... And more rules.

I like a lot of the rules you've proposed, Wendi:
- 3 meals/day - no use starving for a blog challenge.
- 2 fruits and/or veggies per day - again, no deprivation.
- variety required - keeping with reality is desirable.

I say we keep the rule on free meals as "up to 3." Part of eating cheap is taking advantage of times when there is free food around. And I think free food is available more often than one might guess, even if it's just samples at Whole Foods on Saturday (am I giving away too much?). Plus, another way of eating cheaper might be making enough food to feed a few other folks one night (that might otherwise spoil if you didn't share), and then reaping your culinary karma in return.

Let's also say that even if condiments don't count, we still have to post them, to cut down on the "mayonnaise sandwich" factor.

We should have to post our daily totals on both food eaten and money tallies at least once per day. Which probably also mirrors what folks with extremely limited food budgets do normally.

Oh, and uh... since this is a competition, and we're actually trying to see who can eat the cheapest... Don't be mad when you get smoked like a rack of ribs, Wendi.