2026. Linus and Such: January-March

 Operation Gratitude Scarves:     15

Project Chemo crochet:       21

Linus Project Blankets:     6

Chemo Caps       10

60 skeins of generously donated yarn for free 

2026. Frugal things in March

 March is not a month of specific good deals but more a month of general frugality that adds up to savings.  I made a lot of things from scratch:  biscotti, artisan bread, white bread, oatmeal bread, Chinese onion pancake, Italian polenta, pasta sauce, Italian sausage, breakfast sausage, corn muffins, etc.    The price per item adds up to quite a savings. 

I currently have a batch of vegetarian chili simmering, a corned beef in the oven and a pan of cheesy potatoes cooking low and slow with the corned beef.  I try to take full advantage of the oven heat by cooking at least two things at the same time.

We have been eating down leftovers from the freezer.  It’s almost like eating for free since the cost of the meal was computed the first time I served it.  Perfect for busy days, too.

And, as I am sure you expect, we have been relying on our stockpile for meal ingredients.  For example:  a 50cent cake mix made biscotti; stockpiled flour makes a variety of breads; cornmeal made polenta and corn muffins, a 34cent large can of crushed tomatoes was the base of spaghetti sauce;  a mixture of ground meats bought cheaply was the base for Italian and breakfast sausage.

2026. Buying and Eating. March 1-17.

 Allocation:    17x$13= $221.  We leave on vacation on the 18th and meals are provided.

Cushion:     $417.17

YTD Days as of March:    67

YTD Grocery as of February $125.19

YTD Eating Out as of February.     $22

YTD Total as of February.       $232.83

What We Ate:     Assorted Appetizers:   Dry Martini Dip with crackers, bacon wrapped water chestnuts, Meg’s cheesy things, shrimp and cream cheese with crackers ;     BBQ hotdogs, baked beans, corn, salad;    Thai chicken and paneer fried rice, sautéed pineapple,  Chinese pancake:    Vegetable pancakes, apple sauce, green soybeans ;     Polenta , Italian sausage and sauce with garlic cheese bread     Shrimp, apple, mandarin, carrot and pineapple salad, garlic and cheese pasta;      Huevos, nachos, corn muffins with green chilies ;        Jambalaya, green beans, grilled bagel;     Soupa Toscana, tuna and cheese;     Marry me garbanzo beans over polenta, tomato and mozzarella salad (2);          Toasted everything pierogies, butter beans, apple sauce;       Halomi cheese and tomatoes, beans and greens over pasta,  garlic bread, fruit salad;    Chili spaghetti with broccoli and garlic bread ;    Corned beef, cheesy potatoes , green beans with almonds;      Corned beef Reubens with popcorn;      Corned beef and Swiss casserole, fresh fruit , tomatoes and mozzarella salad 

What We Bought:

Aldi:  hotdog buns     $1.39

Costco:      Garlic powder    $8.49

Aldi:  powdered sugar, sour cream,  whipping cream, cream cheese, frozen spinach, beef shaved steak, cantaloupe     $20.49

Tops:   Corned beef round (3.24 pounds), mixed Italian cheese, grape tomatoes,      $23.21

Aldi:  red potatoes (5#), onions (3#), feta ,  onion soup mix (2), cheddar, Muenster, Swiss, provolone     $17.82

Monthly Grocery Total:  $81.40

Eating Out:

Breakfast with Ginger.    $10

Mike Lunch at Costco.    $1.50

Taco Bell with Mike.    $10

Monthly Eating Out Total:  $21.50

Monthly Grand Total:   $102.90

New Cushion:  $535.27

YTD as of end of March :  67 days

YTD. Grocery as of March:  $206.59.        $3.78/day.      $1.89/person/day

YTD Eating Out as of March:     $43.50.        $0.66/days.        $0.33/person/day

YTD Grand Total as of March:    $335.73.       $5.01/days.        $2.50/person/day

2026. Buying and Eating: February 1-28

 Allocation:  $13x28=$364.00 

Cushion:   $160.81

YTD:   50 days as of February 

YTD Grocery.    $125.19 as of January 

Eating Out.    -0-

YTD Total:  $125.19.      5.68/day     $2.85/person/ day as of January 

What We Ate:     Soupa Toscana, grilled mozzarella and pepperoni sandwiches;       Creamy sour cream chicken, rice, beets, cinnamon bread;      Salmon, baked potatoes, squash, yogurt and mandarins;     Leftover Greek spinach casserole ;     Salmon and pasta with cream sauce, carrots with orange sauce, apple salad;     Asian beef and vegetables with rice, yogurt and tropical fruit;      Beef, bean and cheese nachos with fresh fruit salad;     Crab chowder, cheese biscuits, cheese;     Ham salad sandwich and popcorn;     Huevos ranchero, fruit and cottage cheese,  cheese biscuits ;     Curry, potatoes, cabbage, cheese biscuits;   Meatloaf , mashed potatoes and gravy, mixed vegetables, fruit bread with apple butter;     Cottage pie, spiced peaches, cheesy muffins;      Valentines Day :   Beef tenderloin, asparagus, potatoes Anna;        Sloppy Joe, potato skins, butter beans ;     Pittsburgh steak salad ;       Steak wraps, chips, salad;     Pierogi, tropical salad, asparagus, garlic bread;     Jambalaya, salad, bread;     Matzo Fafell asparagus, salad, everything bagel;     Joyce’s chicken salad:    Boneless pork loin chops, mixed fruit salad, banana and blueberry bread, salad;      Taco salad;     Lasagna soup and crackers with cheese;     Italian beans and greens, grilled bagels;     Stack enchiladas and cornbread with a salad;     Macaroni and cheese with baked beans, applesauce and brown bread ;     Mexican pizza and popcorn 

Eating Out:

Lunch with Amy and Cindy         Cracker Barrel     $14

Lunch with Ginger         Toreadors        $8.00

Monthly Total Eating Out:   $22

What We Bought:

Aldi:   Sweet colored peppers (6), avocados (3), eggs.          $7.29

Tops:   Beef broth, chunk cheese, pasta, asparagus (#).    $8.56

Country Fair:   Eggs (2).  $3.00

Aldi:    Bagels(2pkg), mushrooms (3pkg), romaine hearts.    $10.84

Sam’s Club:  butter (16#).    $6.96 cash.    (And $26.80 in Sam’s cash)

Giant Eagle:   Perogies (6),   Tuna (10).    $20.       

