Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel

Well.... it is official! Hopestead is OFFICIALLY ours! We met with a lawyer last week and signed the papers which means despite being burned in the past by trusting untrustworthy people, *this* time, it really IS going to work out. And has.

Along with the celebrated signing of the papers came the dreaded paying of the closing costs.
Enter the failings of a zero-balance budget! (For those new to the concept, a zero-based budget is a budget that purposely allocates every single dollar you earn to particular areas of finance. If it isn't budgeted, the money isn't there.)

Because I hadn't budgeted for the closing costs-and I had no idea that they would be in the THOUSANDS instead of the HUNDREDS, it was a real scramble coming up with the money in one afternoon. The result was gathering money from here, there and everywhere as well as using every.single.dollar from Matts last paycheck. We had just enough money left over to get the livestock feed that we needed and put a bit of gas in the car.

This means- Not a red cent for groceries. Or gas. Or savings. Or diapers. Or anything that any of my budget covers. Not until payday, the 15th.


Now, don't everybody panic and think we are broke. Don't go calling in the authorities or shaking your heads at crazy people who have children but can't afford them. And nobody wire us money as if we were on the verge of dying-this post is not a polite way of begging.

We still have a healthy emergency fund we could dip into if we wanted to. And savings. But, I REALLY hate dipping. I can't think of anything I like less than touching money that shouldn't be touched.


After my initial panic attack-I realized this COULD be an exciting challenge! I do love a good challenge!

I daresay, it might even be fun! At the very least, an educational experience. And that got me to thinking- maybe you guys might like to watch the insanity?!

Until March 15th, I am on a self-inflicted OPERATION: MAKE DO. If you care to join me in this torture er, challenge....check back often. I will be posting the entire days eats-no matter how humble.


I know it really WILL be a challenge-since I had no idea this was coming and hadn't stocked up in a good long while. Actually, I hadn't gone grocery shopping at all a week before. Which means, when all is said and done-it will be nearly four weeks since I last went grocery shopping!

Here is the lowdown:


I used the last of my onions on Sunday. The only potatoes left are the ones I have been saving to plant-I guess we will just have to use them anyway. Not having these two staples are going to make things a lot less fun. With them, I think I could have done this easy, peasy.


We have half a container of FETA, half a block of parmesan and some cheddar cheese left. No mozzerella! (This means no Friday night pizza nights-a first in a very.long.time. Sorry Mattie!)

We only have half a gallon of milk left but I think this is the one area where I will cheat a bit. I have a change jar above the washing machine that I will be dipping into for a few gallons of milk to get us by. It really WOULD be torture without milk. But, we will drink it sparingly and won't have as much as we usually have.

Pretty meager start, don't you think?

We have PLENTY of eggs though. And wheat. And meat. And peanut butter-

well....for the time being anyway.

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Though it has been since Friday, I wasn't thinking of recording anything over the weekend....so we will start with yesterday. I can remember that far back.

Monday

Breakfast: Apple Butter Oatmeal made with mostly water-just a splash of milk. Half a glass milk each.
Lunch: Egg Salad sandwiches. Used the last of the storebought sandwich bread. Water.
Childrens' Snack: Trail mix. One (generic) Oreo cookie each. (Used the last of the O. cookies.) Cashews. Water.
Dinner: Ziti with Parmesan. Homecanned Pears. Salad with peppers, Feta and homemade croutons.
Dessert: I gave everyone a mini peppermint patty from my secret stash. (Aren't I NICE?!?)