2025. Frugal Things in January

 1.  I set myself a bit of a challenge with the food budget this year.  So I have to keep frugality firmly in mind.  Ergo, soup making.  A great way to vary flavors with minimal cost.  I made tomato basil from bits and pieces in the freezer;  Greek egg and lemon with juices left over from New Year’s Day;  beef  bourguignon with beef left over from Christmas; Spanish bean with dry garbanzo beans;  tuna chowder;

2.  I saved quite a few dollars by making our bread products:: artisan whole wheat, English muffins, corn muffins,   Rye bread, regular white bread, bagels, pizza crust, croutons,   Irish soda bread .   I can make them for cents on the dollar and it is very satisfying.

3.   We got a pork shoulder roast for $1.69/# and used it to make breakfast sausage.  The small amount of bone was used to make stock.  

4.  We needed to stay in a hotel room one night and, as usual, we used credit card points to pay the bill.

5.  We used a $15 gift card to help pay for a lunch out.

2025. Buying and Eating: January 16-31

 Remaining Allocation     $335.17

Previous Two Weeks 

Grocery     $40.03     $2.67/day       $1.34/person/day

Eating out   $27.80     $1.82/day      $0.91/person/day

Total     $67.83      $4.52/day      $2.26/person/day

What We Ate:  leftover taco pizza, rice and bean tacos or burritos, orange and onion salad;      Tuna chowder, corn muffins, salad;     Beefy noodles, green bean casserole, Fruit and cottage cheese;     Ham loaf, baked beans, roasted beets, salad;     Taco soup, cheese quesadilla;     Smoked sausage, baked beans, carrot and raisin salad, corn muffins;     Greek egg and lemon soup, spanokatopia;     Rotisserie chicken, sausage and cornbread stuffing, corn, cottage cheese and fruit;     Chicken sandwich with homemade French fries;     Pasta florentine with chicken and garlic bread;     Cottage pie, garlic bread;   January 25.  Burns Night. Vegetarian haggis, bubble and squeak, soda bread, shortbread (2);     Spanish bean soup, cheese toast;     Beef bourguignon, pork sandwich;     

What We Bought:

Giant Eagle:  ground beef (3.6#), potatoes (5#), digiorno pizza.  $12.12.    All were sale items 

Giant Eagle:  grated Parmesan (1#). $2.18.    Sale item

Costco:  dried onion, rotisserie chicken. $10.48

Aldi:  leg of lamb for Easter   $19.47    Sale item

Aldi:  dry black eye peas  (2#)  $1.78    Sale item

Eating Out:

Panera Bread   $2.69   Breakfast at Clinic

21.36  lunch at Clinic

Erie Yacht Club     $11.17     Lunch

YTD      31 days

Total:   $149.08        $4.81/day       $2.41/person/day

Grocery     $86.06      $2.77/day     $1.39/person/day

Eating Out     $63.02     $2.03/day     1.01/person/day

New  cushion     $186.09

I relied in my stockpile this month a lot.  As it should be.

2024 Clothing

 The yearly amount for 2024 is $250/person.  The prices for used clothing have significantly increased.

January 

-$0-

February 

Sandy:  3 sweaters, 2 pants, one top, 1 pair pantyhose. $32.    (50% off sale)    Thrifty Shopper 

