Wednesday, January 1, 2025

2024. Buying and Eating: December 16-31

 Remaining Allocation     $372.95

Cushion     $1060.96


What We Ate:     Cuban black bean soup, cheese and crackers, peaches;     Quiche, pasta with garlic and cheese, squash, garlic bread;     Stuffed pepper soup, egg salad sandwich, salad;     Queso Mexican pizza, cheesy potato rounds;     Mike’s birthday:  beef stroganoff over wild rice blend, dilled carrots, salad, cheesecake, mulled wine;       Beef and noodles, applesauce, mixed vegetables, cheese toast;     Stromboli, cheese potato rounds, fried cabbage and onion;     Christmas Eve:     Cheese ball, lobster and shrimp spread, meatballs in marinara, sausage stuffing balls;     Christmas:  beef roast and shrimp cocktail, cranberry horseradish sauce, mu’s tossed salad #3, dauphinois potatoes, corn, Christmas bread, fig pudding ;     Seafood pasta, apple salad, garlic bread;     Baguette sausage pizza, snack items;     Leftover smorgasbord;     Melt in your mouth chicken, green beans with hollendaise sauce, dauphinois potatoes, salad;     Homemade tomato basil soup, open faced turkey sandwich with gravy;     New Year’s Eve:  Philly cheesesteak sandwich , sweet potato fries 


What We Bought:  

Giant Eagle:  pecan frosting, German chocolate cake  $1.50     Both on sale.  For a friend’s birthday.

Aldi:  butter (6), cheese (4#), half and half, heavy cream, sour cream, cottage cheese, cocoa, bleu cheese, cream cheese (4), celery, frozen corn, frozen peas, frozen mixed veg, bagels, potatoes (20#),  cucumber    $68.43   Butter, cheese, celery and potatoes were sale items.

Aldi:  bay scallops (#),  cream of mushroom soup (6)     $10.07  Both were sale items.

Aldi:   Baguette (2)    $3.38

Giant Eagle:  hilshire kielbasa (5)     $4.95    Plus a $5 credit  sale item

Country Fair:   Eggs (4)    $10.00     Sale item

Food cooperative:  molasses (1.33#), sunflower seeds (.27#)  $4.22

Bellos:  baby Bella mushrooms (2#) bananas    $4.30   Sale items

Total Grocery     $116.78


Eating Out:

Dinner with Mike and Gail.    $38

Mike’s lunch in Cleveland   $3.52

 Breakfasts with crafty ladies     3.70

51 year anniversary of first date at McDonald’s     $12.40

Lunch with mike’s family    $17.82

Total Eating Out    $75.44


Grand Total     $192.22

To Cushion $180.73

New Cushion  $1241.69    Or $3.40/day remaining of the budget.  This money does not carry over to 2025


YTD Final Numbers    354 days    I don’t budget for days we are cruising since food is included 

Total Spent    $3172.31        $8.96/day        $4.48/person/day

Grocery       $2273.80          $6.42/day        $3.21/person/day

Eating Out     $898.51          $2.54/day        $1.27/person/day


We ended the year with a sizable cushion, a full freezer, and stocked cupboards.   Therefore, although the government numbers say we need $17.80 /day to eat thriftily in 2025, I have decided to keep our budget at $13/day   Or $6.50/person/day for  2025.  This includes food eaten at home and meals out.   Wish me luck.  


