$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! =)