2026. Buying and Eating: April 11-30

 Allocation:   20 x $13 =$260

Cushion $535.27 + 56.81=$592.08 as of April 30

YTD as of end of April:  87 days + 17=104 days

YTD Grocery.  $206.59 +138.49=345.08       $3.32/day        $1.66/person/day   As of April 30

YTD Eating Out.   48,50+25.70= $74.200         $0.71/day           $0.36/person/day  as of April 30

YTD Grand Total.    $335.73 + 164.19 =$499.92        $4.81/day          $2.41/person/day as of April 30

What We Ate:

Ham steak, butter beans, cheesy potatoes, pears with bleu cheese, honey glazed carrots ;         Mexican pizza and fresh fruit salad;       Steak on the grill, baked potato , spinach salad ;     Homemade split pea soup;    Oven roasted ham, cheesy potatoes , apple sauce , zucchini , garlic bread;     Ham loaf , macaroni and cheese , spinach salad ;       Ham salad sandwiches on homemade bread ;     Pizza         Spaghetti and meat sauce       Huevos rancheros, refried beans  corn (2)        spinach and seafood quiche. Dauphinois potatoes -)

Low carb days:     A few pounds followed us home from vacation.

Roast beef with onions over steamed cabbage, broccoli, salad, cottage cheese and onions ;     Garlic chicken and almonds salad;     Mexican meat and cheese salad;     Marinated pork loin, zucchini, yogurt and blueberries;  Asian stir fry, cottage cheese and cantaloupe ;     Philadelphia cheese steak salad;     Lemon chicken, broccoli,  Greek salad;     Pepperoni salad;     

What We Bought:

Aldi:   Frozen vegetables (5), cream, plain yogurt, feta, cottage cheese, bleu cheese, cream cheese (2), avocados (2), mushrooms (2), sweet peppers (3),:romaine hearts (3), zucchini (2), broccoli crowns (2), grape tomatoes, cantaloupe, English cucumber, carb control wraps   $49.43  for low carb

Aldi:      Spiral ham, eggs (3)   $14.86    $0,77/# for ham

Walmart.       Fresh spinach      $1.97

Tops  Breyers ice cream, chicken thighs (6.25#), ground beef (5.25#)cheese (3)$36.74 good meat sales

Tops:  eggs (3), oj       $6.96

Aldi:   Greek yogurt, pink lady apples (3#),  mandarins (3#)   10.00    Fruit on sale

Aldi:   Pork schnitzel, avocados (2)    $10.49  a treat

Sanders:     Italian bread, pumpernickel bread,potatoes (5##)  bologna$8.04     All on sale

Eating Out 

Lunch with the ladies  $15.86   Panera

Lunch with Mike  $3.28     Sams

Mike’s breakfast with Gannon guys      $6.56

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.