And then life happens- $30 grocery challenge.

While Driving home Monday night my sweet husband got distracted for a minute and the guy in front of him braked suddenly. Thank God no one was seriously hurt and hubby was well protected by our air bags. Long story short- we're now a one car family who needs two cars.

The last two days have been busy dealing with selling our wreck to the salvage yard and searching Kelly's Blue book for a decent commuting car for hubby. I'm so thankful that we hadn't yet sent our extra 'chunk' to our mortgage yet but now that extra 'chunk' is going to be sunk into a 'new' car. Emergency fund, Goodbye.

The grocery challenge update- We ate at a nice sit down restaurant (after car shopping)
with a gift certificate that was in my wallet. It was $9.00 out of pocket for the remainder + tip. Today (during more car shopping) we stopped at Taco Bell for lunch and spent $5.00. That leaves my grocery tally at $2.99 for the month.
Somehow I don't think I'm going to make it since that won't even cover a gallon of milk.

I have lasagna roll ups already prepped for dinner and hubby is out car shopping. I'm praying he finds the right one at the right price.

This little mishap has done three things for me:

1. I was so sad about our car. It was the last thing I bought with my working money before we had kids. It was technically my first car and I was attached to it. This is a good reminder not to cleave to material things. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal." Matthew 6:19

2. Be so thankful that we have the money right now to buy another work car for hubby.
After this purchase we will have to- (have to) tighten our belts and prepare for another financial blow. No more nice cushion.

3. Made me talk with hubby about replacing our lost money and discuss an increased budget tightening. I didn't realize how many little money leaks we had. I can nickel and dime us to the poor house with trips to the Goodwill. Hubby asked me not to buy the kids anymore new clothes for awhile. I just went through their drawers and I can safely say that we are all set until school shopping starts. I've pulled the cloth diapers back out for days when we're just staying at home too.


Although $30.00 was a very lofty goal I think I might have made it if we didn't slip up with our little 'surprise.' I'm not giving up though. I'm so charged from the good food we've been eating and the fridge clean out. The fact that we actually need to save money is just another reason to keep it up.