When a weather emergency happens, we frugal, stockpiling mavens don't need to run to the stinkin' store for water, milk, bread and batteries!
We have the essentials in our stockpile already! We are magnificent role models for society during emergency situations!
Having taken care of the basics, we can then concentrate on running to the liquor store and the snack food aisle of the grocery store.
Priorities people.....priorities!!
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Since Hubs and I were down at the shore celebrating our 30th Anniversary, I have no CLUE what meals at home consisted of last week! I left the almost 20 yr. old and 16.5 yr. old with many food options(most requiring little if any cooking), but other than some Ramen noodles they don't seem to have eaten anything!lol
Daughter got chinese take-out 1 night and #2 Son went and mooched off his friends and their family at least 1 night.
Oh, I forgot that 2 pizzas ARE MIA from the freezer.......of course they are! lolz
As for food spending......Hubs and I had a room with a kitchenette so we did do some food shopping on vacation.
We had breakfast in the room all but 1 day.
We had dinner in the room 1 night and we skipped lunch a few days and had toast or fruit in the room to get us through to dinner. I spent $37.30 on groceries consumed last week.
We spent $24.94 on country ham to bring home for later(can't get it here).
Then we we got home, I went crazy Saturday at the grocery store and spent $109.81. The local Shursave affiliate store is doing their Thanksgiving promotion(Spend $XXX, get a $XX gift certificate Deal)for the next 3 weeks. I am using this time to stock up on sale items that are mostly nonperishable(canned/boxed/paper products/etc.). Things I would need to buy anyway, so why not buy them in these 3 weeks and get credit toward the gift certificate.
Since changing my shopping habits about 4 years ago, I haven't spent enough toward this Promotion to actually earn a gift certificate except for last year. I may have a shot at a $15 certificate this year. There is also a Baking Goods Catalina promo running concurrently with the Thanksgiving Promo....Spend $30 on select items and Earn a $10 Cat Q. These baking promo items double dip with the Thanksgiving Promo.
So if you add up Week 2's spending of $52.68(which I didn't report last Monday), the $37.30 I spend for groceries on vacation, the $24.94 on ham we hauled home and the $109.81 from Saturday, that makes $224.73 used for 2 weeks worth of food spending.
Added to the $247.63 from the first 2 weeks of October and my grocery bill for October to this point is $472.36.
Over again this month by $72.36.
If I were to take out the money I give Daughter to buy convenience foods for lunches at work/school and the non-perishables I bought on Saturday to get the Thanksgiving Reward, I would have been under or on budget for the month.
Oh well.....there is always next month, right? ;-)
At least going over doesn't mean we go into debt to eat here. While I don't have to keep under to stay solvent with the finances I still like to keep my thumb on the food spending. If I ignore it and just spend whatever/whenever, the bottom line gets out of hand real fast!
Next month I plan to keep my $400 budget and PLEASE come here and wag your finger at me about that! I am serious people!!
I still need to purchase about $200 for the Thanksgiving Promotion so half my Nov. budget will go for that.....buying items that will be needed for the month and/or good to have in the stockpile. Another piece of my budget will go to Daughter for her lunches for work/school.
As for Turkey Day, the only items I need to purchase for the Thanksgiving meal are whipped cream(for pies), celery, rutabaga and a turkey. I have everything else--for stuffing, for making rolls, for pies, for cranberry sauce, for 3-4 veggie dishes. I even have a few cans of GRAVY from last year.....yes Judy, I said GRAVY!!!lolz
I don't plan on stepping foot into Weis(Pound Me In The Ass)Markets in November so no GRAVY SCAVENGER HUNT this year for me! More on the 2011 Great Gravy Saga HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE.
If Weis does that Gravy Deal again and I start to waiver, please come here and tie me to my chair! ;-)
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This week's menu.....taking power failure possibility into account.....
This week's menu.....taking power failure possibility into account.....
Sunday--Pot Roast, Carrots, Potatoes, Mushrooms, Onions
Monday--Sloppy Joe on Onion Rolls, Corn(can cook ahead Monday a.m.and reheat on grill burner should power go out later in day)
Tuesday--Grilled Steak(planning on no power), Kraft, Salad, Ice Cream LOL
Wednesday--Marinated Chicken Breast on grill(planning on no power), grilled Potatoes, thawing frozen Veggies will be heated on grill
Thursday--Beef Stew(from leftover Pot Roast-made on grill burner if no power), Homemade bread(if the power is back up)or store bought bread here(in no power)
Friday--Salmon, Rice, Broccoli (if power is up)--if no power, whatever is in fridge that has to be eaten
Saturday--Leftovers or TBA if still without power
What
I need to buy this week to serve this menu?.....Not a single thing. Ok, maybe some salad.
So what are you cooking at your house this week?
If you are in the path of the Sandy, do you have a contingency plan for meals?
Sluggy
Wow, you're very prepared. Yesterday, we made two big pans of BBQ chicken (which is just fine eaten cold), and that should take us through Wednesday. We dont need a whole lot of variety! Thereafter, we're most likely going to be eating soup (if power is out) or making some porkchops and mashed potatoes. This is all at my parents' house, of course.
ReplyDeleteMy Sandy meal prep:
ReplyDelete-large bin of popcorn made, then turn to crackers w/ cheese, sliced pepperoni or p butter; fresh and canned fruits for snacks
Meals (X is supposed to bring me a camp stove to borrow. If not, and it's not raining, I can build a fire in the grill on the property
-bfst: cook style oatmeal or cream of wheat, bread/toast with jam, presliced ham and eggs, homefries out of canned potatoes, onions, bacon fat; OJ/cocoa/coffee
-lunch/dinner: I intentionally bought the aforementioned presliced ham. tonight's will we or won't we have power menu is baked beans with ham cubes. I will make it early, cook it in cast iron, which retains heat well. Canned pork beans were also purchased. I can cook hotdogs with them, or cook anything from the freezer. I defrosted leftover Communion celebration coldcuts the other day as well: I have sliced roast beef and turkey. Either can also be pulled into service as part of a meal or sandwiches. I made 2 loaves of bread ahead, along with a batch of chocolate chip cookies.