and the total price will be {Free}.  I got a coupon for a free product in the mail from Kraft First Taste...have you signed up yet????  Go HERE, it is free and you get coupons for free food ... it doesn't get better?!  I also got a coupon for $1.50 off so I will be purchasing 4 at Publix this week.  I will get 2 for free since they are Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) this week and I will purchase 2 for my family at a super price of $1.49 or 75 cents a package...so this week I am still at a total of ZERO dollars spent towards my $5 month contribution!  How are you doing?


Week 1 - bread ... hot dog buns to be exact.  4 loaves of it....and it was {Free}.

I shared the deal I scored this week HERE.  I was able to freeze 2 of the hotdog buns along with the hot dogs that I purchased but that left me with 4 packs...I don't have an extra freezer in the garage (maybe one day) so I did not have the room to freeze the extra buns.  Why let the buns go to waste?  They were {free} so my tally for the month is still $0 and I have $5 left to spend.
As a note -   Many food pantries do have freezer space or they will give it away quickly before allowing it to go to waste...contact your local drop off center and check to see if they accept perishable items in good condition...I think you may be surprised that many do.  You don't have to just donate cans of food...as I have mentioned before many are very happy to accept diapers, razors (you know we can get these nearly free if not free), deodorants, etc.

$5 Frugal Food for Others Challenge

This April I wrote about an idea I had....
I have a challenge for you and for me.  I want you to take $5 this month (May) and purchase as much food as you can for someone else.  $5...that is $1.25 a week.  I challenge you to cut your coupons and see how far you can stretch each one out to get as much as you can for the $5 and then at the end of the month to donate these purchases to your local food pantry.

Mother's day is around the corner and I have thought a lot about it because this year I am blessed enough to be home with my child.  I told my hubby that I want to pack a picnic and spend the day at the beach...that to me is a magnificent day!  The first Mother's day I ever had I spent it with my little girl in the hospital and to boot I had to wear a face mask because I was sick so I could not even kiss her without a mask on....this year....it will be so different.  My point is that we never know what life has planned for us. " There but for the grace of God, go I " . We do not realize how much we truly have until it is taken away from us.  Many mothers this month simply hope to be able to provide food for their children and then my mind started to wander and I thought...what more can I do?  So, I am challenging myself and I am challenging you to do the $5 Frugal Food Challenge!!! 

I want to make this challenge fun!  If you choose to participate in this challenge all you have to do is send me a picture of what you have purchased and the running tally of what you have spent and I will post them on Friday along with my families weekly challenge purchases. 

Last month I did not focus my challenge on food but rather on school supplies...the premise was the same.

This month the tally starts over....
Week 1 - bread ... hot dog buns to be exact.  4 loaves of it....and it was {Free}.

I shared the deal I scored this week HERE.  I was able to freeze 2 of the hotdog buns along with the hot dogs that I purchased but that left me with 4 packs...I don't have an extra freezer in the garage (maybe one day) so I did not have the room to freeze the extra buns.  Why let the buns go to waste?  They were {free} so my tally for the month is still $0 and I have $5 left to spend. 
As a note -   Many food pantries do have freezer space or they will give it away quickly before allowing it to go to waste...contact your local drop off center and check to see if they accept perishable items in good condition...I think you may be surprised that many do.  You don't have to just donate cans of food...as I have mentioned before many are very happy to accept diapers, razors (you know we can get these nearly free if not free), deodorants, etc.

$5 {Frugal} Friday Food for Others

The month has begun and my $5 budget has restarted.  For those of you who are new to my site on Fridays I track the food I have purchased to give to others...the goal for me is to stretch $5 to purchase as much as I can to donate at the end of the month.  Why $5? Because it breaks down to such a small amount every week...$1.25 that it is doable.  $5 a month  ... that is the goal.  Come and join me with this {Challenge}!

$5 {Frugal} Friday Food for Others

The month has begun and my $5 budget has restarted.  For those of you who are new to my site on Fridays I track the food I have purchased to give to others...the goal for me is to stretch $5 to purchase as much as I can to donate at the end of the month.  Why $5? Because it breaks down to such a small amount every week...$1.25 that it is doable.  $5 a month  ... that is the goal.

July - 1st week - spent $0 - purchased 4 bottles of Kraft Sandwich Mayo.  (I purchased these at Publix this week using the Yellow Advantage coupons. 

