Our budget takes a SPiN

Tonight Scott and I completed the second of our "tasks that we are requiring ourselves to do."  We went out and played ping-pong with a bunch of friends.  Milwaukee has a cool ping pong bar and for $30 per couple, we played ping pong, had a few beers and enjoyed appetizers.  It was a fantastic time and of course, one of the major topics of discussion was our blog.  It gave me a tremendous feeling to know that so many of my friends have not only read the blog, but are actively following it. 

I feel very fortunate to surround myself with people who are encouraging and wish us success, and I think my efforts in frugality may be contagious.  Several people mentioned that they've started making smarter choices with regard to their own family's spending.  That's awesome! 

I was asked what the first thing I'm going to do once the 31 days is over.  It caught me off guard, I haven't really started to think of our month as ever "ending."  We still have 12 days left, so it still feels like the middle of this effort.  But...hmmm...Is there anything I miss?  I guess I'd like to drink a glass of milk every morning like I used to, maybe not a pint of milk like I used to, but a reasonably-sized glass of milk.  I could do that now, most of our days' consumption has been well below our budget, but I don't.  I think I'd like to feed the boys a meal of their own choosing, and  I know that Connor would choose hamburgers and fries and chocolate milk.  And especially now that it's football playoffs, I miss snacks like popcorn and chips, but once this month is over, I don't foresee myself going to the store and buying 5 bags of chips and gorging.  The point was to try having a food budget for a month and then see if it can become our way of life.  What I will not miss is measuring every item of food.  I don't love measuring glasses of milk in 4 ounce increments.  And maybe I'd like to go out to a restaurant, but a reasonably priced one.  We'll see...

Here's what we ate today

Breakfast
- SKC&G Oatmeal with Brown Sugar and Bananas
- C&G Milk
Total $0.83

Lunch
- SKC PB&J (bread, peanut butter, jelly), Carrots with Ranch dressing
- G Bread and String Cheese
- C&G Blueberries and Milk
- S Tea
Total $2.60

Snack
- S Orange
- K Cereal
Total $0.33

Dinner
- S&C Pasta with Peas, Cheese and SPAM, Leftover Pizza
- K&G Pasta with Peas and Cheese, Leftover Pizza
- C&G Milk and Crackers
Total $3.46

Dessert
- C&G Cookies
Total $0.04

Special Spend
- S&K Night out at SPiN $30.00

Total Spend $37.26

Tomorrow, SPAM I am.