2025. Frugal Things in October and November

 1.  Mike used a coupon to get $5 off his haircut.

2.   I made no knead artisan bread, cinnamon rolls and raisin/ cinnamon bread and saved a lot over buying them.

3.   I have taken on the challenge of eating from the stockpile, more rather than less.  It is working well.

4.  We stayed in a hotel while we were changing addresses.  All paid for with points.

5.   Buying frozen vegetables instead of fresh.  They last longer, no waste, and often cost less.

6.    Turkeys never really got inexpensive this year, so I used chicken thighs from the freezer and made crockpot chicken with cranberries.  Yummy and easy and stockpile focused.

Frugal Fail:  While changing address I Couldn’t find the motivation to make English muffins or bagels so I bought them.   We will survive.

2025 Buying and Eating: November 16-30

 Remaining Allocation    $315.16

Cushion    $927.58 

Days    294 as of the end of November 

What We Ate:    Homemade macaroni and cheese, mixed vegetables , plums;     Baked pasta and sausage , fried zucchini , garlic bread, apple carrot slaw;     Pasta with sausage , peas, garlic cheese bread;     Chicken pot pie, apple and cabbage salad , pear sauce, banana bread;     Vegetable soup and  tuna and egg salad sandwiches ;        Kraut casserole, fruit and yogurt, fried green beans;      Mongolian beef casserole, bacon wrapped water chestnuts, stir fried Napa cabbage (2);     Olive cheese bread,  pasta with sauce, broccoli, baked pears;      Ribs and baked beans with fruit salad;      Cheese fondue, bread cubes, apple slices, crackers ;     Leftover steak , beef and onion rice, fruit salad, cheesy bread.      Marinated pork loin , stuffing, plums, dilled carrots;       Chicken piccata, roasted California vegetables , smashed sweet potato , Napa cabbage with poppyseed dressing, cheesy biscuits ;         Thanksgiving Eve:   Cheese and crackers, spicy ranch oyster crackers, crab meat and cream cheese with cocktail sauce, Megen’s cheesy things,     Thanksgiving:  Crockpot Cranberry chicken , stuffing, mashed potatoes, peas, pumpkin pie

What We Bought  

Tops:   Eggs, pasta, onions, sweet potatoes    $4.13

Aldi:     Frozen vegetables (5), sour cream, cottage cheese, russet potatoes (10#)    $16.10

Aldi:  Greek yogurt    $3.69

Two Week Total    $23.92

Eating Out:

Sams   Pizza for two     $4.75

Two week grand total     $28.67

Monthly grand total $103.51        $3.45/day        $1.73/person/day     The stockpile really helps.

YTD:   294 days

Grocery.   $1399.60           $4.72/day          2.36/ person/day

Eating Out.    $627.13          $2.13/day             $1.07 /person/day

Grand Total.    $2004.03.         $6.81/day.          $3.41/person/ day 

New Cushion.      $1139.74

2025. Buying and Eating: November 1-15

 Allocation $390

Cushion   $927.58

Days    294 as of the end of November 

What We Ate:      Sloppy Joe, baked beans, salad;    Vegetarian chili, cornbread muffins, salad;     Chicken and rice with veggies, roasted beets, roasted tomatoes with cheese;        Worked the polls so sandwiches were on the menu;      Broad beans, corn bread, oatmeal pilaf , applesauce;               Chili spaghetti, corn bread, salad.      Vegetable beef soup;        Cheesy meatloaf , corn casserole, tossed salad #3;          Chicken wings, french fries, salad;        Tilapia and shrimp with garlic and butter, zucchini fritters , salad, garlic bagels;      Marinated lake steak, baked potatoes , cabbage salad with mandarin oranges and apples;   Turkey pot pie with stuffing topping,  three bean salad , sautéed pineapple ;       Bean burritos, Joyce’s cheesy nachos ;          Indian with lamb, beans and paneer, rice, Mediterranean eggplant , homemade three bean salad.          Scalloped potatoes and ham , spinach fritters, pears with bleu cheese

What We Bought:

Giant Eagle:   fresh cider (gal).      $4.99

Country Fair:   Eggs (2).     $4

Aldi:    Lime juice.   $2.49

Sanders:   Napa cabbage, bananas, zucchini, sweet peppers, yogurt, potatoes (#),    $15.58

Aldi:     Canned pumpkin (2), garlic powder, cinnamon, tortilla chips, pears(3#), gala apples (3#), pie crust (2).   $13.78

Two Week Total      $40.84

Eating Out:

Sams.    Mike lunch.    $3

Lunch With Joyce  $31

Two week total.   $34.00

Two week Grand Total. $74.84

Remaining Allocation.    $315.16

2025 Buying and Eating: October 16-31

 Remaining Allocation :   $313.94

Cushion    $750.81  

What We Ate:     Chicken  and rice casserole,  green beans casserole, cottage cheese and apple salad with dates,  garlic bread;       Mexican casserole, refried beans, salad;     Sloppy Joe, pasta with cheese and peas, baked beans, cottage cheese with onions and sunflower seeds;     Chicken Florentino, pasta, green salad;     Sauerkraut casserole;      Sausage and bean soup, egg salad sandwich, salad;      Cheesy meatloaf , cour cream and cheese potatoes, poppyseed cabbage salad, carrots (2);      Greek salad, spanokatapia casserole and Greek chicken soup;      Homemade supreme pizza and popcorn;     Fried rice, yogurt and apple , Chinese onion pancake;       Chicken cacciatore over gnocchi with garlic bread and salad ;   Hotdog and kraut casserole,  corn, salad

Eating Out:

Arby’s:   $21.17    Dinner last night in house

$23   Dinner after pack out

$30    Dinner after move 

Two Week Eating Out:   $74.17    High due to our change of address.