July - 2nd week - spent $.25- purchased 2 bottles of Musselman's applesauce. I purchased them at Publix. They were BOGO and I found 2 Publix store coupons in their flyer making both jars a quarter).
I am kinda kicking myself for not picking more up.  We don't eat a lot of applesauce in my house so I knew these would go to others but I still should have grabbed 2 for our family...it is {Hurricane} season.  Thing is the flyers were up front and by the time I tore the two coupons out I believe a little 3 year old diva was demanding a bit of attention...or was it her father..or was it me...I am not good on an empty stomach.  Well, it was one of those moments.

July - 3rd week - spent $.80 cents purchasing 4 packs of razors at Publix.

 These razors were Buy One Get One Free last week at Publix and at Publix you can use a coupon for each item you purchase even though the price is {Free}.  I had some high value coupons of $2 and $3 so I was able to purchase the 4 packages for $.80 (I may be of a cent or two because I forgot to keep the receipt but that was what I had calculated on my notes).  So, you think this is a weird item to donate to a food pantry....well...food pantries take items for personal hygiene and other items such as diapers.  You should check with your local pantry.  I have a lot of razors at in my cabinet because I have been snagging them when these Buy One Get One deals come up...why let the coupons go to waste when someone else can benefit?!

Last week of the month!

Guess who is messed their camera up?  Yup...I am hoping it is simply an "operator error" as my husband would put it and not that my camera went Kaput so I don't have a picture to share with you this morning on my buys this week but I will tell you all about them.

We purchased 4 Right Guard Deodorants - turns out that I had 2 Buy One Get One Free coupons and they were BOGO at Publix...so we got all 4 for {Free}.  My hubby has enough Right Guard since I only purchase them when they are BOGO and use coupons so these freebies are going towards the $5 for Others box.

We also bought 4 boxes of Honey Maid cookies.  They too were BOGO and priced $2.99...they had coupons underneath them for a $1 off a box.  As you know Publix allows you to use 2 coupons on a BOGO so I bought each box for $1...not bad $6 worth of cookies for a $1.

So what did I buy for others this month for $5?
4 bottles of Kraft Sandwich Mayo

2 bottles of Musselman's applesauce                                                                       

4 packs of Bic razors

4 Right Guard Deodorants

4 boxes of Honey Maid cookies                                                                                


I challenge you to join me next month and see what you can purchase for $5 in August to give to others...if we all do a little bit then it will mean a lot to someone else.

$5 Frugal Friday For {Others}

The month has begun and my $5 budget has restarted.  For those of you who are new to my site on Fridays I track the food I have purchased to give to others...the goal for me is to stretch $5 to purchase as much as I can to donate at the end of the month.  Why $5? Because it breaks down to such a small amount every week...$1.25 that it is doable.  $5 a month  ... that is the goal.

July - 1st week - spent $0 - purchased 4 bottles of Kraft Sandwich Mayo.  (I purchased these at Publix this week using the Yellow Advantage coupons. 

July - 2nd week - spent $.25- purchased 2 bottles of Musselman's applesauce. I purchased them at Publix. They were BOGO and I found 2 Publix store coupons in their flyer making both jars a quarter).
I am kinda kicking myself for not picking more up.  We don't eat a lot of applesauce in my house so I knew these would go to others but I still should have grabbed 2 for our family...it is {Hurricane} season.  Thing is the flyers were up front and by the time I tore the two coupons out I believe a little 3 year old diva was demanding a bit of attention...or was it her father..or was it me...I am not good on an empty stomach.  Well, it was one of those moments.

July - 3rd week - spent $.80 cents purchasing 4 packs of razors at Publix.

 These razors were Buy One Get One Free last week at Publix and at Publix you can use a coupon for each item you purchase even though the price is {Free}.  I had some high value coupons of $2 and $3 so I was able to purchase the 4 packages for $.80 (I may be of a cent or two because I forgot to keep the receipt but that was what I had calculated on my notes).  So, you think this is a weird item to donate to a food pantry....well...food pantries take items for personal hygiene and other items such as diapers.  You should check with your local pantry.  I have a lot of razors at in my cabinet because I have been snagging them when these Buy One Get One deals come up...why let the coupons go to waste when someone else can benefit?!

  

So, my total for the first 3 weeks of the month is a $1.05  I still have $3.95 left to spend.

$5 Frugal Fridays for Others

The month has begun and my $5 budget has restarted.  For those of you who are knew to my site on Fridays I track the food I have purchased to give to others...the goal for me is to stretch $5 to purchase as much as I can to donate at the end of the month.  Why $5? Because it breaks down to such a small amount every week...$1.25 that it is doable.  $5 a month  ... that is the goal.

