Salvage Shopping

We were in need of coffee so we made a trip to salvage.  We came home with coffee and several more things jumped into the cart.  Here is what came home with us.

Coffee, ten at $2.99/bag and four at $1.99/bag for a total of $37.86

Croutons, two bags at 79 cents each

Cereal, five boxes total.  Four were 25 cents each and one was 99 cents;  two are raisin bran which will be used for making muffins

Low Carb Tortillas, one was 75 cents and one was 99 cents

Evaporated Goat Milk for 10 cents to make fudge

Refried Beans, two at 10 cents each; great for quick meals

Kraft Mayonnaise, four at 25 cents each

Pudding Mix, three at 25 cents each

Tabouli Mix for 65cents

Matzo ball soup, 49 cents

Grits, 50 cents

Bisquick, $1.50

Tea bags, one hundred for $2.99

Macaroni and cheese, organic, six boxes for 25 cents each

Chopped apples, four small containers for 65 cents

Ketchup, 75 cents

Tomato puree, large, two for $1Total

Tahini, two pounds for $1.50/pound

Evaporated milk, four cans for $1

Breakfast bars, four boxes for $1

Wine vinegar for 99cents

Total Spent  $62.52.

Some nice bargains there.

February 1-15 and the Menu Plan

Here is what we are for the first part of the month and how it aligns with our previously decided upon menu plan for this year.

Low Meat :   moo shu chicken; taco salad; taco pizza
Regular:  bbq pork sandwiches;  hamburgers
Vegetarian:  curried pumpkin soup, dahl and rice, vegetable pot pie
Pasta:  Italian beans and greens, cheese manicotti; spaghetti with      Buffalo Wing sauce; tuna macaroni salad
Rice:  creamy rice and Shrimp with peas
Potato:  baked potato bar
Soup:  bean soup and sandwich; beef stroganoff soup
Egg:  0

Low Meat:  3
Regular:   2
Vegetarian:  2
Pasta:  4, two vegetarian, one low meat, one regular meat
Rice:  1,  low meat
Potato:  1, low meat
Soup:  one regular meat, one low meat
Egg:  0

Final Analysis:
Vege:  4
Low Meat:  7
Regular Meat:  4

Doing better but would still like at least one less low meat and one more vegetarian.

Buying and Eating: February 1-15

$333.48 monthly allocation  with a cushion of $301.60


What We Ate:  moo shu chicken and Asian chopped salad; bbq pork sandwiches, chips and green beans; curried pumpkin soup and Dahl with rice;  Italian beans and greens pasta and garlic bread;  creamy shrimp rice and peas; baked potato bar; cheese manicotti;  bean soup and grilled bologna sandwich; hamburgers, salad, baked sweet potato;  taco salad; vegetable pot pie; taco pizza with popcorn;  pasta with Buffalo Wing sauce, carrots;  beef stroganoff soup; tuna macaroni salad, Parmesan Wine Supper Bread, apple sauce

What We Bought:

Salvage:  croutons (2), cereal (5), coffee (14), Low carb tortilla (2), evaporated milk (5), refried beans (2), mayonnaise (4),  pudding mix (3), tabouli salad mix, matzo ball soup, instant grits, Bisquick, tea bags (100), macaroni and cheese (6), chopped apples in syrup, ketchup, tomato puree (2 large),  tahini(2#), breakfast bars (4), red wine vinegar  $62.52

Price Rite:  green pepper, red peppers (2), onions (3#), butter (4#) cheese (3), eggs (6) $20.96

I'm already more than last month.  Time to put on the brakes.

Giant Eagle:  French bread pizza  49 cents with coupon

Aldi:  cheese (2), French onion dip ( sub for sour cream) 99, diced tomatoes with garlic and basil (to use in salads ( 3) , Parmesan cheese (2)  .     $10.16

Tops:  potatoes (5#), bakery rye bread, lettuce  $4.57

Bread Store:  cinnamon raisin English muffins, everything bagels  $2.02

Total Grocery:  $100.23


Eating Out :
Thai lunch with Mike  $20.57

Total Eating Out:  $20.5.

