The Made With Love Challenge

Elizabeth at Water Rolls Uphill has issued a very cool challenge.  One month with no eating out.  One month of more careful grocery budgeting.  Did I say one month of no eating out?  LOL

We actually don't eat out a heck of a lot. But I do typically order pizza several times a month.  This needs to end for a bit.  We are trying to save for a big vacation next May.  It is hard for the kids to reconcile that $25.00 in pizza now is not going to benefit them next May when they want money for mouse ears!We even make really decent home made pizza.  It is just that they have a deep abiding love for take out pizza. 

I can't start the challenge till we return from our Labor Day camping vacation.  We planned the menu weeks ago and my eldest has a birthday that falls on that weekend.  Thus he gets to choose the meal and he chose to have um take out pizza! LOL  On the plus side all the other camping meals are either prepared ahead and brought with us or cooked at our campsite.

I need to abstain from ordering out at work also.  This happens probably once a week, but I know it adds  up. I do love Greek salads and on a stressful day it positively calls to me like a siren song.  Ah the feta cheese, with its salty taste and the contrast of the hot peppers. I adore hot spicy food; probably because I have no sense of smell.  But if I cut out 4 take out lunches a month and 2 orders of take out pizza I would save monthly probably $75.00 Remember we are a family of six so we get 3 medium pizzas every time we order.  Ah the joy of teen boys and their bottomless pits of stomachs. LOL  Also, my wife may be losing her job at some point in the near future; saving money would be the smart and advisable thing to do before this happens instead of afterwards!

So anyway, I am accepting the challenge.  This is a great time of year to do it. I love to cook and the changing season always makes me want to cook more. Today for instance I blanched about 30 tomatos in preparation of making either stewed tomatos or red sauce to can tomorrow.  I'm going to see what a month of more accountability can save our family.  If you want to hop on board, jump over to Elizabeth's blog and link up!