2025. Frugal Things in September

 1.    I did a fourth and a fifth salvage shop.   Some of my Best Buy’s were:     Coffee on average at $3/pound, beets at $0.50, self rising flour at $1:50/5#, dry split peas at $.60/#, Thai chili sauce, plum sauce and hot sauce at $0.33, mayonnaise at $0.50, Asian vegetables at $0.50, general vegetables at $0.40, Romano cheese at $3.59/#, evaporated milk at $0.50, dry milk at $2.25, pepperoni at $1/ #, seasoned pork tenderloins at $1.89/#,  butter at $2.99/#, everything bagel seasoning at $1, lemon pudding mix at $0.25, organic peanut butter at $1.25, mustard at $0.35,  assorted cheeses at $3.50/#, ham ends and pieces at $1/#, bagels at $1.    I spent a bit of money but I’m restocked at excellent prices and it will last for a year, at least .

2.  We spent a long weekend in DC and again used credit card points to pay for our hotel room.  A few hundred dollars painlessly saved.,

3.  I have made a concerted effort to discover some new, low cost, dinners and breakfast.  My goal is a meal and a lunch for two for $5 and breakfast for two for $2.50.      We are enjoying a change of pace in our meals and saving money at the same time.

4.  We earned $15 in free food when we bought gift cards for our new freezer from Giant Eagle.  Since we paid for the cards with a credit card, we will get more points to use on hotel rooms when we travel. 

5.  I finally earned enough points for a free coffee from Starbucks.

6.  I made artisan bread again, rather than buying it for $$$ more.

2025. Buying and Eating: September 1-15

 Allocation.    $390

Cushion.    $863.78

What We Ate:     Bean curry, homemade flatbread, yogurt, curry potatoes;     Grilled pork chops, Greek tomato fritters,  quinoa with red pepper ;     Grilled hot dogs, butter beans, tomato fritters, salad;        Beef stroganoff  over rice, roasted beets, roasted tomatoes with mozzarella and Parmesan(2);       Spanish rice, roasted shredded Brussels sprouts, everything bagel;     Flatbread pizza;   Baked Italian pasta, meatballs, tossed salad, garlicky cheese bread;     Mac and cheese, tomato fritter,salad, shaved Brussels sprouts;     Sausage strata, spinach fritters, yogurt, cinnamon sugar bagel ;     Mexican casserole, baked corn and apple sauce;     Peanut butter noodles with tempeh  and soybeans, yogurt, blueberry bagel halves 

What We Bought:

Salvage shop#4:       Shelf stable milk (4), beets (4),pie crust mix 2), sell rising flour  (15#), corn bread stuffing , dry split peas, Thai chili sauce ,plum sauce  2), hot sauce (3), date bread mix (2), raisins (3),teriyaki sauce ,mayo (2); ginger, bean sprouts , bamboo shoots , mixed veg (2), whole cranberry sauce , plums(2), diced tomatoes , Romano cheese (1#), 3 bean salad, evaporated milk (5), pineapple chunks(2), pineapple and mango cups, (2), dry milk (3), pepperoni (3#), teriyaki pork loin (1.5#), onion pork loin(2#), garlic and herbs pork loin 2#) nuts,   Cheese, (1#),  coffee (24 )   $146.78

Middlefield Cheese Coop:  5.5# cheese ends and pieces    $6

Salvage Shop #5:        Butter (12#), everything bagel seasoning, lemon pudding (2), horseradish sauce, black pepper grinder, crunchy peanut butter (3), mustard (2), sauerkraut, active dry yeast (#), beef broth (2), oatmeal (2), old el oasis queso crunch dinner kit , siggi yoghurt  (2), 7.25# cheese, smoked white turkey  (#), Gorgonzola (3),   Shaved Brussels sprouts (1), roasted tomatoes, French toast bagels, coffee (9 bags, $100.93

Sams:    Bisquick, canola oil    $16.76

Grocery Total for two weeks:   $270.47

Eating Out:

Middlefield cheese coop:    Lunch while shopping.      $4.50

4 StarDiner.          Breakfast with Mike.    $30.94   Not worth the cost.  Frugal fail.

Middlefield cheese coop.        Lunch while shopping.    $4

Mexican.      Lunch while at Lehman.         $14.00

Lunch and dinner DC.     $25

Dinner dc.   Thai.    $31

Dinner DC.      Venezuelan $27.56

Breakfast and lunch coming home.     $28

Total Eating Out for two weeks:    $165.00

Grand Total for two weeks:   $447.94

Into cushion:   $45.47

New Cushion Amount:   $818.31

We are already into the cushion with half the month to go.  But with the cushion standing at $818.31 we have the financial room to cover it.

