Thursday, November 16, 2023

2023. Buying and Eating Out: November 1-15

 Allocation:   $330

Cushion:   $723.08


Breakfast Ideas:   homemade cinnamon rolls;    cornmeal muffins;    homemade bagels;     toasted homemade bread with peanut butter and jelly;     homemade waffles;     Sweet potato muffins;     Cinnamon toast;     Baked oatmeal;   Overnight oatmeal;     Homemade granola;     


Lunch is Leftovers


What We Ate at Dinner:   pierogi casserole, lima beans, Mixed fruit and yogurt;     Tuna chowder and grilled tuna and cheese on rye, homemade pickles;     Italian strata with sausage and spinach, rhubarb;     Orange chicken and fried rice with yogurt and fruit;     Hummus and spanakopita with yogurt and rhubarb;    Pesto pizza with fresh mozzarella, parmesan, onion and olives;     basil pesto pizza with fresh mozzarella, olives and onions;     rosemary chicken, stuffing, three bean salad, applesauce;     avocado pasta, French bread, salad;     Vegetarian tikki masala, curry potatoes, mixed vegetables, French bread;     ham loaf, creamed potatoes, butter beans, acorn squash;          Avocado pasta, fruit and vegetables;     Hamloaf, creamed potatoes and butter beans; leftover smorgasbord (2);     Chicken picatta, cheesy potatoes, three bean salad, butter beans, peach yogurt;          


What We Bought:

Wal-Mart:  eggs (3)  $3.72

Giant Eagle:   eggs  (5)  $4.95

Giant Eagle:    flour.    $1.49

Aldi:   cheese (2), mushroom (3), cranberries, marshmallows (3), butter (6), half and half , apples, onions, frozen peas(3), mixed vegetables (3), feta, cream cheese (2), cream of mushrooms soup (4), cream of chicken soup (4)     $50.86.  Took advantage of some Thanksgiving sales.

 Aldi:   butter (6)  $14.94

Aldi:  butter (6)   $14.94

Giant Eagle:  potatoes (10#), onions(2#)  $2.97:  

Total:  ,$78.07


Eating Out:

Taco Bell     $8.00     dinner after working the polls

Smokey Bones     $15.23    Lunch with Mike

Total:  $23.23


Two Week Subtotal:  $101.30

Remaining Allocation:  $ 228.70


Monday, November 13, 2023

2023 Frugal Things in October

 1.  I had a day of baking and made 14 English muffins, A loaf of artisan bread, banana bread , A dozen bagels and flatbread. After pricing them, I probably saved $20-25 and they taste wonderful.

2.  Meals centered on stock pile ingredients, keeping food costs way down.

3.  I received a large bag of yarn from a friend for Linus blankets.  Unfortunately, I forgot to count how many.  But I know that it saved a lot.

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

2023 Buying and Eating Out: October 16-31

 Original Allocation:  $286

Remaining Allocation:  $250.89

Cushion:  $519.27

Grocery Subtotal:  $35.11


What We Ate: Grilled ham and cheese  sandwiches, fried potatoes, fruit;     Lasagna, garlic bread, salad;      scalloped potatoes and ham, Caesar salad, peas, Irish soda bread ;          mulligatawny soup and fruit;     Seafood crepes, pasta with pesto, fruit, cheese bread;      Mexican pepper pork, black beans, Buffalo rice, salad;     Beef and noodles, peas and carrots, salad;     Bean and rice burrito, corn, salad;     Chicken parmesan casserole, mozzarella, tomato and basil salad, garlic bread;     Polish sausage, fried potatoes, bananas and milk, corn;     Bean soup and grilled cheese sandwich;      Veggie latkes, apple sauce, double corn muffins, salad;     Cheese steak pizza;     Taco bake;     Pierogi casserole, peas, fresh pears;     leftovers



What We Bought:

