$50 Per Week Challenge

For a few weeks I was efficient with my grocery shopping, skilled in stretching meals for days, and brilliant at cost-saving maneuvers; but then I got tired and sloppy.
I will not lie, it is extremely trying at times to not be able to cook gourmet or imaginative meals, eat dinner out, or invite large groups of people to my house for dinner or dessert. It comes down to the facts, however, and facts don't lie when it comes to money and exceeding budgets. So, spending reform is in order.
Admittedly, we did make some spending allowances for this month; my husband I went on a vacation in celebration of three years of marriage (and a newly-weaned baby), where we ate out for every meal. I felt that for those three days we were gone it was important for me to not think about money or how much we were spending on tips alone.
This all brings me to my main point, which is: for the month of April I will attempt to spend an average of only $50 per month on food and household items for all three of us. Now, this will not include diapers or wipes. I will be honest about how much we are spending, report when I exceed my budget and how to rectify it, and I will share my recipes and cheap dinner ideas.
 Now, this gives me a couple of weeks to research and compare prices, figure out what I should buy in bulk, and plan a menu. I will share any information I find with you, my readers, and I am open to feedback and advice.

Question: What are your money-saving techniques?

My Frugal Project

 I really wanted a decorative box for a huge space on my bookshelves. I thought the space needed something pretty that could also hold my Bible, journal, and pens.
I started making a list of all of the decorative/organizational things I would need to make my living room complete with a place for everything, and everything in its place. But as I made this list, I realized that it would end up costing me money just to make my life more simple; it didn't make sense to me. So, I started searching for something I could use in that space--for free.
What I found was a board game box. So...I found some card stock paper, and taped it to the front where it would show, and covered all visible spots of the board game box.
Here's a side view:

Here's the finished box:

And... Here's the box in the space I wanted to fill!

Grand total=$0!

Make a Plan, Save Money

This week I did not make a menu plan for the week. The result: I spent almost twenty dollars more at the grocery store this week.
The second mistake I made was going to the store starving, the result: I spent more money on stuff I didn't really need.

Garage Sales and My Adventures in Frugality

         I generally hate garage sales, but sometimes they are necessary. I never really have enough to sell to make it worth it, I rarely have a whole Saturday to devote to not making any money, and I like my stuff. This month, however, I need just a little extra income.

Flylady: My Not So Secret Weapon

I am not a tidy person. My mom always told me it was because I'm artistic; I think I'm just a slob. Regardless, when I got married I realized just how difficult it was to keep a house tidy when the responsibility fell entirely on me.

Simplify Your Life on Saturdays: Clorox Wipes

I don't know about all the other new moms in the world, but I have a difficult time staying on top of housework, especially deep cleaning. I just don't seem to find the two hours I need to get my house clean every week month. The bathroom, however, is extremely important to me to keep clean.