Well if you remember at the beginning of the month, I joined a bunch of other bloggers in the Eat From the Pantry Challenge in an effort to eat some of the stockpile. Well if you read recently about my latest Publix shop where I got $276 worth of product, you probably can guess that this has been a challenge. The biggest factor in not eating a lot of stockpile items is that our entire kitchen cabinet inventory is in boxes. We don't have any cabinets while we remodel. I did manage to use of 26 of the 58 items in the freezer, but added 16 more frozen meals and snacks so the net is 48 freezer items (-10 for the challenge).
Things I learned:
1. I get nervous when I get below a par level of certain products - I like to have my regular items and it kills me to pay "buy it now" prices when I could have stockpiled it. I am still learning the appropriate stockpile of some things, but I am realizing that most things I have too many of.
2. I like the feeling of getting a great deal on stuff - I am emotionally addicted to being frugal. It is my nature down to the bone and I like to get a super deal. Couponing is a much better hobby than playing games on the internet, wasting time on social media sites and chatting online.
3. I need to plan meals more - We have food for lots of different meals, but it takes good recipes. I'm starting to notice more on the blogs I read when there is a good recipe for the foods that I've bought on sale.
4. Its hard to eat convenient foods when you're on a diet. I've lost 7 lbs so far in two weeks, but that can't happen eating ice cream, frozen snacks and candy.
So, thats my challenge.