2025. Buying and Eating: September 1-15

 Allocation.    $390

Cushion.    $863.78

What We Ate:     Bean curry, homemade flatbread, yogurt, curry potatoes;     Grilled pork chops, Greek tomato fritters,  quinoa with red pepper ;     Grilled hot dogs, butter beans, tomato fritters, salad;        Beef stroganoff  over rice, roasted beets, roasted tomatoes with mozzarella and Parmesan(2);       Spanish rice, roasted shredded Brussels sprouts, everything bagel;     Flatbread pizza;   Baked Italian pasta, meatballs, tossed salad, garlicky cheese bread;     Mac and cheese, tomato fritter,salad, shaved Brussels sprouts;     Sausage strata, spinach fritters, yogurt, cinnamon sugar bagel ;     Mexican casserole, baked corn and apple sauce;     Peanut butter noodles with tempeh  and soybeans, yogurt, blueberry bagel halves 

What We Bought:

Salvage shop#4:       Shelf stable milk (4), beets (4),pie crust mix 2), sell rising flour  (15#), corn bread stuffing , dry split peas, Thai chili sauce ,plum sauce  2), hot sauce (3), date bread mix (2), raisins (3),teriyaki sauce ,mayo (2); ginger, bean sprouts , bamboo shoots , mixed veg (2), whole cranberry sauce , plums(2), diced tomatoes , Romano cheese (1#), 3 bean salad, evaporated milk (5), pineapple chunks(2), pineapple and mango cups, (2), dry milk (3), pepperoni (3#), teriyaki pork loin (1.5#), onion pork loin(2#), garlic and herbs pork loin 2#) nuts,   Cheese, (1#),  coffee (24 )   $146.78

Middlefield Cheese Coop:  5.5# cheese ends and pieces    $6

Salvage Shop #5:        Butter (12#), everything bagel seasoning, lemon pudding (2), horseradish sauce, black pepper grinder, crunchy peanut butter (3), mustard (2), sauerkraut, active dry yeast (#), beef broth (2), oatmeal (2), old el oasis queso crunch dinner kit , siggi yoghurt  (2), 7.25# cheese, smoked white turkey  (#), Gorgonzola (3),   Shaved Brussels sprouts (1), roasted tomatoes, French toast bagels, coffee (9 bags, $100.93

Sams:    Bisquick, canola oil    $16.76

Grocery Total for two weeks:   $270.47

Eating Out:

Middlefield cheese coop:    Lunch while shopping.      $4.50

4 StarDiner.          Breakfast with Mike.    $30.94   Not worth the cost.  Frugal fail.

Middlefield cheese coop.        Lunch while shopping.    $4

Mexican.      Lunch while at Lehman.         $14.00

Lunch and dinner DC.     $25

Dinner dc.   Thai.    $31

Dinner DC.      Venezuelan $27.56

Breakfast and lunch coming home.     $28

Total Eating Out for two weeks:    $165.00

Grand Total for two weeks:   $447.94

Into cushion:   $45.47

New Cushion Amount:   $818.31

We are already into the cushion with half the month to go.  But with the cushion standing at $818.31 we have the financial room to cover it.

2025. Frugal things in August

 1.   I bought sale items with store vouchers and saved a total of $40.79.  I paid only $6.29.  Stacking really helps.

2.  I took advantage of a cool day to bake a loaf of bread and make some coconut biscotti.  Much less expensive than in the store.

3.  I have been able to find deeply discounted plain yogurt, but no more.  I thought of using dry milk but it was more expensive, so I purchased a half gallon of whole milk to make yogurt.  The cost was $2.55 and I can use the last of the yogurt in the fridge as the starter.  A definite money saver.

4.  I found ground pork discounted to $1.99/#.  I bought three packages.  Not my usual ground beef, but frugality sometimes requires flexibility.

2025. Buying and eating : August 16-31

 Remaining allocation $314.51

Cushion    $644.60

What WeAte:    Lemon pepper chicken breast, bean and beet salad with feta, spinach fritters, apricot halves and yogurt;     Hummus, homemade flatbread , homemade falafels , yogurt and tahini sauce ,homemade baba Ganush (2);     Beef stir fry with noodles, onion pancakes,      Fried bologna sandwiches       Tortillas pepperoni pizza.      Creamed tuna on potatoes, corn on the cob, salad (2);     Jalapeño sausage, corn, potato salad, tossed salad;      Peanut Ty noodles with tempeh, cheese bread ;      Homemade macaroni and cheese , tomato roasted with cheese , peas. Everything bread;     Baked eggplant with feta and tomato, garlic, butter and cheese pasta, Greek fried cheese;     T egg salad sandwiches;      Mexican chip casserole and Mexican seasoned hominy, yogurt (2) ;      Curry beans and rice with curried potatoes ;      

What We Bought:

Giant Eagle:  frozen pizza (4),  crest toothpaste (4),   Land o lakes cheese (4).  $6.29 plus credits redeemed 

Country Fair:  eggs (2).     $6.00

Aldi:   Plain Greek yogurt  $3.75

Aldi:  bagels (2)baby Bella’s, ,mayonnaise.     $5.96

Aldi:   Half gallon whole milk (to make yogurt)     $2.55

Sanders:  honey buns, potatoes (10#), eggplant (2), yogurt, ground pork(4#)     $15.88  all sale items

Grocery Outlet:  hominy, oyster crackers, corn on the cob (4), cucumber, grapes, lettuce, onions, sweet red pepper, cream cheese.     $14.79

Farmers Market:   Bulgarian feta, tempeh, tofu, fresh tomatoes (4).     $13.68

Ollie’s:  assorted DelMonte fruits and veg. On clearance.  $24.06

Giant Eagle:  hotdogs (3).   $2.37

Grocery total:  $95.33

Two week total.     $95.33

YTD as of August     203 days

Total     $1309.10         $6.45/day          $3.28/person/day

Grocery     1007.19          $4.97/day         $2.49/person/day

Eating Out    $262.81        $1.30/day       $0.65/person/day

New Cushion     $863.78