Thursday, December 26, 2024

2024 Household and Personal Care: November

 Household 

Oven mitts.    $10.     Aldi

Coffee filters. $2.50.   Dollar Tree 

Disposable little bread pans 21.   $8.75  Dollar Tree 

Floor polish.  $7.57.  Walmart 

Total:   $28.82     $3.82 over the monthly budget 


Personal care:

Chapstick.(6).    $2.50. Dollar Tree

Deodorant. (2).    $2.50. Dollar Tree

Total:  $5.   $25 under monthly budget


YTD 

Household. $5.34.   Over budget to date

Personal Care.  $$177   Under budget to date

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

2024. Buying and Eating: December 1-15

 Allocation   $403

Cushion   $1060.96


What We Ate:     Thanksgiving casserole, stewed tomatoes ;     Taco pizza;      Beef barley soup, grilled cheese toast;     Stromboli, peas, baked potato ;     Stuffed pepper soup, pepperoni, cheese and crackers;     Italian meatloaf, pasta with sauce, orange and onion salad, Lima beans;     Bean soup, ham salad sandwich;     Potato pancakes, applesauce.    Creamy noodles and kielbasa and garlic bread with Waldorf salad;     Thanksgiving casserolebaked sweet potato, grandma Christmaus bread ;      Taco soup, tortilla chips with queso;            chicken paprikash soup, crescent rolls     Southwestern bean and rice burritos     Vegetable tiki masala, curried potatoes, applesauce 


What We Bought:

Amazon:  wheat gluten (4#). $22. (For 2 years worth of bread baking)

Giant Eagle:  romaine (3),  London broil (1.5#, on sale), boneless pork (2.6#, on sale), eckrich franks (on sale), lump crabmeat (6 oz), lemons (5, on sale), fresh rosemary. $5.53. The rest was covered by store credit.

Total   $27.53

Eating Out:

$2.52  Lunch o way to DC.     Sam’s 


Two  Week Total    $30.05

Remaining Allocation     $372.95


YTD     338 days

Total    $2980.09         $8.82/day     $4.41/ person/day

Grocery     $2157.02        $6.38/day      $3.19/person/day

Eating Out     $823.07      $2.43/day     $1.22/person/day

         

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

2024. Frugal Things in November

 1.  My husband and I got our needed vaccinations and earned $30 in free groceries.  I will spend it on potatoes, onions, carrots and cabbage.

2.  On Veterans Day, my husband and I ate for free all day because of the much appreciated thank you giveaways.  Mike also got a free haircut and a car wash.  

3.  There are a lot of seasonal sales in November to take advantage of and save money:  flour, sugar, butter, and the holiday turkey to name a few.  You will likely not see lower prices on these items during the year.  I stocked up.

4.  Thanksgiving was cooked from the stockpile.  The turkey breast was purchased in the summer and was a manager’s special at 42 cents per pound, sausage stuffing, butternut squash, green beans, cranberries and pumpkin pie were all made from sale ingredients in the stockpile .   No special purchases at regular prices were required.


Tuesday, December 3, 2024

2024. Buying and Eating: November 16-30

 Remaining Allocation.    $305.14

Cushion.    $898.80


What We Ate:     Beefy French onion pasta casserole, yogurt;     Vegetable curry, yogurt;     Creamy Tuscan shrimp and scallops Florentine with pasta, creamy yogurt and fruit jello, garlic bread  (2);    Chicken paprikash soup, homemade bread;     Cheesy rice and ham, creamed corn, yogurt jello, blueberry bagel;     Creamy Italian beans and greens, quinoa with rosemary, orange salad with feta and honey, bread with cheese;     Pork fried rice, roasted carrots, apple and orange salad;     Vegetable tiki masala over quinoa, onion bhajis, mixed fruit and vanilla yogurt, homemade flatbread;     Ham, turkey and cheese Stromboli, snack items;     French onion beefy noodles, butter beans, cottage cheese and fruit, scones;     Jambalaya, flat bread, peas;     Thanksgiving:  turkey breast, butternut squash, green beans, stuffing, cranberries , pumpkin pie;   Thanksgiving leftovers;  vegetarian Mexican pizza;   


What We Bought:

Giant Eagle:  onions  (10#), yams (1.72#)    $5.56   Sale items

Aldi:  chicken stock  (5), butter(6)    $25.89     Sale items

Sanders:  croissants (8), donuts (12)     $6.99     Manager specials

Bellas:  oranges, bleu cheese, ricotta cheese, t bone steak (#)     $10.63    Manager specials 