July - 1st week - spent $0 - purchased 4 bottles of Kraft Sandwich Mayo.  (I purchased these at Publix this week using the Yellow Advantage coupons. 

July - 2nd week - spent $.25- purchased 2 bottles of Musselman's applesauce. (I purchased them at Publix. They were BOGO and I found 2 Publix store coupons in their flyer making both jars a quarter).
I am kinda kicking myself for not picking more up.  We don't eat a lot of applesauce in my house so I knew these would go to others but I still should have grabbed 2 for our family...it is {Hurricane} season.  Thing is the flyers were up front and by the time I tore the two coupons out I believe a little 3 year old diva was demanding a bit of attention...or was it her father..or was it me...I am not good on an empty stomach.  Well, it was one of those moments.

So, my total for the first 2 weeks of the month is a quarter.  I still have $4.75 left to spend.

$5 {Frugal Friday} Food For Others

The month has begun and my $5 budget has restarted.  For those of you who are knew to my site on Fridays I track the food I have purchased to give to others...the goal for me is to stretch $5 to purchase as much as I can to donate at the end of the month.  Why $5? Because it breaks down to such a small amount every week...$1.25 that it is doable.  $5 a month  ... that is the goal.

July - 1st week - spent $0 - purchased 4 bottles of Kraft Sandwich Mayo.  (I purchased these at Publix this week using the Yellow Advantage coupons.  They were BOGO priced at $1.98 and the coupons were for $1.00 per bottle - I told you about this Deal HERE)


I still have $5 left in my monthly budget.....are you doing this challenge?  One similar? I would love to hear about it!

$5 Frugal Fridays for Others

I have not been grocery shopping this week because we have been using up our stockpile items.  So my total for this week in spending is $0 as it was last week..  Since the $5 goal is a monthly goal - I am okay with this.  Sometimes life just throws us a little more then we think we can handle and keeps us on our toes. 

The last few weeks life has thrown us a bit more then we thought we could handle.  My daughter picked up a virus and we had to head to the ER with flashbacks of what can happen to her...just last summer a simple virus kicked her little tushy and she was hospitalized ... spending her Papi's birthday in a hospital bed not being able to eat.  She is fine now and happy as a clam that I am writing this post because that means she can watch her Princess DVD.

My husband starts a new job on Monday and I realize how lucky we are. So many qualified, hard working people are looking for jobs and have not had the same fortune my husband had because this is just a difficult economy.  Through our ups and downs I always remember how blessed we are....because we are truly blessed.  If you have a the ability to set aside $5 a month to stretch out and purchase food for others...join me and lets see how we can make a difference.

$5 Frugal Friday For Others Challenge

So after a month what did I get with my $5?  If haven't been following .. HERE is the original post.

• 4 bottles of Ragu
• 2 bottles of Publix Italian dressing
• 3 boxes of Pasta
• 3 boxes of Oreo Cakesters
• 1 bottle of Ensure
• 1 bag of Knorr Sides

I think I did pretty good....but I am going to challenge myself to do even better next month!  I am going to start the challenge next month as well.  It was not as hard as I thought it would be...just a little planning and stretching.  Did you do the challenge?  If so, I would love to hear from you!  If not, come and join me for next months challenge!!

$5 Frugal Friday Food for Others - week 3

This is week 3 of the challenge.  Click HERE to learn more about the challenge.  Last week, I took a picture of the goodies I have in my $5 food for others box but this week I don't have a picture.  I felt terrible last night and still do this morning so I did not get a chance to run to the grocery store...but you know me, I have my list already and my coupons set aside.  I know what will go into the box when I get to the store (or when my hubby does). This week I am adding a bottle of Ensure.  Total price - FREE!  This is a great example of how coupons you don't use can help someone else.  I received a promotional package from Ensure and I knew I would not use it.  I clipped the coupon hoping to be a "Coupon fairy" and leave at the grocery  store by the product.  This is always a nice surprise when I find a coupon from another "Coupon Fairy".  Well, I have decided to use the coupon and make sure it gets put to good use and place it in my box for others.

1 bottle of Ensure..is that going to change the world? My answer to that is yes...to one person it will satisfy them and change their world if even for a few hours.  When you take my one bottle and your one can and my  neighbors one box...it adds up...and that is the point.  How are you doing with the challenge?