New Budget

What an exhausting process!  But we have cobbled together a budget and a system for tracking all our money/bills/etc.  This is the beginning of the first week, and so once I have it completely figured out I will document the process, in case anyone else needs help and stumbles across my humble blog :)

In the meantime, its grocery day again.  This week we budgeted an extra $10 because we are contributing to the Lenten Study dinner on Wednesday with salad and bread.  So we start with:
Grocery budget (includes $40 food and $10 non food necessities) of $50
Extra for church event:  $10
Total will be $60.00

This week I went to Kroger for the bulk of my shopping.  I did a little at the Dollar Tree. Honestly, its the cheapest place I can buy pepperoni!!
Dollar Tree:
1.00  Swiss Cheese singles
1.00  American Cheese Singles
1.00  Pizza sauce
1.00  Sharpie pen
1.00 Pepperoni
1.00  Wheat Thins
1.00   Lunchable (because I committed the sin of shopping prior to having taken the time to eat anything!)
Total with tax:  7.06  (I threw in the .06 from my existing change)

Kroger
5.88  Pork Loin (actually thin cut pork steaks with bone in)
6.94  Beef Roast
3.00  Grape Tomatoes
1.29  Head of Lettuce
1.70 cucumbers (2)
1.00  Avocado
2.09 fresh mushrooms
6.00  Quaker Instant Oatmeal
0.00   Free Milk special with oatmeal purchase
1.79  Corn meal
2.19  Peach Tea mix
2.00  Individual Frozen pizza (2 for Hubby's lunches)
2.00  4 cans of soup (for Hubby's lunches)
1.00   mandarin oranges, canned
1.17   pineapple, canned
  .69   Pork and beans
3.00  Frozen fish filets
2.69   Vanilla ice cream
1.29  frozen CA vegetables
2.17  antipersperant
Total with tax : 49.50  (+ 7.00 =56.50 which just barely goes over the budget)

I was pretty pleased that we were able to do this.  Hubby went along and did the calculator part of the trip to help keep me on budget.  We did have a mishap with that and lost the total, so that is why we were over 1.50.  Fortunately there was a little money on the Kroger Gift Card, so that covered it.

So now...whats the menu?  This week its built off the shopping and the pantry/freezer:
Breakfast options:  oatmeal, eggs and toast
Lunch options:  Hubby has pizza, soup, we have lunchmeat in the fridge and cheese for sandwiches.  I have a couple of  Michaelinas and plenty of salad fixing.  Pasta salad (previously purchased pasta, italian dressing, CA veggies)

Dinners:
Monday:  Baked pork chops, boiled  potatoes, salad, and steamed asparagus (from a previous shopping trip)
Tuesday:  Banquet salsbury steak with gravy, mashed potatoes, broccoli
Wednesday: vegetarian chili (made by someone else), salad (lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumber, avacado) and cornbread
Thursday:  pot roast, potatoes, carrots, green beans
Friday:  fish sandwiches, rice, mixed vegetables
Saturday:  burgers, tater tots (purchased this weekend), salad
Sunday:  Chicken casserole (hashbrown potatoes, carrots and peas, mushroom soup with chicken)  salad

The optional meal of the week:  Pizza night with salad

We do still have eggs, several dessert mixes, muffin mixes to add to the variety.  Also,  I have a hankering for fruit whip (1 can mandarin oranges, 1 can pineapple [save the juice], 1 box SF instant vanilla pudding, 1 container of whipped topping.  Mix the pudding with the pineapple juice until dissolved, add drained fruit and toss.  Add thawed whipped topping and mix well.  Keep refridgerated).