Mike:  1 long sleeved t’s. $3.50   (50% off sale)     Thrifty Shopper

Sandy. Fall/spring coat. $10     Goodwill

Sandy.    Sweater.  $8.99   Thrifty   Shopper

Sandy     Boots for England     $10   Goodwill 

March

0

April

0

May

Mike   1 long sleeved t  $4.50   Goodwill 

Mike    3 pairs shorts   19.98  Goodwill 

Mike shorts    $4.99    Goodwill 

Mike.    2 pairs of gloves       $7.47     Menards

Mike     4 long sleeve t’s       $19.92    Amvets

Sandy    Shoes, navy blue     $0.98      Amvets    After use of $4 coupon

Sandy    Blazer, two tops       $10.94    Amvets

June

Sandy.     Summer dress.       $6.49.  Under on roof thrift store 

Mike.       Syracuse t shirt.     $4.76.    Under one roof thrift store 

July

Sandy.      Blouse.       $4.00.     Community Thrift Store 

Mike.        Golf shirt.         $0.50.      Community Thrift Store 

Mike.     3 golf shirts, 2 shorts.   $5.    Thrifty shopper special sale

Mike.      Shorts.  $2.70.    Humane society thrift store

Sandy.     2 blouses.    $8.78.      Goodwill 

Sandy.      Purse.       $2.        Finders Keepers thrift store 

August

Mike.       3 pairs of suspenders.       $66.15.       Amazon

Sandy.      Six tops.       $12.78     Community  Thrift store

Sandy.       Two tops.     $8.54.        Salvation Army 

September 

Sandy.     One pair Clark’s shoes.    9.99.    Goodwill

October 

Sandy.         One sweater and one blazer.    $15.00.    Amvets 

Sandy.         2 sweaters and 2 tops.       $13.         Salvation Army 

Mike.          Everyday boots.        $34.98.        Sam’s 

Sandy.         Blue evening blazer.     $6.41.       Good will in Canada 

Mike.           Everyday shoes.      $29.77.           Sam’s 

November 

    -0-

December 

Sandy.          Pair of black jeans, pair of brown jeans, purple sweater.   $16.40

Year Total: 

Sandy $176.30

Mike. $203.82

Both are under budget for the year.  The budget for 2025 will remain the same at $250/year/person.

2024. Frugal Things in December

 1.  I saved about $8 making four ounces of almond extract using almonds and vodka.

2.   We stayed in hotel rooms for a total of four nights.  The total cost, except for taxes, was covered by using credit card points.

3.  I took advantage of some more seasonal sales to add some extras to our stockpile.

4.  I managed a special birthday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve 90% out of the stockpile.  I just needed sour cream, cream cheese, half and half, baguette and heavy cream to make the menus.

5.  I needed gift bags.  I got lucky and found 30 like new ones at a thrift store for $12.  Quite a savings.

2025 Buying and Eating: January 1-15

Allocation  $403   $13/day for two people.  This covers meals at home and in restaurants.  

Cushion    -0-      The cushion does not carry over from year to year.

What We Ate For Dinner:      New Year’s Day:    Lemon pork, Greek potatoes ,  cold black eyed peas salad , spanokatopia;     Seafood marinara with pasta, garlic bread, salad;     Greek egg and lemon soup with tuna-egg salad sandwiches on homemade bread;     Homemade supreme pizza, snacks;     Chicken and rice, cottage cheese, winter squash;     Taco soup with cheese nachos;     Meatloaf, baked potato, roasted carrots, mixed fruit and yogurt ;     Stuffed pepper soup, grilled bologna sandwich ;   Meatless chicken fried steak,  mashed potatoes, orange salad, peas;      beef barley soup with sausage balls;    Stuffed mushrooms , potato skins ;   Spanish bean soup, ham salad sandwich ;     Shepherds pie ;     Beef bourguignon soup;      stroganoff , wild rice blend, Waldorf salad, green beans, garlic bread

Lunches are usually leftovers.

NIdeas for Breakfast:  homemade cinnamon rolls, homemade oatmeal breakfast bars, French toast, grits with maple syrup, oatmeal with dried cranberries,  grilled pbj, cinnamon toast, fried potatoes and eggs, sausage gravy on toast, bagels, English muffins, homemade scones, omelets, corned beef hash, pancakes, overnight oats, Dutch baby pancakes;  oatmeal raisin pancakes;  

What We Bought:

Sam’s:   Peeled garlic (3#)    $9.99  a year’s worth 

Aldi:     Oranges (4#),  apples (3#),  Greek yogurt (qt), cucumber   $  9.32  produce were sale items

Sanders:  bananas(3.5#), butternut squash, lettuce, mushrooms (2), donuts (6), garlic bread, pork shoulder (5#), yogurt (3)  $20.72    All were sale items.

Grocery     $40.03     2.67/day     1.34/person/day

Eating Out:

Pats birthday lunch   $20.18     Ricardo’s 

Mike lunch Cleveland   $1.38    Sam’s 

Mike breakfast     $6.24     McDonald’s 

Eating Out.   $27.80.    $1.82/day.      $0.91/person/ day

Total for two weeks.   $67.83.    4.52/day.    $2.26/ person/day

Remaining Allocation:     $335.17

2024. Household and Personal Care: December

 Household:

Two toilet brushes.   $2.50.  Dollar Tree 

Under budget by $27.50

Personal Care:

Lint roller.    $1.25.     Dollar Tree 

Hand soap (2).    $1.    Giant Eagle 

Under budget by $27.75

YTD. Final Year Numbers 

Household:  budget of $30/month

Under budget by $22.16 for the year   Close.

