$70.00 a week

So I'm testing myself to see if I can live off of $70.00 cash a week. This amount would cover both groceries and gas for a whole week from Thursday to Thursday. Based on my 6 month budget from Mint.com I have determined that at the current gas prices I have spent approximately $35.00 in gas per week. Groceries... I spend a LOT more! Every Thursday I will remove $70.00 cash from the ATM (although they don't give it out in $10.00 increments so it will be more like $60.00). Half that goes to gas and half to groceries. This means I have to pay for my gas BEFORE pumping.

I've figured out that at the lowest point ever I have had to fill up with 11.5 gallons of gas. I average 30 miles a gallon and when my gas light comes on I can get up to 320 miles safely. Based on this I plan on putting 11 gallons in the tank (multiply gas price x 11) PREPAY and GO! The gas is the easy part. I actually started this last week and so far I filled up the tank last Wednesday($25.00) and drove until the gas light came on plus some. Then I put in another 10.00 on Monday. Tomorrow is Thursday and I am about to get a gas light again. So far, so good.

Groceries are a little more work. I've had to resort to EXTREME resourcefullness, also known as COUPONS. Now I never look at grocery prices and I always considered people who coupon synonomous with cat ladies and now.. I am one (Hello? ASPCA? Yes do you have 12 feral kittens I can get IMMEDIATELY!!!??). Again I tried this first 2 weeks ago Friday. Wednesday is the day that the stores put out new sale items so today I have spent time evaluating the BOGO's (that's the Buy One Get One Free for you rookies). So far I have a pretty decent grocery list that should last me for the week with dinners and breakfast covered. I have to admit that I cheat SOME because they give us free lunch in the cafeteria at work.

I'm way too excited about this whole coupon thing. Last time I got a free 1/2 gallon of Smart Balance Milk (HEY a commercial for this milk just came on TV) and an .89 cent 1/2 gallon of Almond Milk. I feel a little like I'm sticking it to the MAN! Thanks to the power of google docs I have a portable list of coupons, when they expire, what they are for, and where I got them. I use www.SouthernSavers.com for my deals. It's all there in a little package. Money savings.

So.... $70.00 a week.. can I do it? After week 1 I feel pretty good. I'm sure this will be like a new diet. You see some weight loss the first week and you feel all energized and excited and then you realize that it's a lot of work and it kind of sucks. I'm actually going to dress up like a cow on Friday to get a free value meal from Chick Fil A in order to stay on budget... what have I become? Did I mention I canceled cable too? That's for the next post...