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

2026. Frugal things in June

 1.  I continued baking and not buying:  artisan whole wheat bread, Raisin Bran muffins, pineapple cake using juice drained off cans and a twenty five cent cake mix, mincemeat pinwheels using overnight potato bread and homemade green tomatoes mincemeat, Indian flatbread, bagels, bread pudding, Scottish shortbread , croutons

2.   I used a $15 credit at the grocery store and combined it with sales and bought 4# chicken wings and smoked salmon (2), for only $0.18 out of pocket.

3.  We ground a 10#boneless pork shoulder that was purchased on sale, and made 4# Italian sausage, 4#. Breakfast sausage and 2# kielbasa sausage.  Even if purchased at a good price, store made sausage would come at least double.  And I know what is in this sausage .

4. We froze strawberries, cauliflower, cabbage, and lettuce (for soups) from our CSA rather than seeing them go to waste.

5.  I have started to add dry beans to our dinners to make sure that we are getting enough protein now that we are eating smaller portions of meat.  Lots of protein and fiber for literally pennies.  If you read through the buying and eating at the end of the month you will see what I mean:  ham and cheese sandwich with garlicky mashed lentils;    Lentil curry;   Salads with added beans to the mix;   Pasta with added beans.   The possibilities are endless.  Just search google for recipes.

2026 Household and Personal Care: May

 Household $40/month     YTD as of May  $106.16 under

Air freshener for garbage cans.    $1.25.   Tops

Artificial flowers  for urns     $25.00   Thrift stores

Coffee filters (2pkg)        $5.84.         Walmart

$27.09

$9.91 under

Personal Care. $20/month   YTD as o May $64 over

Haircuts for Mike and Sandy.  $30.      

$10 over

2026. Frugal Things in May

 1.    We sent a new prescription to the pharmacy at a grocery store and received $15 credit towards food.

2.  I  mixed leftover vegetables soup and leftover beef barley soup, adjusted the seasoning and used it as a base for cottage pie.  It was easy and delicious.

3.   I made a large batch of Cuban black beans.  Part was eaten as soup and part was turned into spicy black bean burgers.    The leftover burgers became burritos.

4.     I had two containers I needed to fill with artificial flowers.   I couldn’t find any I liked at a price I wanted to afford.  So, I went to three different thrift stores and bought premade arrangements.  I then took them apart and used the flowers to fill my containers.  They look bright and cheerful and only cost a total of $25.

5.   I made rye, white and soda bread for quite a savings over store prices.