2026 Buying and Eating: August

 Allocation     $403

 Cushion     $921.92

Days    220 as of the end of August (on vacation for 7 days)

What We Ate:    Bean curry over rice, yellow beans, peaches      Homemade Mac and cheese with corn on the cob and peaches       Grilled hotdogs with pasta salad and baked beans (2)        Jambalaya, butter beans, salad, Swiss cheese bread       Avocado pasta, garlic bread, salad          Crab cakes, carrot raisin salad, baked potato, corn on the cob      Grilled salmon, tempura cauliflower, carrot salad, garlic bread      Beef and bean burritos with corn on the cob.        Asian peanut and  Salmon pasta with roasted cauliflower        Welsh rarebit  on toast, carrot salad, Brussels sprouts , fruit and yogurt           Taco salad, corn on the cob, cheese bread        Beef and beans burrito , popcorn        Indian lentil curry and rice, curried potatoes       Ham salad sandwich with Brunswick stew           Crab cakes, California medley veggies.., pasta with pesto      Chicken, peas, carrots  and noodles with mashed potatoes, cottage cheese and fresh tomato ,  muffins     Curry wraps, leftover potatoes and onion rings, cottage cheese and mandarin oranges     Yorkshire pudding with Brunswick stew, yogurt and fruit, muffins       Beef and bean quesadillas, roasted carrots, Mexican sautéed potatoes     Italian tomato porcupines, spaghetti and sauce, fried green tomatoes        Tomato sandwiches and fried potatoes     

What We Bought:

Tops:     Sour cream, shredded cheddar (3).   $9.21

Aldi:     Smoked sausage (2.5#), Italian bread. Cinnamon bagels, everything bagels, English muffins  $18.01

Aldi      Fresh salmon (1#), sliced cheddar, frozen peas, cottage cheese, avocados(4)   $18.88

Aldi :potatoes (10#), Greek yogurt (qt)  parm cheese grated, Parmesan cheese, block, cream cheese (2), onions(3#), shredded cheese (1,5#), sliced cheese (2#), bagels (2), bananas(1.63#), avocados (2)   $41.00

Sanders:   Potatoes (5#), donuts (6), mushrooms (3), Italian bread    $10.20

Trader Joe (yearly shop):     Onion pancakes, orange chicken, paneer (2), edamame (2), gnocchi, plantains, naan, dumplings (2), dried cranberries, dried apricots, cheese (8 types) , spanakopita       $104.34

Aldi:  low carb bread, heavy cream, low carb tortillas   $12.07    Bought especially for the diet we are on.

Total:  $213.71

Eating Out 

Ice cream with Mike.  $4.50

Lunch with Mike     $20.17

Lunch with Mike.       $11.64

Lunch with Springhill residents.   $18.52

Springhill lunch.       $25.81

Total:  $80.54

Grand Total:  294.25

Remaining Allocation   $208.75

New Cushion     $1030.12

Days  250 as of the end of September 

YTD Grocery  $1141.94          $5.19/day        $2.60/person/day

YTD Eating Out   $374.55      $$170/day       $0.85/person/day

YTD Total       $$1516.49       $6.89/day        $3.45/person/day

2026. Frugal Things in August

 1.  I used a 50cent box of muesli to make homemade granola.

2.  We continue to eat out of our stockpile to help keep food costs down.

3.  We froze  corn, blackberries , zucchini, green pepper, avocados   for enjoying in the winter.

4.  I made two birthday gifts using yarn that I purchased at thrift stores.  

5.  We are enjoying homegrown tomatoes and (safe) lettuce.

6. I got three free clumps of ornamental grasses from my buy nothing group.  They look nice along the side of the house.

7.  I made muffins, croutons and breadcrumbs.

Frugal Fail:  My KitchenAide mixer went in for repair.  I use it to make my yeast breads.  Therefore, no homemade breads, etc.  I had to purchase bread, bagels and English muffins.   Ouch!

