2025. Frugal Things In May

 1.     I have been baking muffins for breakfast.  I can bake a dozen for what one costs in the store.

2.  The commissary had pork tenderloin for under $3/#.  I bought six pounds..  Good meals in our future.

3.  We are making chicken broth with the bones from the rotisserie chicken.  It will help flavor chicken and lentil pilaf.

4.  I found a pretty neck scarf from Talbot’s at Goodwill .  The original tag was still on it showing a price of $78.  I paid $0.99.  A great deal.

5.  We purchased some ice cream novelties on sale.  Much cheaper than going out for ice cream.

Frugal Fail:   The oven in the rv is too temperamental for yeast breads and such..    We have had to buy them at the store for a much higher price.

2025. Household and Personal Care: May

 Personal Care 

Elastic Hair bands.      1.25.       Dollar Tree 

Colgate.(2).     $2:50.      Dollar Tree 

Mike haircut      $14        Great Clips

Total  $17.75

 Household 

Efferdent (2).    $2:50.        For cleaning coffee cups, etc.

YTD 

Household   $135.44 over budget 

Personal Care    $88.88 under budget 

2025. Buying and Eating: May 16- 28

 Remaining Allocation:  $265.49

Cushion:  $447.93

YTD  125 days

Total:  $646.66        $5.17/day         $2.58/person/day

Grocery:     $463.91     $3.71/day       $1.85/ person/day

Eating Out:      $243.15         $1.94/day          $0.97/person/day

What We Ate:   Chicken, Mac and cheese, fruit, garlic cheese bread;     Macaroni and cheese, grilled pork, tomato and cucumber salad, fried green beans;     Greek chicken and rice soup, cheese and crackers, fruit;    Ham sandwiches , popcorn ;      Orange chicken, pot stickers, vegetable lo mein;     Chicken and rice, yogurt and fresh fruit;     Chicken Florentino with pasta and salad;     Sloppy Joe, deep fried sweet potato, peas;     Crepes, beets, yogurt and fruit, garlic bread;     Pizza and popcorn 

What We Bought:

Giant Eagle:   Ice cream novelties (3 boxes ).  $5.97.       Sale item 

Country Fair:   Eggs  (2doz)    $7.98         Sale item

Total:    $13.95

Eating Out 

Bob Evan’s:  $26.70.     Lunch with Pat

YTD    138days

Total     $687.31       $4.91/day      $2.45/ person/ day 

Grocery       $477.86        $3.46/day         $1.73/person/ day 

Eating Out     $269.85        $1.96/day       $0.98/person/day

New Cushion     $646.07

2025 Household and Personal Care: April

 Household 

Paper baking cups. (180).   $2.50.    Dollar Tree 

Cone coffee filters (80).    $3.50.       Dollar General 

Pillows (4).     $23.96  Aldi

Total. $29.96 out of $30 allocation 

YTD 

No new purchases     

personal care  $76.63 under

Household.    $147.69 over

2025. Buying and Eating May 1-15

 Monthly Allocation.  $377        We are two days short because we are going on vacation at the end of the month and food is included.

cushion.  $447.93

YTD.    110 days

Total.  $585.15

Grocery.    $369.40

Eating Out.    $226.18

What We Ate (made at home):    Asian peanut noodles with peas, cottage cheese and sunflower seeds , garlic bread;     Sandwich with a salad;      Greek chicken and vegetables casserole,   Cottage cheese and peaches, garlic bread;     Greek chicken soup, cheese and crackers;     Pinto bean meatballs with sauce and cheese on a pretzel roll,  pasta with pesto, salad (2);     Cottage cheese Alfredo with sausage and beans, salad (2); Grilled bacon and cheese sausage, butter beans, cheesy potato rounds, Waldorf salad (2)\.   Mother’s Day :  London broil, salad, artichoke timbales;      Homemade tomato basil soup and salad;     Asian steak, fried rice, salad;     Beans and sausage, salad;     Grilled ham steak, homemade Mac and cheese, salad

