Week 1 - First Shopping Trip

So this is the start of my $40 journey. Sounds like a vacation, but I'm actually a little worried that I won't be able to do this. I started this morning with 2 $20 bills in my wallet, and looking at them I was a little freaked out at the idea of only spending 2 bills all week. Maybe next week I'll get my $40 in 10's so it looks like more.... or perhaps 40 1's will make me feel a bit more wealthy. I don't know. Somehow in my head this all seemed so manageable, but staring at my 2 lone 20's I felt a bit of dread set in. But I want to do this, and I figure if I screw it up and it doesn't work, no one is probably reading this anyways....

So far all you imaginary people, here is how I did on my first day. The picture above shows what I everything I bought today, although the cans are stacked 2-3 rows, so you can't really see them. I shopped at Kroger, and drove a little further out of the way to go to the Kroger that doubles coupons up to and including $1.00. I'll list what I bought, the price, the value of the coupon, and my out of pocket cost. I'm just going to list the doubled value of the coupon, mainly because I'm feeling lazy. Kroger also has a promotion this week called the Mega Sale. If you buy 10 of the participating items you get $5.00 off instantly at checkout (or .50 per item). I'll just list this as: Mega -$.50.

So here goes:
$1.99 Krusteaz Muffin Mix - Mega -$.50 and -$1.00 coupon = $.49
$1.99 Stay Free - Mega -$.50 and -$2.00 coupons = FREE
$1.99 Stay Free - Mega -$.50 and -$2.00 coupons = FREE
$2.99 Redbook Magazine - Minus $2.00 coupon = $.99
$3.99 Marie Callander Pumpkin Pie - Minus $1.00 coupon (this is for entertaining though, so I'm exempting it
$1.49 Campbells Chunky Soup - Mega -$.50 and -$1.00 coupon = FREE
$1.49 Campbells Chunky Soup - Mega -$.50 and -$1.00 coupon = FREE
$1.49 Campbells Chunky Soup - Mega -$.50 and -$1.00 coupon = FREE
$1.49 Campbells Chunky Soup - Mega -$.50 and -$1.00 coupon = FREE
$1.49 Campbells Chunky Soup - Mega -$.50 and -$1.00 coupon = FREE
$1.49 Campbells Chunky Soup - Mega -$.50 and -$1.00 coupon = FREE
$.99 Campbells Cream of Chicken Soup - Mega -$.50 - $.50 coupon = FREE
$.99 Campbells Cream of Chicken Soup - Mega -$.50 - $.50 coupon = FREE
$.99 Campbells Cream of Mushroom Soup - Mega -$.50 - $.50 coupon = FREE
$.99 Campbells Cream of Mushroom Soup - Mega -$.50 - $.50 coupon = FREE
$1.34 Hormel Turkey Chili With Beans - Mega -$.50 and -$.55 coupon = $.24
$1.34 Hormel Turkey Chili With Beans - Mega -$.50 and -$.55 coupon = $.24
$1.34 Hormel Turkey Chili With Beans - Mega -$.50 and -$.55 coupon = $.24
$1.34 Hormel Turkey Chili With Beans - Mega -$.50 and -$.55 coupon = $.24
$1.34 Hormel Turkey Chili With Beans - Mega -$.50 and -$.55 coupon = $.24
$1.34 Hormel Turkey Chili With Beans - Mega -$.50 and -$.55 coupon = $.24
$1.39 Chipolte Chicken Chili with Beans - Mega -$.50 and -$1.50 coupon = -.11 (They paid me $.11 to buy this!)
$.80 Gallon of Water
$2.64 3 Green Giant Frozen Vegetables - Minus $1.20 coupon = $1.44 for 3 or $.48 each
$1.99 Horizon Organic Lactose Free Milk 1/2 gallon (on markdown) - -1.10 coupon = $.89
$2.79 Kraft 100 Calorie Bites Cheese - Minus $2.00 coupon = $.79
$2.79 Kraft 100 Calorie Bites Cheese - Minus $2.00 coupon = $.79
$1.98 Duracell AA Batteries 4 pack - Minus $1.98 coupon = FREE
$1.98 Duracell AAA Batteries 4 pack - Minus $1.98 coupon = FREE
$1.00 Idahoan Red Potatoes - Minus $.80 coupon = $.20
$3.49 Honeysuckle Turkey Breast Tenderloin
$1.49 Ground Turkey Patties 4 pack
$3.99 Juice boxes
$2.49 Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth - Minus $2.00 coupon = $.49
$2.49 Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth - Minus $2.00 coupon = $.49

Total after coupons = $19.25 (Minus $3.00 exempted for entertaining) = $16.25

Doing pretty good so far. There are a few more things I still need, so I'll be making a run to either Meijer or Walmart later in the week. That bill won't be nearly as good though.

The Campbell's Chunky soup will probably be lunch for my husband. The cream soups I'll give away, since it's not gluten free and we won't use it. I don't eat canned chili all that often, so that may or may not be given away. Other than that everything else is stuff we'll use and stuff that we needed, so no waste.

So tally time. Spent $16.25.... left to spend $23.75.