Grand Total:  $120.80

Total Remaining Of Monthly Allocation:  $212.68

Remaking Candles

We have a non functioning fireplace in our living room.  I like to burn candles in it.

Since candles never seem to totally consume the wax, I have been left with a supply of leftover wax.

Christmas only added to the supply.

Recently, I received a $5 coupon from Michaels.  I used it, and a 40% off coupon to get twelve wicks for $1.47.

I'm now melting down the leftover wax to make new candles.

I feel quite frugal at the cost of candles these days.

Just an fyi, I always buy my candles at thrift stores and never pay full price.

January Household and Personal Care Expenses

January:  A mixture of expensive and inexpensive but all frugal in my book.

Dollar tree personal care:  shampoo  $1

Aldi household items:  aluminum foil, plastic wrap  $4.22

CVS:  household items 8 oz. Dawn,Tide 100oz. 69 load laundry detergent,
using a 70 cent sale, a 25 cent coupon and a $5 store special coupon the total is 73 cents, an 89% discount.  Yeah!

Costco:   Household  led light bulbs  6 pack  $7 sale

CVS:  personal care distilled water (2)
 minus coupons  $2.53 saved 85 cents

Personal care Hair Cuts for Mike and Sandy  $22 for both

Sam's: household bags for recycling, enough for six years  $25.42

Philosophy:  Personal Care   exfoliating face wash and face cream  $135  enough for a few years, expensive but doesn't upset my skin and since a little goes a long way, it lasts a long time

Personal Care:  $ 158.85 including two hair cuts and a few years worth of facial care.

Household:  $30.37 including led light bulbs and at least six years of recycling bags.

Frugal Things In January

1.  Using up items from the stockpile.  My freezer is FULL!

2.  Fixing the kitchen sink faucet with items we had on hand.

3.  Making homemade cherry liqueur and almond liqueur with brandy and vodka  to use to make homemade cocktail cherries.

4.  Using the last Costco coupon to get twelve pounds of chicken, two whole, for just over $3.00.

5. Staying out of the grocery stores so I wouldn't be tempted to add to the stockpile rather than use it up.

6.  Fixing the frames of my glasses with super glue.  They only need to last a few weeks until I can get new ones.

7.  Sourcing two items of clothing from a thrift store saving money and Mother Earth.

8.  Using a $5 coupon, and a 40% off coupon at Michaels to buy wicks for making candles.  Final cost was  $1.47 for 12 wicks.  I saved a total of $6.60.

Buying and Eating: January 16-31

$330.55.  That's how much we started the last two weeks of the month with.  There was no cushion.  But since we are eating mainly from the stockpile, we should have plenty at the end of the month to start our cushion for the year.

What We Ate:  hotdogs and beans from the freezer, cheesy cornbread, spinach salad, corn; curry and lentil pancakes from the freezer;  homemade falafels,hummus, and flatbread with steamed spinach with garlic; ham steak, butter beans, broccoli rice, cornmeal muffins;  sliced turkey from freezer, homemade cranberry chutney, baked sweet potato, roasted Brussels sprouts; leftovers and macaroni and cheese; chicken and rice casserole, mixed vegetables, strawberries; turkey and gravy over stuffing, roasted carrots;  augratin potatoes and ham;  Chili and tortilla chips; broccoli soup with homemade bread; broccoli and rice crepes; savoury vegetable bread pudding with sliced peaches;  lite pasta carbonara; vegetable soup from the freezer with turkey avocado sandwiches;  curried potatoes, dahl, lentil pancakes

What We Bought:

Aldi:  cauliflower rice, blueberries, strawberries, cucumber, egg noodles (2)  $7.64

Save a Lot:  avocados (3) $1.17

Giant Eagle:  belvita  free with coupon

Tops:  beef broth (32oz), goldfish, eggs (3doz), potatoes (5lb), bananas (4lb), garbanzo beans (3 cans)  $11.02

Giant Eagle:  Bubly flavored water  free with coupon

Aldi:  cream cheese (4), Asian salad kit, English muffins, cherries (2)  $9.12

Groceries Total:  $28.95

We didn't eat out this two Week period.

Monthly Totals;

Groceries $56.40
Eating Out  $11.21


Grand Total for the Month  $67.61

Amount to Cushion  $301.60