2026 Household and Personal Care: June and July

 Household. For June.      0         $40/month allocated            YTD $146.16 under

   Personal Care for June.     0.       $20/month.   Allocated      YTD $54.  Over

Personal care   

    Haircuts for both of us for $23.99  YTD $70.01 over

Household for July

Refurbished oreck vacuum.      $95.35

Kleenex.     $14.98.    Sam’s 

New toaster.  $30

Dishwasher detergent. $9.00.  

Total.   159.33.     YTD       13.03 over

2026. Frugal things in July

 1.  I continued to bake rather than buy.  It is much cheaper.  This month I made cinnamon raisin bread, no yeast flatbread, Artisan bread(2),  prune breakfast bread, rustic rye bread, croutons from homemade Bread,  Ghirardelli’s brownies made from a 90 cent mix, rye croutons from homemade bread, olive, bacon and cheese loaf.

2.  I used a Chewy coupon I received in the mail and saved $20 on things I needed that were comparable to local prices.  And, they were delivered to the door.  I saved another $25 by doing auto ship and I can cancel at any time.

3.    I made sure to take advantage of my free birthday drink at Starbucks.  The iced latte was delicious on a hot day.

4.  We froze cauliflower, beets, & strawberries, beets, onion and made sweet pickles with some cucumbers.   All produce was From the CSA to enjoy this winter.

5.  I used the cauliflower stocks to make cauliflower soup to go with tomato and cheese sandwiches.

6.  We used a $15 birthday coupon at the yacht club to enjoy a lunch out.

7.  I had a coupon for my haircut that saved me $7.

2026. Buying and Eating: July

 Allocation   $403

Cushion   $651.37

Days     196

What We Ate:  cabbage, cashew and chicken salad with beans, corn on the cob; (2)       Taco salad and cowboy caviar;      Grilled ribs, baked beans, potato skins, pea salad.         Chicken divan, mashed potatoes, 🥔 yogurt and grapefruit, cowboy caviar      Falafels, homemade flatbread, tzatziki, red pepper hummus, dilled carrotsn, tossed Salas #3.        Blt salad with beans, fresh corn and cheese toast.    Cheeseburger salad with beans       Italian strata with sausage, basil, rosemary,mozzarella and spinach, leftover salad(2)    Bean curry with paneer and potatoes over rice, fried cauliflower , homemade flatbread   , salad.        Crab Louis with white beans, cheese grits, bread.    Lentil and ground beef sloppy Joe, salad, cauliflower cheese;     Taco salad and corn on the cob.          .cauliflower Soup with  white beans, with cheese and tomato sandwiches.       Chef salad with peas, corn on the cob, rye and Swiss bread.              Schnitzel, pierogie, corn on the cob, salad.            Stroganoff with wild rice, sautéed beet greens, tzatziki salad, bread         Tzatziki salad with chicken, olive, bacon and cheese bread, corn on the cob       Chicken divan, cheesy potatoes, corn on the cob         Pizza and popcorn 

What We Bought:  

Tops:  cheese, peanut butter, raw shrimp   11.37      All on sale

Aldi:   Olives (4), Greek yogurt     $15.45  

Sam’s Club:  olives (2)   Pam (2)   $25.44

Aldi:  avocados(4)    $2.76 on sale     On sale

Tops:  sour cream, shredded cheese (3)  $6.26  sale items

Giant Eagle:   Eggs(3)    $0.95     Anniversary special

TOTAL    $52.23           

Eating Out:

Lunch with the ladies:   $10.37

Lunch with Mike.      $11.85

Sandy birthday dinner.    $39.74 

Lunch at yacht club.    $18,21

TOTAL.   $80.22       

  

GRAND TOTAL.  $132.45        

Remaining Allocation:  $270.55

New Cushion:  $ 921.92

YTD grocery      $928.23   $4.74/day            $2.37/person/day

YTD eating out   $294.01       $1.41/day        $0.71/person/day

YTD total     $1222.24           $6.33/ day.         $3.12/person/day

2026. Buying and Eating: June 1-30

 Allocation for June   $13x30=$390

Cushion at beginning of June   $522.19  cushion tat end of June $$651.37

YTD Days through June   165

YTD Grocery as of the end of May $714.89. June  $ 161.11=$876  as o end of June       $5,31/day            $2.65/person/day

