March, Final Numbers

We have $121.66   to get through the next eleven days.

Lunch with Rick and MJ:  $14.06
Lunch with Joyce:  $15
Breakfast with Dad:  $23.45
Lunch with Angela:  $19.85
Lunch with Ginger:  $10.00


Aldi:
Eggplant, strawberries,carb bars, sweet peppers, green beans for $9.35

Tops:
Spinach for $1.00

I only had $28.95 to get through the next week.  Too much social life with more to come.  I would definitely be using some of the extra January and February money.  Drat!

Charlie's Celebration Dinner (he got into pharmacy school) $75.10.  That took all of the money remaining for March and $46.15 of February's extra.

 Only $66.29 of February money, plus all of January's extra remained.  I was bummed.  I can't afford to have too many social months like this or I won't have any emergency cushion at all..

What did we eat:
Steak and shrimp; homemade French Onion soup; beef and bean burritos; grilled scallops;  chicken paprikash soup with dumplings and cheesecake; Rotatouille with pasta and garlic bread;Swedish meatballs; Reuben with yogurt and blueberries; homemade pizza

Salvage Shopping:

Chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, Heath bar toffee chips, trivia brown sugar (2), brownie mix, Atkins items (2), beef Jerky, popcorn, pineapple, black pepper, minced garlic (2), split peas, coffee (3), natural peanut butter (3), marshmallows, vanilla pudding, nuts(4), balsamic vinegar for a cost of $34.21

So, a bad month.  We spent all of March's money ($381.61),  and most of February's surplus ($80.36  ) for a total of $461.97 .    Too much of this resulted from meals out ($207.34).

Let's just hope I do a lot better in April.

Using Up The Bits And Pieces

Anyone who crochets or knits ends up with bits and pieces of leftover yarn.

My obsessive compulsive cheap self won't throw it away.

Consequently,  I ended up with three bags of bits and pieces.

I had a goal:  find a project(s), that will use up this leftover yarn.

I found two!!!

So far, I have made 18 of one project and 4 of the other.
And, I still have yarn to use up!?!  Can you believe it???

I'll keep you posted.

March, Part two

During the first third of the month I spent almost exactly one half of the March allotment.  I have $190.70 left to spend.  Of course, I could spend some of the rollovers from January and February ($180.46 in total) but what's the fun and challenge in that?

Aldi:
Cream (2), dill pickles, green peppers, eggs (2), cereal snack bars, onions (2), zucchini, Romaine (3), blue cheese, feta cheese, lemon juice.  The cost was  $24.16.

Trader Joe's:
Sprouted grain bread (6),  chocolate covered almonds (2) for a total of $31.13.

We also bought pizza while at Jim and Robin's for $13.75.

We have $121.66 for the rest of the month.  Should be Okay.

What did we eat:

Ham loaf, asparagus, Greek salad and egg custard; leftovers; baba ghanoush, hummus, Mediterranean tuna, chocolate pudding;  homemade ham salad sandwich and homemade bean with bacon soup;Parmesan crusted fish, asparagus,mushrooms and yogurt with strawberries;  corned beef, cabbage, deviled eggs and Kentucky high day pie; 

March, Part One

For the month of March the government says I should be able to feed us frugally on $381.61.  Added to that, I can, if needed, use all or part of January's rollover of $ 68.02 and February's rollover of $112.44.  Therefore, I could, if I so desire, spend up to a total of $562.07.

Since we are still relying on items in our stockpile, my goal is to once again have a rollover of funds at the end of this month.  These and other rollover funds will eventually be used to rebuild stocks of meat and other items.

In fact, some was used to purchase Lenten fish and seafood this month when we went to Aldi and took  advantage of some sales.  We bought:
Medium shrimp (2), Ah I tuna, tilapia, scallops, mussels, canned soup (2), corned beef brisket and asparagus.  We spent a total of $39.19

Dollar Tree:
Molasses for $1

After a good meeting with my surgeon we treated ourselves to lunch at a cost of $22.58.  Pricey but enjoyable.

We went to Wal-Mart and bought:
Splenda, honey ham, roast beef, flour tortillas and spent $12.14

We also gave into temptation in D.C. and went to Trader Joe's where we bought:
Cheese (three types of cheddar and two types of Swiss), a liter of olive oil, almonds,black bean rottini, and a loaf of multigrain rustic bread.  The total is $41.66.

In D.C. and on the way home we ate out twice.
Subway salads for $14.52 and
Bob Evans for $21.71

At this point in the month we have spent $152.80 and have $409.27 for the remaining month.

Another trip to Aldi:
Strawberries (2), medium shrimp, sugar free strawberry preserves, Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, eggplant. For a total of $13.23

A trip to Shur-Fine where we bought:
Cheese (4 lbs.), tomatoes, cottage cheese, cream cheese, Bob Evans sausage (2) and paid $24.04.

We have now spent $176.06 and have $385.23 left for the rest of the month.  Time to slow down.

Save a Lot:
Olives, cabbage, cream, cheese (4) for $11.00

Whole Foods:
Tahiti for $3.95

Really, Sandy, slow down on the buying!

One third of the month is gone and we have spent $190.91, over half of March's basic allotment.  Not good.

What did we eat this month?:
Homemade veggie pizza, leftover nachos and guacamole, leftover pizza,dinner courtesy of Megen, dinner out courtesy of Ash, soup and grilled cheese, chef salad and garlic bread, Asian spicy peanut noodles, savory spinach cheesecake,
Southern BBQ, eggplant parmesan.

Back At It

The wound vac is off.
I'm no longer homebound.
My incision is healing well.
And I am back to outpatient physical therapy for my shoulder.
Yay!

While I was homebound I had two wonderful physical therapists who came in three times a week to help make sure my shoulder didn't lose too much ground.  Barb and John did a great job.  I could have been in deep trouble having to take six weeks off.  Instead, I have lost very little of my range of motion or strength.  Hooray!

Our goal is to be back in England no later than May.  Quite doable.

Life is back on track.