$21 challenge

Has anyone successfully done this? It's a lot harder than it seams. I have done a stock take of my freezers and wow I have heaps of meat I have about 50 lots of meat for meals for me and the 2 kids (steak, chicken in all forms, 7 different roasts, chops, sausages, Lamb, pork) plus 10 pre made meals that I have made recently :O I didn't realise that I had stock piled so much lol. I have can's of lentils, chickpeas and Couscous to use. ill have to get me thinking cap on.

Tarsh - tell us how the $21 challenge works please.
It's a good idea to do an audit of the freezer.

Hi Bedazz, basically you look through your cupboards, fridge and freezer and use what you have in there before you go shopping. There is more info here
http://tiny.cc/6m2cs and http://new.simplesavings.com.au/ and also here http://www.21dollarchallenge.com/ hope that helps :o)

An interesting concept except that what you have in the cupboard then needs to be replaced. My wife grew up in a house where the cupboards were kept full all the time in case of strikes where there could be no income for 6 weeks she does the same here I kept telling her not to bother as we earn between us 5 times the average wage and have heaps of assets and savings then because of various reasions I haven't earnt a bean for 6 months and the full cupboards are now empty.

Don't worry I will be back earning more than before next month so we will catch up.

I'd suggest not doing it for the sake of it but rather remember the idea and apply it when you have a real financial crisis.

Yes, I grew up in a house where the "Justin Case" shelves were always full - I still do the same.

Lucky she ignored you then.
I've always done this anyway.

You only do it for one week every now and again not every week. I always have a full cupboard. However I have can's of stuff that I've never used! So I'm going to use them up. Each to there own beaker59

my problem is i mostly eat fresh but i like that idea - and will look at ensuring i start the stock up, im also going to start xmas club vouchers this week

note though the $21 challenge was done sometime ago and it doesnt necessarily include things like toilet paper, toiletries etc. It was really only for main evening meals or at least that is my understanding.
Sure use up what you have and then replace but if you dont have a vegie garden and fruit trees it can be extremely limiting.

Good luck tarshlove!

Sounds like you will be fine, you have truck loads of meat (you might want to consider not buying any for a while so you don't end up with anything too elderly in there).You can use your couscous as a substitue for when you would usually have mashed potatoes.

I have done the challenge recently (was moving town) and spent my $21 on milk, bread and eggs as I recall. It was a great way of getting into freezer and cupboard clearing mode.

it isn't hard and fast what is included - some families include milk in the $21 challenge, others don't; some include bread, or toileteries/cleaing producets - other don't

The principle behind the Challenge is: "many people have enough in their freezer, fridge and pantry to have a week without purchasing groceries (or at most $21 of groceries)".

It is time to get creative, and above the supermarket/fruit shop/butcher

I took on the challenge But not to spend $21.00, but to take of $100.00 on my food bill and I did, spent $189.00 and got everything I needed, not what I throught we needed or wanted, so I went from about $300.00 to $189.00 I'm so happy. now I will double check when we have and menu plan the meed for 5 out of the 7 days.

Has anyone successfully done this! It's a lot harder than it seams. I have done a stock take of my freezers and wow I have heaps of meat I have about 50 lots of meat for meals for me and the 2 kids (steak, chicken in all forms, 7 different roasts, chops, sausages, Lamb, pork) plus 10 pre made meals that I have made recently :O I didn't realise that I had stock piled so much lol. I have can's of lentils, chickpeas and Couscous to use. ill have to get me thinking cap on.

Tarsh - tell us how the $21 challenge works please.
It's a good idea to do an audit of the freezer.

An interesting concept except that what you have in the cupboard then needs to be replaced. My wife grew up in a house where the cupboards were kept full all the time in case of strikes where there could be no income for 6 weeks she does the same here I kept telling her not to bother as we earn between us 5 times the average wage and have heaps of assets and savings then because of various reasions I haven't earnt a bean for 6 months and the full cupboards are now empty.

Don't worry I will be back earning more than before next month so we will catch up.

I'd suggest not doing it for the sake of it but rather remember the idea and apply it when you have a real financial crisis.

Lucky she ignored you then.
I've always done this anyway.

You only do it for one week every now and again not every week. I always have a full cupboard. However I have can's of stuff that I've never used! So I'm going to use them up. Each to there own beaker59

Good luck tarshlove!

Sounds like you will be fine, you have truck loads of meat (you might want to consider not buying any for a while so you don't end up with anything too elderly in there).You can use your couscous as a substitue for when you would usually have mashed potatoes.

I have done the challenge recently (was moving town) and spent my $21 on milk, bread and eggs as I recall. It was a great way of getting into freezer and cupboard clearing mode.

it isn't hard and fast what is included - some families include milk in the $21 challenge, others don't; some include bread, or toileteries/cleaing producets - other don't

The principle behind the Challenge is: "many people have enough in their freezer, fridge and pantry to have a week without purchasing groceries (or at most $21 of groceries)".

It is time to get creative, and above the supermarket/fruit shop/butcher

Thats great then just remember though you aren't saving money you are using up saved food. It will either need replacing or you will have to accept that in the future you won't have those standby supplies.

I took on the challenge But not to spend $21.00, but to take of $100.00 on my food bill and I did, spent $189.00 and got everything I needed, not what I throught we needed or wanted, so I went from about $300.00 to $189.00 I'm so happy. now I will double check when we have and menu plan the meed for 5 out of the 7 days.

or I just have to much food in the cupboard and freezer, that we dont used.

Thats great then just remember though you aren't saving money you are using up saved food. It will either need replacing or you will have to accept that in the future you won't have those standby supplies.

This is right there's always something that has been in the cupboard for ever that needs to be used.

I have done a menu for this week so that I'm using up cans of food that has been in the cupboard collecting dust. lol.

beaker59 are you always this positive!!!!

We are having to make great savings as the recession has effected our business and I have lost my job. So have planned this weeks meals and had talk with the kids for ideas for next week. Have prepared shopping list and only need to get milk and fresh bread. I do all my own baking biscuits, yoghurt and muesli.