YTD Eating Out as of the end of May  $113.08   June   $99.70=$212.79   As of end of June    $1.29/day     $0.65/person/day

YTD Total as of the end of May     $827.97    June  $260.82=1088.79  as of end of June        $6.60/day    $3.30/person/day

What We Ate:       Straomboli, Fruit salad with tahini dressing, cheesy potatoes,  broccoli (2).     Chili spaghetti, cheese bread, fruit salad (2)      Chicken fried rice and salad with cheese bread       Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes, glazed carrots with apple, Raisin Bran muffins, stewed tomatoes and green            Ham loaf, potato skins,  glazed carrots and apple, tomatoes and green beans        Jambalaya , cheese grits, sautéed and seasoned corn, pears and bleu cheese         Black beans burgers, baked beans, cheesy potatoes, California medley vegetables         Spaghetti and meatballs with homemade sauce, salad, garlic bread        Chicken and biscuits with fruit salad.        Pork schnitzel, pierogie,  applesauce     Mexican pizza         Lentil curry with paneer , rice. Spinach and potatoes curry, fruit salad        Baked Parmesan chicken, peas and mushrooms, stuffing, pears and bleu cheese      Chicken divan on dressing, leaf lettuce salad. ; grilled jambalaya wrap and fruit salad,    Chicken and strawberry salad ;   Steak salad;  taco salad;       shrimp newberg, asparagus, garlic bread(2);     Pierogie and sausage casserole ;       breakfast for dinner;       Stromboli, potato rounds, grapes      Grilled salmon, zucchini and chick peas, potato salad,       Salmon and zucchini pasta, red beet salad,  savory white bean salad.            Chicken , cabbage white beans and cashew salad          bang bang cauliflower,  sautéed garlic snap peas, Asian marinated meat from freezer, Korea potatoes.          mashed lentils,  Ham and Swiss with coleslaw           

Eating Out 

Lunch with Mike     $4.24  Sam’s 

Lunch with Pat    $26.75    

Lunch with Mike  $16     Co-Op

Mike lunch in Cleveland  $4.93

Lunch with Joyce     $9.49

Lunch in Buffalo with Mike      $23..30

Breakfast in Buffalo with Mike   $15

Total$99.71

What We Bought

Sams :  olives (2)  maple syrup, feta (2#)   $39.70

Tops:   Sour cream, Muenster    $3.37^  both at sale prices

Erie Co-Op :   herbs, tomato plant. $20

Mason farms.  Quart strawberry and 6 lettuce plants.  $11.22

Aldi:  heavy cream.  $4.69

Aldi:  baby Bella’s (4), bacon(3).     $15..84  osale items

Sanders:  western ribs(4#), cab sirloin steak, (1.5#), bread.    $14. 41  all sale items

Giant Eagle:  chicken wings (4#), smoked salmon (2)   A $15 credit and $0.18 out of pocket 

Aldi:   Lemons (6), sliced cheese (2 1/2 #), plain yogurt (qt)    $13.43  cheese and lemons sale items

Tops:  asparagus (1#), pasta    $3.66  sale and items

Aldi:  red grapes  (1.55#)   $2.15  sale item

Tops:   Pasta, baked beans,, triscuits, shredded cheddar (3), cantaloupe    $13.82  all sale items

Giant Eagle:  pasta, salmon fillet (1#)   $6.66  all sale items

Country Fair:  butter (4),   Eggs (2)    $11.98

Total $161.11

2026. Linus Project and Such: April-June

 Chemo Caps. 16           YTD 26

Operation Gratitude Scarves       29           YTD 44

Linus Blankets     9           YTD 15

Chemo Squares    4          YTD 25