Grocery for two Weeks:   0        We ate exclusively out of the stockpile.  Something to aim for more often.

Grand Totals for Month:

Grocery   $46.06

Eating Out  $104.17

Total  $150.17

YTD Totals    264     Days

Grocery  $1334.84        5.07/day       $2.54/person/day     

Eating Out    $588.38          $2.23/day       $1.12/person/day

Grand Total     $1900.52       $$7.16/day        $3.58/per/day

New Cushion    $927.58

2025 Buying and Eating: October 1-15

 Allocation:   $403

Cushion:$750.81

What We Ate:     Bean and sausage soup, cheese quesadilla, pears;     Creamy crab and corn chowder, crackers, applesauce(2);     Savory bread pudding with ham, turkey and cheese ,  kimelwick cheese toast, peas(2);     Pasta with garlic and cheese, peas, applesauce;     Sauerkraut, hotdog, mashed potato and cheese casserole, blueberry bagel, yogurt and peaches;     Lentil risotto, sweet potato, peas;     Ham salad sandwiches and tomato soup with homemade pickles ;      Greek yogurt chicken, spinach and feta casserole , macaroni and diced tomatoes;     Cheeseburger meatloaf, pickles, corn soufflé , baked potato , 3 bean salad;     Fried Rice and Asian broccoli with croissants;     Homemade beefy mushroom soup, grilled tuna and cheese on rye;     Greek chicken noodle soup  and Greek salad;     Fried bologna sandwiches, homemade French fries, cottage cheese and tomato 

What We Bought:

Giant Eagle:  eggs (4)    $11.96

Aldi:   Mayonnaise  $2.99

Aldi:  sour cream    $1.73

Aldi:  cottage cheese, plain yogurt, cream cheese, romaine, tomatoes,colored peppers, carrots, cucumber, cabbage, apples, English muffins, everything bagels, blueberry bagels      $29.38

2 Week Total:  $46.06

Eating Out:

Joyce’s birthday lunch     $30

Grand Total 2 Weeks  $76.06

Remaining Allocation:   $326.94

2025 Buying and Eating: September 16-30

 Remaining Allocation   -$45.47

Cushion  $818.31

What We Ate:   Potato Salad,grilled lemon pork, yogurt, garlic and Muenster cheese bread;     Italian club sandwich, yogurt and fruit;     Lemony pasta with garbanzo, pork and spinach, cheese bread;     Kielbasa, cheesy potato rounds, green beans, pears;     Creamy crab pasta,  garlic cheese bread, yogurt and peaches (2);     Bacon, Olive and cheese bread, butter beans, yogurt and peaches (2);      Pizza and popcorn;     Grilled hotdogs, Italian rice balls, yogurt and fresh fruit;    Pasta and meatballs, cheese bread, fresh pears, broccoli;      Asian peanut noodles, yogurt and fruit;     Pasta with sausage, Brussels sprouts with bleu cheese, everything bagel, pears;     Mexican casserole, cheesy nachos, pears and bleu cheese;     

What We Bought:

Aldi:  yogurt(qt), half and half (qt)  $6.54

Aldi:    Red grapes, Bartlett pears     $4.58

2 week total   $11.12

Eating Out: 

Ricardo’s.     Lunch With Pat.      $22.40

Crepery.       Lunch with Ginger and ladies.     $20.00

Lunch with Jim and Robin.    $14

2 week total.   $56.40

2 week grand total.    $67.42

Into Cush. $67.42

New Cushion.    $750.81

YTD   As of Sept     233 days

Total     $1824.46       $7.83/day        $3.91/person/day

Grocery     $1288.78       $5.74     $2.87person.day

Eating Out     $484.21      $2.08/day       $1.04/person/day

2025 Household and Personal Care: August and September

 Personal Care 

Mike’s haircut.   $14.    Great Clips

Toothpaste. (4).    $5.     Dollar tree 

Toothpaste (6).      $6.     Salvage

Hand soap.     $1.50.        Salvage 

Total    26.50

Household 

Foil wraps (4).     $4.47.     Salvage

Bakeware :square pan and cookie sheet.    $1.78.      Salvage

Four sets of new towels.      $49.74.       Sam’s

Mouse traps and related.      $35.83.   Ollie’s 

Total.   $81.83

YTD 

Household.   $127:26 over budget 

Personal Care.    $152.38 under budget