I’ve been using cash for groceries for three months!

It’s been almost three months since I started using only cash for groceries, so I thought it was time for an update.

I’m still using cash for my groceries, and still loving the freedom it’s given me!  It seems so silly but I just feel so much better handing over cash and then forgetting about it.  Not thinking about how many debit transactions I’ve had, not trying to mentally calculate how much money I’ve spent – just handing over the cash and knowing what’s left will be what I have to work with.

May was kind of a wonky month, and I did end up using my debit card a couple of times because I ran out of cash.  My family came to visit for a few days and I wanted to feed them well, so I spent more than I would have for just us, and neglected to take out enough cash for those extra expenditures.  They sent some cash ahead so that I could buy food for all of our lunches and dinners, which was really nice and made the process of cooking and planning so much easier!  Still, I had to swipe my debit card a few times.

June is turning out to be a good month!  I took out $600 at the beginning of the month and I still have about $180 left.  We’re already to the 21st of June so I’m pretty happy with that.  I’m not going for “lowest grocery budget ever” here, just trying to make sure I know what I’m spending.  I also received a couple of gift cards from Safeway at their blogger event last week, so I’m grateful to be able to pad my budget a little with that.

I’m pretty proud of my lack of eating fast food out these days!  Something about having five kids to take into a restaurant and the fact that one of my kids isn’t full after a whole burger and fries has really hampered my stops into fast food joints.  (Also, the fact that the last Good Times in Colorado Springs is closed.  Boo!)  Update: I wrote a post on conquering the fast food habit here.

We have been going lots of places this summer, but almost always pack a lunch or at least some snacks.  I’m buying lunch items even when they’re not on a great sale and even though it’s not rock-bottom prices, it’s been way less than it would cost us to eat out.

I’ve even felt good enough about my cash budget that I’ve used cash from my grocery budget to pay for a couple of meals where we have gotten takeout, like the $10 deal at Papa Murphy’s and a $5 Little Caesar’s pizza.  If I can pay for takeout from my cash grocery budget and still not go over, yeehaw!

Of course, not everything’s gone great in the world of money.  I spent $21 on “free” bowling and around $10 for “free” frozen yogurt from the library’s reading program coupons.  And, last week, the transmission in my van started to go out so now we’re planning on spending a whole lotta money on a new (to me) van.

Well, anyway.  That’s the latest update in the super amazingly exciting series of Carrie Pays Cash For Groceries. ;)