Personal Care:  budget of $30/month

Under budget by $204.75 for the year   Maybe an extra pedicure or two in 2025.

2025 budget will remain unchanged at $30/category/month

2024 Linus and Such: October-December

 Crochet Chemo Squares.       27

Operation Gratitude Scarves.   9

Chemo Caps.    6

Pet blankets:     8

Linus blankets:   16

Washcloths/dishcloths    23

$9. For 9 skeins.    Amvets.     $1/skein

3 skeins for free from my buy nothing group 

20     Skeins for $16.    Goodwill in Canada    $.80/skein

9 skeins for free from a friend

23 skeins for free from my buy nothing group 

6 skeins for free from my buy nothing group 

13 skeins cotton yarn for $10.    Amvets.  $0.80/skein

Total:  41 skeins for free 

           42 skeins for $35   $0.84/skein

YTD final numbers for the year 

Pet Blankets     19

Chemo Caps     39

Linus Blankets   72

Operation Gratitude Scarves     71

Chemo Crochet Squares     27

Washcloths/ Dishcloths     23

371 donated skeins

133 skeins purchased for $143.03 for an average of   $1.08/skein

2024. Buying and Eating: December 16-31

 Remaining Allocation     $372.95

Cushion     $1060.96

What We Ate:     Cuban black bean soup, cheese and crackers, peaches;     Quiche, pasta with garlic and cheese, squash, garlic bread;     Stuffed pepper soup, egg salad sandwich, salad;     Queso Mexican pizza, cheesy potato rounds;     Mike’s birthday:  beef stroganoff over wild rice blend, dilled carrots, salad, cheesecake, mulled wine;       Beef and noodles, applesauce, mixed vegetables, cheese toast;     Stromboli, cheese potato rounds, fried cabbage and onion;     Christmas Eve:     Cheese ball, lobster and shrimp spread, meatballs in marinara, sausage stuffing balls;     Christmas:  beef roast and shrimp cocktail, cranberry horseradish sauce, mu’s tossed salad #3, dauphinois potatoes, corn, Christmas bread, fig pudding ;     Seafood pasta, apple salad, garlic bread;     Baguette sausage pizza, snack items;     Leftover smorgasbord;     Melt in your mouth chicken, green beans with hollendaise sauce, dauphinois potatoes, salad;     Homemade tomato basil soup, open faced turkey sandwich with gravy;     New Year’s Eve:  Philly cheesesteak sandwich , sweet potato fries 

What We Bought:  

Giant Eagle:  pecan frosting, German chocolate cake  $1.50     Both on sale.  For a friend’s birthday.

Aldi:  butter (6), cheese (4#), half and half, heavy cream, sour cream, cottage cheese, cocoa, bleu cheese, cream cheese (4), celery, frozen corn, frozen peas, frozen mixed veg, bagels, potatoes (20#),  cucumber    $68.43   Butter, cheese, celery and potatoes were sale items.

Aldi:  bay scallops (#),  cream of mushroom soup (6)     $10.07  Both were sale items.

Aldi:   Baguette (2)    $3.38

Giant Eagle:  hilshire kielbasa (5)     $4.95    Plus a $5 credit  sale item

Country Fair:   Eggs (4)    $10.00     Sale item

Food cooperative:  molasses (1.33#), sunflower seeds (.27#)  $4.22

Bellos:  baby Bella mushrooms (2#) bananas    $4.30   Sale items

Total Grocery     $116.78

Eating Out:

Dinner with Mike and Gail.    $38

Mike’s lunch in Cleveland   $3.52

 Breakfasts with crafty ladies     3.70

51 year anniversary of first date at McDonald’s     $12.40

Lunch with mike’s family    $17.82

Total Eating Out    $75.44

Grand Total     $192.22

To Cushion $180.73

New Cushion  $1241.69    Or $3.40/day remaining of the budget.  This money does not carry over to 2025

YTD Final Numbers    354 days    I don’t budget for days we are cruising since food is included 

Total Spent    $3172.31        $8.96/day        $4.48/person/day

Grocery       $2273.80          $6.42/day        $3.21/person/day

Eating Out     $898.51          $2.54/day        $1.27/person/day

We ended the year with a sizable cushion, a full freezer, and stocked cupboards.   Therefore, although the government numbers say we need $17.80 /day to eat thriftily in 2025, I have decided to keep our budget at $13/day   Or $6.50/person/day for  2025.  This includes food eaten at home and meals out.   Wish me luck.