Yee-haw. Due to the fact that we shopped very little in the past week (too busy!), we are way under budget!
Grocery actual = $25.93
Eating out actual = $41.00
Which is good, because I am blowing up the budget in the next few days.
It’s Flora’s 7th birthday tomorrow. I have a friend and her daughter coming in from out of town; my parents are coming Saturday; I am hosting dinner and then a sleep over (for the girls) on Saturday evening; and Sunday we are having people over for the Steelers game, plus cake and ice cream.
Tonight we are going out to eat. I have too much cleaning to catch up on to cook and clean tonight. The menu from Friday to Sunday looks like this:
Lentil soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
Gnocchi Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Rotisserie chicken
Quorn nuggets
Stovetop mac ‘n’ cheese (for the kids)
Salad
Peanut butter butterscotch Rice Krispie treats
Slow cooker ox roast sandwiches (courtesy of Nonna)
Crudite tray
Cheese and crackers
Santa Fe Soup with tortilla chips
Cake and ice cream
Add some staples to the party food, and I’m thinking we’re looking at around $250 in groceries. Plus another $100 in alcohol (just beer and wine).
And you know what? I am totally cool with that. It’s a party!
Budget:
Groceries = $250
Alcohol = $100 (2 cases of beer, 4 bottles of wine)
Formula = $25 (this should be our last formula purchase, *fingers crossed*; we didn’t buy any last week)
Eating out = $50
Let’s go see how everyone else did!
* Emily Levenson
* Dairy-Free Cooking
* Test Kitchen Tuesday
* Acquired Tastes
* Fit Flexitarian
* Warm As Pie
* Katy Rank Lev
* My Inner Healthy
* Little Blue Hen
* xox, b
* What da Health?
* Project Food Budget 2.0
* Ignition Nutrition
* A Nice Heart and a White Suit
* Because Hobbies Happen
* Primary Focus Health Coaching
* Chicken Tender
* Fresh…A New Chapter
* Whole Living Gal
* Chandeleah
* Two Eggs Over Easy
++
In case you are looking for something to do this weekend, my friend Jen England (@JenEngland) is promoting the On the Spot event at Howlers on Friday Nov. 11, from 6-8:30 p.m. On the Spot is a non-profit that helps girls in foster care or financially unstable home situations get feminine hygiene products, as well as helping boys and girls get things like deodorant and shampoo. Middle and high school are hard enough without worrying about this stuff!
An an added bonus, On the Spot events are always fun! They will have their usual cookie table (potato chip cookies, baklava, sour gummy worm rice crispy treats, and more) as well as terrific auction items for the paper bag auction. Admission is a $10 donation or $5 and a box of pads. Howlers is at 4509 Liberty Avenue, Bloomfield, and more information about the project can be found here.
Red Pen Mama 
I’m glad you’re giving yourself a break for the party. No need to stress *too* much over a budget when it comes to a good time!
Oh, yes, the beauty of planning and budgeting is knowing when you can spend the extra $$. 🙂
I do love that you set your budget according to what is happening during the week, so you know what you are getting yourself into.
I also think that a “party budget” would also allow for fun events, without totally destroying the regular old food budget.
Hope the parties are fun!!
They will be good times — good people are coming! I figure part of budgeting is knowing when you can spend more and when it’s appropriate to spend more. If this were a “more normal” weekend (whatever that means) I would probably just be buying staples and planning meals from my pantry/freezer. Instead, I have an excuse to try some new recipes I’ve had my eye on!
I hope you enjoy the Rice Krispie treats! And wish Flora a very Happy Birthday for me. 🙂
We did like them very much. I’m thinking of maybe trying cocoa krispies next time with chocolate or pb chips? Ever do something like that?
I actually never have done that. I love them too much as-is. But I bet it would be good!
Nice job and I hope the party is a blast! 🙂 Part of budgeting is also planning for splurges, and a 7th birthday is certainly reason to splurge!
I defiintely like the idea of a party budget as separate. I might start to consider food we take to parties as entertainment…hmm. Lots to ponder here!