What We Bought:  

Commissary:   eggs (18), pork tenderloin (6#), bananas (4), pears (4); better than bouillon (2): maraschino cherries (2)     32.80

Commissary:  ground beef (3#): sunflower seed, cheddar (2#),capers (2)raisins, tiny canned shrimp, canned clams (2), ham steak, (#), tomatoes(4), lettuce  $36.00

Aldi:  Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, English muffins, bagels (2)   $12.62

Local food store in Indiana:  fresh spinach. Whole rotisserie chicken, sourdough bread    $13.09   All sale items

Eating Out: 

$17    Lunch in Mansfield

Remaining Allocation  $265.49

Cushion   $447.93

YTD    125 days

Total    $646.66         $5.17/day        $2.58/person/dayy

Grocery    $463.91    $3.71/day      $1.85/person/day

Eating Out    $243.15       $1.94/day       $0.93/day

 

2025. Frugal Things in March and April

 1.  We paid our city and school taxes early and saved 2%.

2.  We declined room service for our hotel room and saved $10/day.  I can definitely straighten up the room for that.

3.   I blanched and froze broccoli stalks to use later to make cream of broccoli soup.

4.  We continue to rely upon our stockpile when making our daily meals to help keep our food costs down.

5.  We stocked our rv with bargains from our stockpile.  We will eat most of our meals in the rv.

6.  I am experimenting with different bean “burger”  mixes in an attempt to increase nutrition and lower food cost.  I can make three good sized burgers with fifty cents worth of beans.  

2025. Buying and Eating: April 16-30

 Remaining Allocation:  $204.48

YTD. 95 days 

Total   $457.43

Grocery.    $260.21

Eating Out.    $207.62

What We Ate:     Ham and Cheese Sandwich, homemade French Fries ;      Taco salad;     Chicken tetrazzini, green beans, corn, pears:;       Easter:  leg of lamb, artichoke timbales, potatoes Anna, peas, homemade rolls, pecan pie;     Lamb souvlaki, leftover vegetables, homemade flatbread, homemade tzatziki (2);    Indian lamb curry, rice, salad, fruit;     Pepperoni and veggies pizza (2);     Beans and greens with pasta and cheese, homemade rolls, cucumber and yogurt salad;  pinto bean burgers, cheesy rice, cucumber salad ;      Cottage pie, Waldorf salad, cheesy rice, corn;     Vegetable pancakes, three bean salad,  sliced peaches and yogurt or cottage cheese;     Greek lemon chicken and potatoes, carrots, yogurt, garlic bread;

What We Bought:

Aldi:  potatoes (10#), frozen  peas (2),  cream cheese (2), cottage cheese, plain g reek yogurt, carrots (5#)     $17.38

Giant Eagle:   Eggs (3doz).   $11.97.             Sale Item

Sam’s:  maple syrup    $11.98

Aldi:   Frozen Brussels sprouts (2), sharp cheddar (2), cucumber   $12.67 four items were sale items 

Giant Eagle:  pizza rolls (4), party pizza (4), apples (3#)      $12.62    All sale items

Aldi:  raisins    $4.25

Millers Farm Market:    Sunflower Seeds (1#), German bologna (1#), Muenster cheese(1#)  $15

Giant Eagle:  bottled iced tea (4)  $2.76    All sale

Sanders:  bacon and cheddar sausage (2#), chibani yogurt (4), garlic bread, English cucumber, donuts (6), lettuce, peppers (4), sweet potatoes (3)    $19.53      All sale

Total:   $109.16

Eating Out 

Butchs:  breakfast with Mike   $18.56

YTD   110 days 

TOTAL    $585.15          $5.37/ day          $2.66/person/day

Grocery    $369.40          $3.36/day          $1.68/person/day

Eating Out     $226.18        $2.06/day       $1.03/person/day

New Cushion     $447.93