Amazon:   Vital wheat gluten.   $28.99. Lasts two years

Monthly Total Grocery : $85.64

Grand Total Monthly:   $107.64

New Cushion:  $417.17

YTD Days as of end of February:  50

YTD Grocery:  $200.83.        $4.02/day     $2.01/Person/Day

YTD Eating Out:     $22.       $0.44/day.      $0.22/person/day

YTD Grand Total :    $232.83.      $4.46day.       $2.23/person/day

Thank heavens for stockpiling.

2026. Household and Personal Care: Januaryand February

 Household.  $40/month

   Toilet paper.     $9.55.     $15 was paid by a gift card    Sams Club 

    Dishwasher detergent (82 tablets)   $14.75   Amazon 

Total:  $23.30   

 

Personal Care. Was  $20/month      And I  know already it won’t work so raising to $50/month

Sandy haircut     $47    I needed a change, but boy!

2026. Frugal Things In January and February

 1.  We stayed over in Budapest for a few days.  Our hotel room was paid for using points.

2.  I combined a sale on ground beef and the redemption of some perks earned to buy about five pounds of hamburger meat for $0.27.   I feel successful.

3.   We used a $15 gift card won at bingo to help buy a year’s worth of toilet paper.  Cash was only $9.55.  Quite happy.

4.  I cooked a yummy beef tenderloin dinner with asparagus and potato, plus dessert and wine.  It fed the two of us for well under the restaurant cost for one.  And there were leftovers.  Only the asparagus was bought specifically for the meal and it was a sale item.  The rest of the ingredients came from our stockpile and freezer.

5.  We continue to rely on our stockpile and freezer when planning meals.  Since the items are always bought during a sale, It really helps keep us within our food budget.  YTD we have spent $

6.  By using $26.80 in Sam’s cash, I managed to buy 16 pounds of butter for only $6.96.  Quite good.

2026. January 10-31. Buying and Eating

 Allocation.  $286   $13X22=$286 to cover groceries and meals out ; this is the third year using $13+ as the daily allowance 

Cushion.        0    The cushion does not carry over from one year to the next 

Days.      22

Two week low carb diet beginning on the tenth.  We relied on the freezer stockpile for the meat and cheese.

What We Ate:

Roast beef in savory sauce, cooked cabbage as base, broccoli with Parmesan cheese, plain yogurt with raspberries;        Marinated pork tenderloin,  zucchini fritters, cottage cheese with onion, blackberries and cream;        Chicken breast in caper cream sauce, cottage cheese with fire roasted diced tomatoes, southwest ranch baked cauliflower ,blueberries and cheesecake;     Cheesy meatloaf, spinach salad, fried cabbage,chocolate mousse ;      Curry with meat, paneer cheese and green beans over steamed cabbage, spinach salad, freezer fruit and yogurt       Mexican meat and cheese with roasted tomatoes, and green chilies cucumbers and sour cream with dill,Low carb cheesecake.        Sausage meatza with black olives yogurt and egg cake with  freezer fruit           Welsh rarebit over steamed cauliflower, fried cabbage with bacon, yogurt cake with fruit;     Swedish meatballs over steamed cabbage, zucchini rounds, sautéed spinach and bacon;     Cream of broccoli and cauliflower soup, yogurt with berries ;      spinach and feta pie, halloumi cheese, cucumber and onion salad        Polish kielbasa, fried mushrooms with peppers and onions, green beans with almonds , cabbage salad       Creamed cabbage with ham , Sweet and sour cabbage, yogurt and fruit.     Mexican meat burritos, green beans and almonds, cucumber salad 

Then on the 24-31 We returned to our usual diet and depended on the stockpile.    

homemade Pizza with popcorn;    Meat and bean curry, rice, cucumber salad;     Bean soup.     Lasagna soup.     Spicy black bean burgers and sweet potato fries, with corn;      Potato pancakes, ham steak, peas  Cottage pie,  cucumber and orange salad, pears with bleu cheese;     Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, spinach and fruit salad , 

What We Bought:

Aldi:  sucralose, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese,cream, fresh spinach, avocados, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, zucchini, mushrooms, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cantaloupe.   $40.50

Tops:    Eggs (4), pasta (three 32 oz) , egg noodles (2), pasta(16 oz )   Cheddar  cheese (8oz)     $14.98

Bellos:  cabbage (5,35#), mushrooms      3.56

Sams Club:  blueberries, lemon pepper, baking powder   $25.22

Aldi:  carrots, Greek yogurt, cucumber, no carb tortillas, fresh spinach:   $11.01

Giant Eagle:  ground beef (5#)     $0.27   Plus redeemed perks in the amount of $16.71

Aldi:   Cottage cheese    $2.85

Aldi:   Appples, mandarins, avocados, onions   $12.26

Grocery Total:    $125.19

YTD:  22 days

Grocery:    $125.19

Eating Out-0-

New Cushion:     $160.81

$5.58/ day          $2.85/person/day for January 

Starting to finally see some room in the freezer.