2025. Frugal things in August

 1.   I bought sale items with store vouchers and saved a total of $40.79.  I paid only $6.29.  Stacking really helps.

2.  I took advantage of a cool day to bake a loaf of bread and make some coconut biscotti.  Much less expensive than in the store.

3.  I have been able to find deeply discounted plain yogurt, but no more.  I thought of using dry milk but it was more expensive, so I purchased a half gallon of whole milk to make yogurt.  The cost was $2.55 and I can use the last of the yogurt in the fridge as the starter.  A definite money saver.

4.  I found ground pork discounted to $1.99/#.  I bought three packages.  Not my usual ground beef, but frugality sometimes requires flexibility.

2025. Buying and eating : August 16-31

 Remaining allocation $314.51

Cushion    $644.60

What WeAte:    Lemon pepper chicken breast, bean and beet salad with feta, spinach fritters, apricot halves and yogurt;     Hummus, homemade flatbread , homemade falafels , yogurt and tahini sauce ,homemade baba Ganush (2);     Beef stir fry with noodles, onion pancakes,      Fried bologna sandwiches       Tortillas pepperoni pizza.      Creamed tuna on potatoes, corn on the cob, salad (2);     Jalapeño sausage, corn, potato salad, tossed salad;      Peanut Ty noodles with tempeh, cheese bread ;      Homemade macaroni and cheese , tomato roasted with cheese , peas. Everything bread;     Baked eggplant with feta and tomato, garlic, butter and cheese pasta, Greek fried cheese;     T egg salad sandwiches;      Mexican chip casserole and Mexican seasoned hominy, yogurt (2) ;      Curry beans and rice with curried potatoes ;      

What We Bought:

Giant Eagle:  frozen pizza (4),  crest toothpaste (4),   Land o lakes cheese (4).  $6.29 plus credits redeemed 

Country Fair:  eggs (2).     $6.00

Aldi:   Plain Greek yogurt  $3.75

Aldi:  bagels (2)baby Bella’s, ,mayonnaise.     $5.96

Aldi:   Half gallon whole milk (to make yogurt)     $2.55

Sanders:  honey buns, potatoes (10#), eggplant (2), yogurt, ground pork(4#)     $15.88  all sale items

Grocery Outlet:  hominy, oyster crackers, corn on the cob (4), cucumber, grapes, lettuce, onions, sweet red pepper, cream cheese.     $14.79

Farmers Market:   Bulgarian feta, tempeh, tofu, fresh tomatoes (4).     $13.68

Ollie’s:  assorted DelMonte fruits and veg. On clearance.  $24.06

Giant Eagle:  hotdogs (3).   $2.37

Grocery total:  $95.33

Two week total.     $95.33

YTD as of August     203 days

Total     $1309.10         $6.45/day          $3.28/person/day

Grocery     1007.19          $4.97/day         $2.49/person/day

Eating Out    $262.81        $1.30/day       $0.65/person/day

New Cushion     $863.78

2025 Buying and Eating: August 1-15

 Allocation:   $403      $13x31=$403

Cushion    $644.60

What We Ate:     Steak sandwiches, homemade sweet potato fries, tomatoes and mozzarella;     Meatball sub, baked beans, coleslaw;      Shepherd pie, garlic bread, fried cabbage;       Pasta with zucchini and meatballs, garlic cheese bread;       Vegetarian nachos, fruit;     Broccoli risotto, corn, apricot halves;     Grilled cheeseburger, baked beans, cowboy caviar, corn;     Chicken sandwich,  cheesy potato rounds ;      Turkey loaf, peas, cottage cheese with apricots, baked sweet potatoes;     Lentil risotto , spinach fritters , garlic bread;       Italian leftover smorgasbord ( meatballs, eggplant Parmesan, pasta with Italian sausage) with garlic bread;          Beef florentine rolls, dauphinois potatoes, fried green beans;    

