Just barely made it this week

I didn't realize I succeeded yesterday.  Friday night when I was scrambling to get the fridge and freezer cleaned and some of the writing challenges done, I kept thinking it would leave Saturday to get other jobs done.  And then Saturday I realized I had already finished all of my challenges.

52 Week Money Challenge now has $202 in the jar.  I have the money for this week but then I'll have to head back to the bank to get more cash out.  I did realize that I have a safe that I never use and I think I'm going to make a smaller Money Challenge Jar that I can store in the safe.  It makes the cash safer from someone taking it but also from me getting to it since I never remember the combination.  Of course, having to get in to the safe each week might help me to finally memorize the combination.

52 Week Food Challenge was a success due to a technicality.  I don't like Hamburger Helper, I finally made it for the kids this last year and they love it, but I just can't bring myself to eat it.  However, our renter came home on Tuesday from a week vacation and when we walked in the door she proudly announced that she'd made dinner.  She only cooks for herself about once every other month so this was a big deal.  The meal was one of those Velveeta things just like Hamburger Helper.  I ate some.  A few days later a friend said I should meet him at Starbucks and try his Chai Tea to accomplish this challenge.

I agreed, until I realized that I could count the dinner earlier in the week.  I told him I didn't want to "waste" any of the new foods counting towards this challenge, because I am really worried about running out of new things and having to try disgusting things by the end of the year.  I'll be saving that taste of Chai Tea for another week.

I do want to keep the spirit of this challenge and I do plan to try "real" new foods for it, as soon as I'm allowed to spend a bit more. :)

No Spend February wasn't a success based on my personal rules.  I really had hoped to only spend on bread, produce, and milk.  I did very well until the 23rd for the most part.  But then I decided that the next grocery trip (in which we needed bread and milk), would be the longer drive to the better grocery store.  That grocery store is almost 3 times as far as my typical store, but the prices are much better.  With the cleaned out fridge and freezer and the trip to the better store, I decided to stock up.  I still have to admit that it was mostly a success as I still spent at least $400 less on food this month than I normally do AND everything is stocked up to last for awhile.

I'm counting this week as a success, even though I can't deny that I gave up on two challenges this week.  Next week, I think I'll add a challenge to re-write the Mom Challenge into weekly challenges for the month of March.