LIAR!!!!!!!!!

Alright, so I failed...miserably at the food stamp challenge! =( I just couldn't do it. The idea of Ramen and water for 7 whole days...ugh! Plus, I'm already extremely poor and have a wonderful boyfriend who sprung for all of my meals this past week! So, I guess...technically I was able to eat without spending any money on food at all this past week! =P I know, I know...that's against the rules! =( Bad Erin! Sorry guys...my motivation to commit to this project was non-existent!

Let's see...what else can I tell you about? My Mom is having a garage sale. The last time she did one was probably close to 10 years ago, so I'm sure you can imagine the amount of crap that has been collected...we were quite the busy bees this weekend. I drove up to Eau Claire on Friday to help her organize and price stuff and actually stayed until this morning. UGH! All I have to say, is, when I actually do get a garage, I'm never having a sale in it...it's all going to Goodwill or the trash...what a pain in the butt! Who knew ugly trivets and board games would be so hard to price?! Minimalists sure have the right idea!

Amanda and Jim are coming to visit soon. I'm very excited...haven't seen either one of them since they got married two years ago. Jim, remember to pack some allergy pills...Lucy likes to cuddle!

Amanda, Jim and I at their wedding (duh!)

Lucy 'the goose'

Ok...that's about all for my boring life right now...it is sooooo time to go home now! Goodnight!

$21 a week

I cannot begin to imagine what it would be like to try to live off of $21 worth of food for one whole week...3 'square' meals a day, 7 days a week at $1 a meal! Who can do that? A jar of peanut butter and cheap Wonderbread only goes so far and that's not even taking into consideration the lack of nutritional benefits for a growing child or disabled adult.



Well, apparently our federal government believes that that is an adequate amount of money for each individual who receives foodstamps to live off of every week. $84 a month, $21 a week, $3 a day, $1 a meal.



I'm going to do it. Starting this Friday the 14th, for the next 7 days, I'm going to live off of $3 worth of food a day... at least, I'm going to try very hard.



Hunger Task Force in Milwaukee has developed the 'Food Stamp Challenge'. If anyone would like to join me in a week of ramen eating hell, feel free to click on the link below and sign up. I figure if nothing else, it will help me kickstart one of the worst ways to lose weight ever! =P



http://www.hungertaskforce.org/understanding_hunger/food_stamp_challenge/index.php



One of the responsibilities of the challenge is to journal everyday how we feel about the situation. We also have to save our receipts and log how much we spent daily and try to stay away from handouts from friends and family. Sure makes Rachel Ray's Food Network show, '$40 a day' sound like a breeze. I'm already thinking of ways I can save...only water to drink, clip coupons, shop at Aldi and the dollar store, stay away from perimeter shopping as those are usually the most expensive items, eat a lot of ramen...man, this is already becoming stressful! =(



I'll try to keep you updated by posting my daily journal! Wish me luck...and, again feel free to join me! =)