What We Bought:

Aldi:     Coleslaw mix , half and half.  $4.67

Price Right.         Gallon oil.     $7.99

Aldi:   Sourdough bread, raspberry danish     $6.89

Sanders:  bananas, yogurt, beef and spinach pinwheels     $6.12

Grocery:  $25.67

Eating Out 

Lunch with Mike.  $12.16.      Arby’s 

Dinner with Lucy.     $50.66

Eating Out:  $62.82

Total:  $88.49

Remaining Allocation:  $314.51

2025. Household and Personal Care: June and July

 July Personal Care:

Colgate toothpaste (4).   Salvage     $6

Yardley lavender soap (2).   Salvage.  $2

Sandy pedicure for lake   $40

Total :    $48

July. Household 

Oxy cleaner $9.98   Amazon 

120 quart ziplock.   $10.17     Amazon   

120 gallon ziplock.  $10.42     Amazon

Kitchen bags.   Costco.   $16.89

Dawn (3), Joy, pint bags, snack bags     Salvage   $6.23

Small baking dish and wisk           Thrift store    $2.97

Total:   $56.56

YTD June 

Household $105.44 over

Personal Care.  $118.88 under

YTD July 

Household    $139.44 over

Personal Care.    $100.88 under

2025. Frugal things in July

 1.  I did my first salvage shop of the season.  I got two large banana boxes of stockpile groceries for $33.35.  Some of my best deals were:  jello lemon pudding mix   35 cents;  almond milk (qt))   60 cents;  vegetable stock (qt)   25 cents;  fire roasted diced tomatoes (28 oz)   60 cents; tomato sauce (14.5oz)  30 cents;  rotel tomatoes (28 oz)  60 cents;  pears (14.5 oz)  50 cents;  mayonnaise  (12 oz)  35 cents;  soy milk (32oz)   50 cents;  natural peanut butter  (16 oz)   $1.50.

2.  I made a batch of Chex mix and a batch of honey-mustard pretzels for snacking.

3.  Mike and I received coupons for free groceries from a local store.  $50 in free groceries is definitely a win!

4.  We purchased a rotisserie chicken from Costco.   That night we had a traditional chicken dinner.  We then carved the meat and portioned it out to cover sandwiches, salad, crepes, risotto, and divan.  Plus we will use the bones to make broth and whatever meat we can get from the bones.  This we will turn into soup.  So one $4.99 chicken will feed the two of us 7 meals with some leftovers for lunch.  That works out to $0.71/ meal or $0.35/ person/meal.  Cost effective convenience.  A real win. 

5.  I did a second salvage shop, getting three boxes of staples for about $104.60

Some of my best deals were:     Self rising flour, 5# for $1.50; salsa, 40 oz for $2.50; soy sauce, 24 oz for $2.25; almond breeze milk, 64 oz for $0.75; Trappist apricot jam, 12 oz for $1;  saltines, 1# for $1;  Breton crackers for $1;  falafel mix for $0.25;   Spicy beef broth, 32 oz  for $0.50;  red bean curry for $0.40;  whole grain oatmeal, 3# for $0.75;  Del Monte spaghetti sauce, 36 oz for $0.79;  pearled barley, one pound for $0.50; tomato paste, 12 oz for $0.49;  Nine pounds of coffee for $39. Or $2.39/pound, including Starbucks.  

6.  We used a $15 gift certificate to help us celebrate my birthday at the Yacht Club.

7.   I did a third salvage shop and spent $149.21.  Some of my best deals were:  16 oz salsa for 50 cents; great northern beans for 50 cents/#; black beans for 25cents/pound;  fire related diced tomatoes, 28 oz. For 75 cents; dry Italian salad dressing, 5 envelopes for $1; a lb of wild rice for 75 cents; cereals for $1 each; flour tortillas for 75 cents; coffee, 18# at $1.35/#; evaporated milk for 25 cents each; 136 granola bars for 4 cents each ( includes Halloween items)

Frugal Fail:    I purchased some peaches and plums on sale.  They went from not ripe to spoiled in two days.  What a waste of money!