Sanders:  marble rye, bananas (6)    $0.92   

Aldi:  pears, cottage cheese, yogurt   $7.47

Save a Lot:   eggs.    $1.50

Subtotal:   $9.89


Monthly Total:    $45..00


Eating Out:

Lunch with Ginger     $7.99

Lunch with Pat      $ 29.20

Monthly Total    $37.10


Monthly Total:     $82.10


Amount to Cushion:  $203.81

New Cushion Amount:   $723.08


YTD:   251 days

Grocery:  $1451.83      $5.78/day         $2.89/person/day

Eating Out:   $500.07     $1.99/day.       $1.00/person/day

YTD Total:  $1951.92       $7.78/day      $3.89/person/day

                                           The numbers will continue to drop as we use the stockpile.


Wednesday, October 25, 2023

2023 Household and Personal Care: September

Household

Measuring cups, cheesecloth, craft scissors  $6.27     Dollarama


Personal Care

Hair clips    $7   Canada shop

Yardley soap, hair clips    $5.    DollarRama

Total:   $12


YTD:

Household      $3.36 under

Personal Care         $81.64 under

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

2023. Frugal Things: September

 1.   I took advantage of a free laundry service and didn't have to pay the $118.25 normally charged!  Yay!  Free is so much nicer.

2.  More free laundry service and a savings of $68.25.

3.  Additional free laundry, saving us $123.00.

4.  The ship was selling a tour for $89/person.  We found the same tour locally for $25/person:  A savings of $128.

5.  More laundry.  We saved $65.25

Repetitive, boring but money saving.



Monday, October 16, 2023

2023 Buying and Eating: October 5-15

 Monthly Allocation October 5-31      $286.    We are back from vacation.

Cushion:   $519.27


What We Ate:  Cincinnati chili, cheese muffins, applesauce;         Ham and 5 bean soup, apples;     Bbq beef sandwiches, baked beans, baked sweet potatoes;     Potato and chick pea curry, dahl, salad, homemade flatbread;     Chicken parmesan casserole, eggplant caponata, salad;     seafood crepes, salad, lima beans;     Harvest meatloaf, parmesan rice patties, pear and bleu cheese salad;     Leftover crepes, asparagus, salad;     Leftover meatloaf, French fries, Green beans;     Tuna chowder, cheese and crackers;      Homemade calzones, chips


What We Bought:

Sanders:  potatoes (10#),  sweet potatoes (2)  $3.89

Aldi:  baking powder, pears (3#), cream cheese, Romaine hearts (3), bananas (1.75#), cucumber (2), acorn and butternut squash (3.75#)   $12..97

Price Rite: sugar, pot pies (4), carrots (2#),red peppers (2), tomatoes (5), apples, (6), cheese (2#)   $18.25

Subtotal:  $35.11


Eating Out:

   $0.00


Remaining Allocation:  $250.89

Sunday, October 1, 2023

2023 Linus and Such: July-September


 Linus Blankets:  21

Chemo caps:   34

Operations Gratitude Scarves:  9

Pet blankets:  5



Mission Thrift:  15 skeins     $16.02     $1.07/skein

Canadian Thrift:  5 skeins     $4.00       $0.80/skein

Thrift Store:  40 skeins       $50.05          $1.21/skein

Salvation Army:   30 skeins     $30.    $1.00/skein

Linus donation           25 skeins                 free

Goodwill.         64 skeins.         $50.63.           $0.82/skein

Goodwill           124skeins        $43.00           $0.35/skein

Thrifty Shopper      40 skeins    $36.00.         $0.90/skein

Buy nothing group.    36 skeins      free

Goodwill.         18 skeins             $23. 00.          $1.29/ skein

A generous friend        7 skeins of merino wool.         Free


404 skeins.         $253.70


YTD:   516 skeins.       $447.71           average of 87 cents/skein


Linus  68

Operation Gratitude    44

Animal Blankets  14

Chemotherapy Caps   57