[Fat Melanie]

After talking with my husband I found out we won't be able to grocery shop again until the first week of May, so I'm left with what I do have. I have some lean meats still which is good, a few blocks of 75% RF cheese, one bag frozen broccoli, several cans of veggies, eggs, and turkey bacon. Also some bags of beans and cans of tuna, and hellman's mayo and Hidden valley ranch. The rest of the stuff we have is stuff DH picked up, Tuna Helpers and Hamburger Helpers (stuff he was raised on, yet is still skinny), cans of spaghettios (DS likes them), and a lot of packages of noodle/rice side dishes.

I realized I will have to calorie count until the first week of May, and until then, I'm going to bust my butt researching and coming up with an AMAZING planned-meal grocery list on a budget, that will feed all of us healthily and will allow me to stay OP, have healthful snacks that are SBD approved, and still have food leftover to last through the month.

I know until then I won't be able to stretch everything that is SBD approved until then, so I may have to eat some things that would not be on the SBD. But I'm going to count my calories until then, work out (when my husband is not hogging the Jeep) and try to follow the SBD plan as much as I can without fully being on it. I can probably do 85% SBD, 15% other food, until the first week of May.

I just wanted to say I'm still here, I'm still using the knowledge that I learned, and I'm not going anywhere, I haven't given up... I just have to REALLY learn how to budget on the limited amount of money we have right now. Hopefully his business will pick up once the local paper does a story on him, but until then I gotta work with what I have. It feels good to talk about this! I hope I'm not shunned by the SBD community, lol. Just kiddin! I'm still with you, but right now I have to take another tactic to lose my weight. First week of May, it's back on!!!!!! In the meanwhile ANY info you guys can give me to help me plan for my May budget would be so, so so appreciated. My budget for the month will be about $460 or something like that.

[tammies00]

Here is a link talking about budgets and southbeach

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/sout...nt-afford.html

[Mmckellen]

Life interferes sometimes. If you need strategies, I say first priority is to avoid white carbs. Don't worry about fats so much. Not that you will be draining everything in butter, but you can only monitor so much before you rebel and just go against everything. Plan your daily meals around making sure you have the following (all can be cheap, maybe not the veggies - but frozen is good or may be see what is on sale):
1 cup skim milk
1 cup non fat yogurt
1/2 cup beans
4.5 cups veggies (various)
8 oz. protein

Maybe that will help - the goal is to avoid as much sugar as possible. In terms of budgeting, buy meat in bulk, frozen veggies, and skim milk and eggs and canned beans. I totally hear you about needing to resort to ramen some times. It *sux* but remember SB is a way of life and sometimes life goes way off course. Just stay as close as you can and keep posting here.

[MissKoo]

I've been unemployed (quit my job because DH got transferred) for almost 10 months now and my budgeting skills are really being put to the test. The house we live in has an extra fridge in the basement family room but I thought it would cost too much in electricity to keep it running. But, I figured out that driving 20 miles to Walmart & Costco once per week/ten days and stocking up saves WAY more! Even w/the cost of fuel and running an extra fridge. I have a great grocery store in my town but the prices, OMG. I love the steam-in-bag veggies and like to stock up. Broccoli/Cauliflower mix - Local store: 2 for 5 dollars. Walmart: 88 CENTS!!! Plus, I like Costco's meat department - I like their quality.

Some SB friendly items I stock up in the pantry (when on sale or whatever)
FF refriend beans
White or Black Beans
Pnut butter
Salsa
Cans of tuna or chunk chicken
Favorite Condiments (I use vegan mayo and it was acutally on sale last month!)
Favorite flavored drinks (Powerade Zero is my fav this month)

Hope this was some help!

[sarahyu]

When we first got married money was tight. Beans are a wonderful inexpensive filling food. Especially the dry beans in the package. I learned that after they are cooked they freeze well so I would soak a bag or two overnight and then boil them up the next day, put a serving or 2 in a baggie. Then put all the little baggies into 1 big bag to keep them contained and freeze them. Was a lifesaver for awhile.

Sounds like you have a good plan for when life throws you a curve ball.
Good luck
Sarah in MD