Pre-experiment Day 2

My $1/day food budget experiment is scheduled to start on Monday, and think I need to set some ground rules before the experiment begins. I recently bought some staples like coffee, tea, and pasta. I could set aside these items until after the experiment is over, but I think I'll be tempted to eat them. I've decided that the food that is already in the house is free game during the experiment. My goal in doing this experiment is to minimize my spending, and to live like many people do, on a small budget. That being said, I will be budgeting $1/day for food or $30 for 30 days. I will not be begging for food, but if there is free candy or coffee at school then I will allow myself to have some. The goal is not self-deprivation or starvation, but a greater awareness of food and the time and money I devote to food. The timeline for the experiment is February 15, 2010 to March 16, 2010. I would really like to continue the experiment until April 1, 2010; however, I like the idea of having some flexibility and the chance to re-evaluate where I'm at and what I've learned on March 16, and decide from there if I want to continue.

I talked to some friends from school today about the experiment and they were not excited. They said that I would probably gain weight and become really unhealthy. I, of course, hope that doesn't happen. I'm hoping that the experiment will help me to stop snacking when I'm studying and to pay more attention to portion sizes. I am getting anxious for the experiment to start and anxious to see how frugal I can be.