Country Fair:  eggs (4doz)  $10  sale item

Happs Grocery:    Apple sauce(6), peanut butter (2), olive oil (2); rye flour, wine vinegar (2), frosted bran, brownie mix, baby bundts, cranberry mango juice (2), jalfreizi sauce, Louisiana pepper sauce, Thai garlic and chili sauce, yellow corn meal, snacks items (36 items).    $36.60salvage items 

Ollie’s:  tomato purée (2), Pam,  Beets    $4.21 15% off sale items

Total.    $99.88


Eating Out

$20.56.   Lunch with Mike 

$22.64     Lunch with Mike 

Total:  $43.10


YTD   323 days

Total     $2951.04     $9.14/day     $4.57/ person/day

Grocery     $2129.49        $6.58/day        $3.29/parson/day

Eating Out      $820.55        $2.54/day      $1.27/person/day

New Cushion     $1060.96


Monday, November 25, 2024

2024. More From The Tightwad Gazette. Number 5

Here are some recipes courtesy of The Tightwad Gazette.

1.    Salad dressing can be expensive, especially when you compare them to the cost of the ingredients.  Here is an easy one to try if you want to save $$$ by making your own.

                                                                              Italian Vinaigrette

1/2 cup cider or red wine vinegar             1 1/2 cups Olive or vegetable oil.             2 garlic cloves, crushed 

3/4 tsp salt.                        1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper.                     1 Tbs  minced chives or parsley.         

1 tsp dry mustard or 1 Tbs prepared mustard.                  1/2 tsp dried basil, oregano or mixed Italian herbs

Combine everything in a large jar with a tight fitting lid.  Shake well before using.  Makes a quart.  Also good as a marinade.  

Google for other recipes you might want to try.


2.  Sometimes it is easy to modify a recipe to save money or to use what you have in the cupboard.

                                                           Have It Your Way Seafood Casserole 

4-6 ounces of sale pasta, any shape you like or have.       More pasta means more or larger servings 

1/2 cup mayonnaise , store brand works

1/2 cup milk or dry white wine.         The wine gives a very nice flavor and I like to use it but adds to $$$

1 can condensed cream soup.     I don’t use soup, I make a white sauce version of a celery soup. Less $$$

1 cup shredded cheese (4 oz).       I use mozzarella and Parmesan mixed but use what you have

1/2 tsp dry mustard or 1Tbs prepared mustard

6-8 ounces drained canned shrimp, crab or tuna     If we aren’t having company I use tuna, much cheaper 

Crunchy topping       Buttered bread crumbs, crushed chips or slivered almonds   I use bread crumbs

Cook pasta and drain.  Combine ingredients through the must and mix well.  Add seafood and stir.  Transfer to baking dish.  Cover and bake at 350 for thirty minutes.  Uncover and top with crunchy topping.  Bake 5-10 minutes more.  Makes 6-8 servings 

The last time I priced this out, using the less expensive choices cut the cost over half.


3.  This bread was called Cuban bread in the Tightwad Gazette.  I have no idea why.   But, I do know that it makes a good and quick loaf of bread.  You can double the recipe if you have a bigger family.

3 cups all purpose flour       1 Tbs yeast        1 Tbs sugar      1 Tbs salt         2 cups water (120-130 degrees)

I use my stand mixer for this but you can definitely make it by hand.  Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt.  Add the water and mix until the dough is well mixed and no longer sticky.   Kneed for about 5 minutes.Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes.  Shape into a loaf.  I make a round one but you can make the more traditional loaf.   Cut an x into the top of a round loaf or two slashes into the loaf.  Place onto the middle rack of a COLD oven.  Place a pan of hot water on the bottom rack.  Turn the oven to 400 and bake 40-50 minutes until deep golden brown.   75 minutes from start to finish.  That is fast!


