Quarterly Buying and Eating July -September

Total for Groceries:  $516.

Total Eating Out:  $134.64

  Grand Total:  $651.17

This works out to $217.09/month for the two of us

There were 91 days this quarter.

So we averaged out to $7.16/day for two people or $3.58/day/person.

This included a lot of stockpile purchases.  I wish it was lower but I will live with it.

Restocking at Salvage

We were almost out of coffee and that can NOT happen.  So off we went to salvage for a restocking shop!

Coffee.    14.5 pounds  total           $37.86
Candy for Halloween     8 bags total.       $8.62
Dishwasher detergent.    4  x $2.99   $11.96
Pretzel crisps.    4x . 25  $1
Breakfast flats.    5x .35     $1.75
Puffed rice snacks  2x .25     50 cents
Toaster pastries     3 total     $1.98
Frosted mini wheats     2x $1.50     $3.00
Beignet mix     79 cents
Cake mix (for biscotti).    3 total     $2.26
Cornbread muffin mix.    4x .25     $1.00
Marshmallows (for Krispy rice treats)  2 x .69.    $1.38
Atkins bars     2x .99.    $1.98
Ferrari Rocher 12 count (for Christmas)  4x .49     $1.96
Chocolate pudding     2x .59.    $1.18
Self rising flour.    3x.49     $1.47
Saltines     2x .49     $1.98
Egg noodles.    $0.75
Fried onion pieces    2x .79.    $1.58
Low carb tortillas, 8 count.    4x .29.    $1.16
Velveeta type cheese, 2 pound     $4.69
Dried cranberries    4x .50     $2.00.
Lipton onion soup   2 for     $1.18
Mayo     4x .25   and  3x .29     $1.87
Tortilla shells, 8 count     3 for $1.00
Vanilla sandwich cookies     2 for $1.00
Whipping cream   3x .2     $0.87
Baking powder.    $.49
Sandwich bags     $.79
Whole wheat flour     3x $1.50     $4.50
Corn meal, 24 ounces     $0.79
Spaghetti sauce.    2x .69     $1.38
Black olives.    $0.49
Diced tomatoes.    6 x .25     $1.50
Fried Apples     2x .59     $1.18
Citrus fruit salad.   $0.79
Progresso soup     4x .10     $0.40
Crushed tomatoes   3x .10.    $0.30

Total:   $117.08

Easy Caramel Sauce for Gifts

This stuff is great on ice cream 🍦, between cake layers, drizzled over cheesecake, sandwiched between cookies, eaten with apples.  Use your imagination.

It takes less than three minutes hands on time and makes a great gift.  Put in a basket with some ice cream bowls, an ice cream scoop, and a gift card for ice scream.    Or, pack it with a bag of apples.  Remember to include the recipe.

Line your crockpot with paper so the cans don't mark the bottom.  Put in the cans and cover with water.  Cook
on high for eight hours.  Tada!

Quarterly Meal Plan: July-September

Vegetarian: 24

Low Meat:  23

Meat:  25

Although the budget might not show it, I appear to be getting the hang of this.

Meal Plan: October 1-15

Vegetarian:  cream of celery soup; taco pzza; cheese calzones (2)

Low Meat:  homemade chicken noodle soup; mashed potato casserole; beef and been tacos; scalloped potatoes and ham; chicken noodle soup; spaghetti and meatballs; chili;Cajun red beans and rice; tuna noodle casserole

Meat:
hotdogs; pot roast


Vegetarian:  4

Low Meat:   9

Meat:  2

Not great but not bad.

Buying and Eating: October 1-15

Monthly Allocation:  $369.20
Cushion: $1008.96

What We Ate:  homemade cream of celery soup; homemade chicken noodle soup; mashed potato casserole; beef and bean tacos; scalloped potatoes and ham, cucumber salad; hotdogs, sauerkraut, three bean salad, chips;  chicken noodle soup over mashed potatoes; spaghetti and meatballs; taco pizza; chili; cheese calzones and popcorn; Cajun red beans and rice, salad, fruit; pot roast with potato, onion, and carrot; tuna noodle casserole, peas, salad; assorted leftovers

What We Bought:

Aldi:  winter squash (6.11#)  $2.99.

Giant Eagle:  canned kidney beans  $0.23

Bread Store:  everything bagels, pumpkin spice English muffins, whole wheat bread, rye bread $3.71

Price Rite:  olives, basil, cottage cheese (2#), yogurt (2#)  $8.87

Total:  $15.80


Eating Out:

Lunch with friends. $10.05
Breakfast with Dad  $14.00
Breakfast with Ginger  $7.34

Total:  $31.39

2 Week Grand Total: $47.19

Remaining Allocation:  $322.02

Quarterly Linus Project and Yarn Costs: July- September

July:

Pet Blankets  5
Linus Project Blankets  5
Operation Gratitude Scarves:  5


Yarn at Goodwill:  12 skeins for $11.88 or $0.99/skein, near where we are camping

Yarn at Goodwill:  7 skeins for $6.93 or $0.99/skein, near where we are camping

Yarn at Goodwill:  10 skeins for $7.36 or $W0.74/skein, near where we are camping

Yarn at Salvation Army:  7 skeins for $3.99 or  or $0.57/skein near where we are camping.