All in all, not a bad plan :)

Its been a while

Yes it has been a while.  And its been a long cold winter.  Now that spring is coming back, we have to hit the budgeting hard to pay for the heat LOL!  So... Here we go again:

Kroger
1.79  sausage, 1 lb
6.00  Quaker Instant Oatmeal (3 boxes @ 2.00 each + free gallon of milk)
 .68  cucumber
1.99  shredded cheese
1.29  lettuce, 1 head
2.49  butter, 1 lb
2.00  Michaelina's, 2 items
1.99  eggs, 1 dozen
2.00  Kroger soup, 4 cans @ .50 each
Total:  20.23


Save A Lot
4.90  Chicken leg quarters, 10 lbs
1.50   fresh mushrooms
3.24  Oscar Meyer balogna, 2 @ 3 for $5
.52  cabbage, 1.33 lbs @ .39 lb
1.00  celery
1.00  green onion
1.99 Banquet family size frozen dinner
1.99 Banquet family size frozen dinner
1.99  5# red potatoes
  99  saltine crackers
1.63  tomatoes, 1.26# @ 1.29 lb
.98  green beans, canned, 2 items
Total: 21.73

41.73 food total



5.99  bath tissue Kroger
.89  shampoo  Kroger
.69  paper towels, 1 roll Kroger
1.96 slow cooker liners  Walmart
1.76  bread bags  Walmart
Total:  11.29

Entire trip:  53.02


So we started out planning to spend $40 a week for 2 adults.  We failed to consider non food items, so that total may climb to $50 in the future.  Yes we went over this week, but we will have chicken for a few weeks.  Also, currently we have frozen veggies and some other meat in the freezer.

Items I missed (mostly so I remember for next week!):
Mayo or Miracle Whip
nonstick cooking spray

Tis the Season!

We are in the midst of the holiday week. What a great time for our family! We had Christmas Eve at our house, a moving worship service at Ascension, Christmas Day with the In-laws, and the day after with my extended family. It was good to see everyone.

Then we got wonderful news about DH's cousin's wife. She had surgery on Tuesday and a large benign mass was removed from her abdomen. No cancer, thanks be to God. She will recuperate and continue to be the healthy, productive, creative and joyful person we have come to love.

My presents were wonderful. Mom gave me a trip to Paducah to the quilt show this spring! We will travel by tour bus, stay in a hotel, see the show, the National Quilt Museum, the Eleanor Burns quilt tent (a special treat), and many other things. It will be fantastic!! I have to get new shoes in March so I can break them in, as there will be a LOT of walking in those 2-3 days.

I also got a fabulous 6 qt cast iron dutch oven. I have wanted one forever, and this one is going to be put to frequent use. My youngest gave me a huge sack of books (My bedtime ritual requires a bit of reading each night, and books are expensive! I do a lot of re-reading because of it, so new books are always welcome!), a great knife block with very nice knives, a beautiful sand painted ornament for the tree, and a limited edition collection of a capella music by my SIL and her family. They are talented vocalists and the CD is a wonderful way to share the music they have been performing at church and other functions. Oh yes, I got a great gift certificate from my boss, and friend, at the quilt shop. I am so going to have fun spending that!!

We are just so blessed. I admit that 2011 seemed to pass quickly, but I look forward to 2012.

Twas the Week Before Christmas

Well at our house the weekend is really Sunday and Monday due to Hubby's schedule. We had a fairly productive weekend. Though I felt lousy, we got the carpet cleaned in the living room and the hallway. Thanks again to my brother and his magic carpet cleaning machine! The whole livingroom is clean, the tree is in the process of going up, the windows have been flocked with nifty pictures of snowflakes, wreaths, pine trees, and Santa. We got the entertainment center moved to the Daughter's room to hold her game console (a vintage Sega) and the old TV. The rug is out and cleaned for the middle of the living room floor. Tomorrow evening I will wash and dry the Christmas Flannel quilt for the back of the couch, and put the table runner out (that matches the quilt)

We got a bit done to the kitchen, but not as much as I had planned. Frankly, there were just so many things that kept getting in the way. However, the dishwasher was run, many things were put away, and the trash went out. Progress was made, but its slower than I wanted it to be. Still feeling icky in the tummy is keeping me from accomplishing as much as I would like. Tomorrow evening we will attack it, and conquer part of the mess, Wednesday we will finish it up.

The hardware finally arrived for our bed frame. Crazy but true, the whole things arrived without a single screw or nail or directions! I guess we are supposed to put it together intuitively? That is what we will attempt. I am hoping to be able to keep the bedroom door open and show off the bed. We will see.

The In-Laws are back from their cruise. They have been down the Pacific side of South America. I am sure they had fun. Who doesn't have fun on a cruise ship? But I am glad to have them back in the US.

