Want $300 extra in your pocket and to avoid grocery shopping this week? I show you how in this review of the $21 Challenge by Fiona Lippey from Simple Savings. If you haven’t read her book $21 Challenge, I recommend you buy this amazing resource. This is one that will have an instant return on your investment and will pay for itself 14 times in the first month!!

I was introduced to the $21 Challenge by my mum about 10-15 years ago. My mum gets a thrill out of finding creative ways to save and this one really speaks to the heart of the Food Waste I wrote about in my blog ‘4 More ways of cutting spending WITHOUT cutting lifestyle!’. You will recall that we are sending at least $2500 of wasted food to the tip each year but the premise of this book suggests that it is likely much higher and we can use this knowledge to our advantage, especially in times when we need to save cash.

This should work in most households. Actually, the only household I know that this might not work on, right now, is my own as my husband and I have a very minimalist approach to life at the moment because we have just returned from a year spent in nature and resting so everything has been re-set but it has worked for me in the past and will work for every household I can think of right now.

What is the $21 Challenge?

The $21 Challenge allows you just $21 for your shopping budget this week! 'WOW! Is that even possible?' you say. Well, as I noted above, according to food waste statistics and perhaps your growing pantry staples, it is.

The $21 Challenge wants you to shop from your fridge, your freezer and your pantry for just 1 week. Of course, if you did it ongoing you would get to a point where the cupboard is bear but what about for just 1 week (or 1 week per month)?

This is perfect in those times like when the kids have an excursion coming up you need to pay for or if you end up with a car maintenance bill you weren’t expecting. This is a way to get funds for those situations quickly. Whatever your reasons are, who doesn’t love a challenge that saves you money?!

Fridge and freezer stocktake

First task is to go through your food stores and find everything you have. Make a list of what is there and put together meals that you could make with what you have. If you need something extra, you have the $21 to make up the difference.

Perhaps you are vegetarian for the week or perhaps you swap beef for pork, maybe you shop the discount section of the fruit and veg market or the meat section.

Let the kids know they must finish all the open cereal boxes in the pantry. Cook those cupcakes you planned a while ago – need eggs and milk? Use your $21. Using milk in cooking? Try long-life milk, which is cheaper than fresh milk.

Overhauling your pantry

The book will take you on a journey to sort out your pantry! You sort everything into a few different piles – the most interesting one is the ‘Bonus Meal Box’ – this is where you put all those items you bought because you were going to make something creative but never got around to it.

Later in the book they take you through how to make cheap recipes from those items.

Food waste is now a thing of the past for your household.

Are you already starting to feel awesome for saving money and the environment at the same time?

 Eating yummy and healthy food

This is not a challenge of lack or a 'Survivor' type challenge. Part of the challenge is to enjoy the week, not just endure it. Maybe fall in love with old recipes again or enjoy creating new ones!

One of the budget meals that my mum created, although this was long before the $21 Challenge but a good one either way, was the best corn fritters you will ever try! She had a can of creamed corn and some self raising flour. Mix the two together, drop small tablespoons of the mixture into hot oil (all precautions taken, of course) and watch your corn fritters grow! Want healthier fritters? Check out the fridge to see if you have spare zucchini or carrot… grate that in to the mixture and pop in the air-fryer if you have one. Let me know what you create.

The book has loads of recipe ideas but you can also google recipes by entering the ingredients you have in the search bar.

Banana - the ultimate food saver

My favourite food saver is for bananas! I love bananas but I often over estimate how many I will eat. Once I see them with light spots, I peel and cut them into small pieces and freeze. I then have two of my favourite things I can do with it – either a banana milkshake or banana ice-cream.

Use a ninja bullet or other blender and blend the frozen bananas on their own or with a few cubes of ice for ice-cream and if I want a milkshake, I just add my favourite milk, which happens to be long-life oat milk. It’s such a yummy treat and only 1-2 ingredients!

Conclusion

What a challenge but YES IT IS so worth it! This is one of those hacks that you wish you knew sooner because it is so simple. This is one that will stick with you throughout your life, even when the kids are grown and left home.

There will never be a time you would rather spend money at the shops when you have everything you already need at home. Do it once per month and you have an extra $3600 in your hands each year.

Simple Savings website is the home of the $21 Challenge. They offer the first and second chapters free – what a bargain – go and check it out for yourself and start making this part of your annual savings plan https://www.simplesavings.com.au/21dollarchallenge/

Send me an email [email protected] and let me know how much you have saved.

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