Yarn at Goodwill:  1 skein for $0.99.

Yarn at Goodwill:  9 skeins for  $6.72 or $0.84/skein

August:

Took some time away to work on a few gifts for friends and family using some of my cotton yarn stash.

Pet Blankets: 3
Linus Project:  4
Project Gratitude  4cents

Totals: Linus Project Blankets:  16
Operation Gratitude Scarves:  16

Pet Blankets:  10

Yarn:  $85.69 for an average of $28.56/month

September

Yarn at Goodwill using 50% off tag and military discount    35 skeins for $14.50 or about $0.41/skein

Yarn at Goodwill:  22 skeins for $14.29 or  65 cents/ skein.

Yarn at Goodwill( in  Canada:  $26.39 for 26 skeins

Linus Project:  7
Operation Gratitude Scarves:  7
Pet Blankets:  2

Totals:  Linus Project Blankets:  16
Operation Gratitude Scarves:  16
Pet Blankets:  10
Yarn:  $85.69 or an average of $28.56/month.

Frugal Things In September

1.  Hosta free off of Freecycle.  We got four to fill in gaps in the front yard.

2.  Cat Food free with coupon.  I will donate to the animal shelter.

3.  20%  off at a new grocery store.  We only bought the loss leaders and we saved an extra  $2.19.  Every little bit helps.

4.  $10 off $10 purchase at Staples.  We ended up with 6 mega rolls of Charmin and a gallon of spring water for making vinegar.  We paid 46 cents.

5. We got two $5 gift cards at Giant Eagle when we went there to get our flu shots.  That translates to free groceries.  I bought Christmas treat foods.

6.  We shopped at the bread store and our four items cost us $4 instead of the normal retail price of $17.86.  That's $13.86 we saved!

7.  A free 8x10 photo from Walgreens.

September Households and Personal Care

Personal Care:

Toothpaste (2)  $2.12  Dollar Tree
Two haircuts  $24  Great Clips
Body lotion (large!)  $7.30. Amazon

Total:  $33.42
Too high, but may be the new reality.

Household:

Efferdent (for cleaning)  $1.06  Dollar Tree
New lampshade for living room  $13.33  (we received a $1.40 military discount)  Lowes
Toilet bowl brush  $1.06  Dollar Tree

Total:  $15.45

Meal Plan: September 16-30

Vegetarian:  cheesy potatoes; Vegetarian pot pie; Mexican baked potatoes; cheesy calzones; taco pizza

Low Meat:  spaghetti and meatballs; pizza; potato, hotdog and sauerkraut casserole (2); bacon and lentil soup; Cajun red beans and rice

Meat:  stuffed pork chops; sandwiches; ham; brats; pork chops

Totals:

Vegetarian  5
Low Meat  5
Meat  5

Nicely Balanced

Buying and Eating: September 16-30

Remaining Allocation:  $255.31
Cushion:  $883.41

What We Bought:

Staples water for making vinegar  $0.46

Tops:  cantaloupe, celery, Italian bread, macaroni and cheese (3) $3.86

Bread Store:  bagels (2) English muffins, cinnamon swirl bread  $4.00

Zehrs ( in Canada):  cookies, mustard, crackers, pretzels,pop tarts, pizza (2)donuts (6), bread,cheese, ham, roast beef  $35.65  For meals while we were there.

British Grocer(in Canada):  marmalade mixture (2)   $12.05  for making homemade marmalade

Bulk Bin ( in Canada):  rye flour, dried figs ( for fig pudding at Christmas) unsweetened coconut  $12.98

Price Rite:  brownie mix  (5), cheese (6)  $9.45

Save a Lot:  olives (2), cream cheese (4), Polish sausage (3), bananas  $13.93

Giant Eagle:  perogies  $2.13

Tops:  bacon, Folgers, Alfredo sauce, salami (1#), cucumber (2), sweet peppers (2), hot peppers (6), beef broth  $13.34

Groceries:  $107.85


What We Ate:  stuffed pork chops, mashed sweet potatoes three bean salad;  cheesy potatoes, butter beans, green beans, salad; spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and salad; pizza and pretzels; sandwiches and fried potatoes; Vegetarian pot pie, fruit, garlic bread;  ham, macaroni salad, three bean salad; poyato, hotdog and sauerkraut casserole, roasted beets, fruit;  btats, macaroni salad, three bean salad;  leftover casserole; Mexican baked potatoes, corn, salad;; cheesy calzones; Vegetarian taco pizza; pork chops with apples, onions and cabbage;  bacon and lentil soup


Eating Out:
Breakfast with Pat  $19.79
Lunch before movie  $2.12

Total:  $21.91


Grand Total for Two Weeks:  $129.76

Remaining Allocation:  $125.55

New Cushion Amount:  $1008.96