Noteworthy things that happened this weekend: The last of the US troops left Iraq. Kim Jong Il died in North Korea. There is a big time snow storm hitting the Southwest and Central Plains.

I think we have the shopping done. Once the tree is up and the kitchen is clean, I will feel like we can enjoy Christmas. Usually I am at the last minute doing stuff, but this year might just be different!

Counting your Blessings

Well, I guess I should be stressed and worried. The rear axle went out on the car, broke actually. That's gonna be expensive. The house is a mess because its time for the annual crazy cleaning before Christmas, and this year everyone comes here for Christmas Eve. The oven is still not working, so I can't bake cookies.

Crazy but I am extraordinarily happy. This year the shopping is nearly completely finished already! Its getting colder, and we might have flurries. That's a good thing. I think this year I am in a different frame of mind. I am okay with Advent, I have a plan for family gatherings, and I am just so pleased with life. My kids are happy and healthy, my grand-baby is just adorable. My husband is working at a job he likes, and I have a part time one that I love.

Sure things could be better, that's always true. But there is virtue in being content and in knowing, deep in your bones, the real reason for the season. God has blessed us immeasurably, and I am so grateful.

Back to the Beginning

I have been very lax recently about keeping myself accountable regarding the money spend at the grocery. This has to stop or there will be no Christmas at our house! So... I am rededicating myself to getting myself organized.

We had a great mega sale or two in the last month at Kroger and I have stocked up on a lot of things. I did a search for a Pantry Inventory (in all black ink, because the color is shot atm.) and found one that I can use. I have also been checking out some new online resources for frugality. I am adding a link to Frugal Living, a great forum site where there are many knowledgeable people who have good ideas and wisdom to share.

Now I will spend a few hours filling out the pantry inventory. I know we have plenty of food here and we shouldn't need to hit the store for a good 3-4 weeks, except for fresh milk. Though I dislike not having diet cola available, mostly for the caffeine but the bubbles are helpful too when I am fighting sinus issues, it looks like iced tea will be the drink of choice here.

I have the crock pot going. Got a whole fryer for .69 cents a pound today and its baking away with carrots, celery, potatoes, and onions for dinner. Will be yummy and make a fabulous pot of soup for tomorrow too. The dehydrator is working away on celery.

I am pondering how to best reorganize the kitchen storage spaces so that the appliances all have a home. These small things, the crock pot, the blender, the dehydrator, the bread machine, the electric skillet, the electric can opener, I love these things. They do make my life easier. But honestly, I just don't know where to put it all!

Now that Angel Food is no longer operating (*sob*) I have to find a new source for sturdy and unwieldy boxes. My food box boxes have been wonderful for storing canned goods, but I need more than I have.

I have been working on a customer quilt, and working at home on Christmas gifts. I have been checking the Screaming Penny newsletter daily for wonderful deals on quality gifts for seriously less money. I love that email :) Faithful Provisions and A Smart Shopper are also great for sharing gathered deals out on the web and at local stores. I highly recommend checking them out!

Enough for today.

Book Review: 100 Day Pantry

This month when I went to the site to order my Angelfood I found a message saying they will not be doing a September distribution. They have been hit by the financial crunch too, and are reorganizing so they can continue the program. I hope they are able to do so, but I was faced with the knowledge that I have to plan on not having access to the program in the future.

I started looking around for recipes that would let me work with what I do have access to, and found this book: 100 Day Pantry by Jan Jackson. All of the recipes are put together using canned and dried food. They are adaptable to situations where clean water is not readily available. This intrigues me so we are going to give these recipes a whirl and see how it goes. I went to Save-A-Lot and got several flats of vegetables and soups. We have plenty of pasta and rice.

As I try them I will document the results here. Since the massive bronchitis attack ate up most of my summer I was not able to tend the garden as I wanted. We got pretty much nothing, couple of peppers, 3 small tomatoes and a few herbs. I am watching for things to dehydrate, and organizing the cabinets to hold more veggies for soup. Potatoes are going to be big for the dehydrator over the next few weeks.

Got to spend a bit of time with my Oldest and her Hubby Sunday. It was SIL's birthday and we had some ice cream cake to celebrate. The grandbaby was charming and babbles a lot now. It was nice to see them.