ready.... set..... GO!!!

Day 1: Today is the first day of the 21 Dollar Challenge!

 I baked a loaf of bread last night, thanks to my wonderful friends Michelle and Chris Oorschot, who gave me some fresh yeast :-) Don't you just looovvveee the smell of bread baking?? Its just a delicious smell! Anyway that loaf of bread got devoured at connect group this morning, so I'm about to bake another loaf, Not sure how long it will last us... that's another thing about fresh bread, it just tastes soooooo yummy!

Today has been easy as I have had no temptations to spend money, but tomorrow is going to be a hard one... I work every Tuesday and normally treat myself to a Latte and a pastry, but if I do that, that's using 30% of my weeks food budget! so I am going to take one of those coffee sachets and a piece of home made chocolate cake with me instead! MMMM home made chocolate cake YUMMMMM.... I really do enjoy baking, I think this will be my favorite part of the challenge, having an excuse to make yummy home baked goods! Obviously I cant go making fancy cakes with 100 different ingredients, but if I use what I have available I still can make some pretty delicious snacks!

27 days to go!

Preparations

I decided that I was going to bake a loaf of bread today in preparation for the start of the 21 Dollar Challenge, but when I went to get my yeast out of the cupboard, I realised that it is nearly a year past its used by date! I think that is a good indication of how often I really look in my cupboard..... Hopefully this challenge will make me use what is already available in the house!
I cleaned the food cupboard out yesterday, also in preparation for the challenge, and was really surprised what we have in there, for those of you that have been to my house you know that I have a pretty big cupboard! and its chock a block!!  I tend to have a quick glance, say we have no food and then go down the shop and buy more stuff.

This is my food cupboard:



Just a bit of food in there! hahaha

Bec

Nappies, Formula ect

I forgot to mention that Nappies, Formula, Baby Food (Yogurt, Mango's Banana, Rice Cereal ect I will be blending our dinner food for Emelia's dinners) and Fuel  DO NOT come into the 21 dollars!!

Can we do it?

It's a little known fact that I have an addiction, that addiction is called shopping (OK so maybe its not a little known fact) I spend loads and loads of money on useless items that I have just got to have... My daughters chest of drawers is bursting with the amount of clothes she has, I can't keep my house clean because of the amount of stuff we have and every time I open my kitchen cupboard something falls out. I am public ally admitting that I have a problem!
"So what are you  going to do about this problem" I hear you ask!
Nothing... I'm going shopping tomorrow hahahaha just kidding, We have decided to take up the 21 Dollar Challenge, 21 Dollars a WEEK that is!! I have to feed my family, for a whole week on just 21 Dollars!! So if you feel like inviting us to Dinner feel free!! haha

How does it work?

Simple. For one week only you spend just $21 on groceries by stretching the food you already have in your cupboard, pantry, garden and freezer to stay within your $21 budget.

Not only will you eat well, you can be $300 richer!

The average family spends $320 per week on food. By completing the $21 challenge for just one week you will have an extra $300 in hand.

Trys and I actually spend close to $500 a week on crap, that a lot of money! So starting on the 4 th of April we will be doing this challenge for 4 weeks, we have a wedding in Bali coming up and we figured that if we save $500 a week, for four weeks, then that's our flights and accommodation!

I will be updating my blog every few days to let you know how we are going, please support us, and if you see me going near a shop with my credit card in hand, STOP ME!!! Any hints and tips on saving money and budget recipes will be greatly appreciated!

Wish us luck!