4.  This recipe is good to have in the refrigerator for quick bread products that can be done at the last minute.  If you get a little past it’s suggested life in your fridge just expect a sourdough taste.  Definitely not a problem.  This dough works great for dinner rolls, doughnuts, hot cross buns, and bread once it reaches the sourdough stage.

                                                               Potato Flakes Refrigerator Dough

1 Tbs yeast          3/4 cup warm water          1/3 cup sugar          3/4 tsp salt     1/3 cup oil

1 egg1 cup mashed potatoes from potato flakes      3-3.5 cups flour

Mic ingred in bowl of mixer and beat about 5 minutes.  Cover bowl tightly and refrigerate atleat 8 hours or until ready to use.   Let rise 1.5 hours before baking  in 400 degree ovenqq

The dough stays sweet for 5 days and sourdough for a further two days.


5.  I am not a fan of processed pudding mixes.  I prefer to make it from scratch.  I do it in the microwave.

                                                              Vanilla Pudding 

1/2 cup sugar        3 Tbs corn starch       2 c whole milk          2 egg yolks        1 Tbs butter         1 T vanilla 

Mix all the ingredients but the butter and vanilla well.  Cook in the microwave in two minute intervals, stirring between intervals, until thick.  Add butter and vanilla and mix well.   Let cool.

                                                             Chocolate Pudding 

Add 6 Tbs cocoa.

                                                             Butterscotch Pudding 

Use brown sugar instead of white sugar.


6.  I buy reduced bananas at 19cents/pound.  Logic says I need recipes for ripe bananas.  Here is one I use.

                                                                     Banana Toast

1 or 2 ripe bananas, smashed very well          2 eggs             1 tsp cinnamon            Bread

Mix the first three ingredients well.  Dip bread into mixture and cook in buttered pan.  Serve with maple syrup.


7.   Casseroles are frugal and a good way to use leftovers and bits and pieces.    Here is a guideline for creating a casserole from what you have.

1 cup main ingredient such as chicken, tuna, ham, hamburger, cooked legumes, ham

1 cup second ingredient such as mushrooms, peas, sweet peppers, diced tomatoes 

2 cups starchy ingredient such as pasta, rice, potatoes

1 1/2 cups binder such as cream sauce, sour cream, canned soup, thickened broth

Seasoning such as herbs and spices

Topping ingredient such as crushed chips, cheese, bread crumbs

Thoroughly combine all but topping ingredients.  If too dry, add milk or stock to moisten.  Bake in a casserole dish at 350 for 30 minutes.  Add topping and cook for 15 minutes more.


8.  As I age I am trying to eat more whole grains.  That is made easier by using the following Universal Pilaf Recipe.

1 cup of uncooked grain such as rice, barley, bulgur, couscous

2 Tbs olive oil, vegetable oil, butter

Base vegetable such as garlic, onion, green onions 

2 cups liquid such as broth or water

1/2 to 2/3 cups of protein such as chicken, tuna, beans, fish, shellfish, hamburger 

Additional vegetables such as peas, carrots, corn,green peppers, celery, mushrooms 

Seasoning of your choice 

Heat fat in a large skillet and add the base vegetable.  Add the meat, grain and then liquid and bring to a boil.  Add the additional vegetables and seasoning and return to a boil.Simmer until all the liquid is absorbed.










Sunday, November 17, 2024

2024 October Frugal Things

1.   I cooked up the bones from several turkey breasts and made broth.  I got two quarts of good broth.  Then I did a final look through the bones and got enough bits and pieces for a nice pot of soup.  Basically all free.

2.  We inventoried the cupboards and freezer so that we know what we have.  We will now base meals on leftovers we have.

3.    I made a large batch of cinnamon rolls (13) using refrigerator potato dough.   Cost was less than $2.

4.   We went to Canada for the Shaw Festival and paid for our hotel room with points.

5.   Now that we are out of the rv I have been baking more:  whole wheat bread, rye bread, English muffins, pizza crust, cinnamon raisin bread.  Each cost me less than a dollar to make.  Quite a savings.