Meal Plan Monday.....June 14th TUESDAY Edition Incorporating Leftovers

**This post is part of the June Food Stamp Challenge located over HERE.**

Planning your meals ahead but using the sale ads and incorporating any leftovers from the previous week's meals is a great way to save money and avoid food waste.  These are the main ideas I keep in mind when planning our menu.  While I won't be shopping much this week I do have alot of leftovers to use up.

Last Week's Menu Postmortem...

Most of the meals were served but not on the days I had planned.  That's ok in my book!
The chicken thighs didn't happen as we had a celebratory dinner out for #1 son since he will be away from home on his actual birthday.

Here's what I will be serving our family of 3 this Week.....our household presently consists of 2 adults and 1 teen at home this week. No children under 14.

MONDAY--Turkey(leftover)*, Mashed Potatoes, homemade Gravy, Peas
TUESDAY--Beef Enchiladas(using leftover chili)*, Salad
WEDNESDAY--Pulled Pork(leftover)*, Coleslaw, Broccoli
THURSDAY--Dinner Out using Gift Certificate
FRIDAY--Something Turkey(leftover)*, Veggies to be announced later
SATURDAY--Homemade Clam Chowder(using leftover corn)*, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Brussel Sprouts
SUNDAY--Leftovers

Here are the cost breakdowns...

Turkey Dinner--Turkey* free, Mashed Potatoes* free, homemade Gravy .10, Peas .30=$.40


Enchiladas--Beef $1.69, Sauce .79, Cheese $2.00, Tortillas $1.00, Rice .60, Sour Cream .50, Salad* free, Dressing .75=$7.33  This will make a double batch and I'll freeze half for another meal.


Pork--Pulled Pork* free, Sauce .50, Rolls .50, Coleslaw $1.25, Broccoli .83=$3.08


Dinner Out--Free with Gift Certificate


Turkey Meal--Turkey* free, Veggies to be announced later=$? but since the meat is free(leftovers) the cost will be low for the other ingredients

Chowder and Sandwiches w/Veggie--Clams $2.00, Corn* free, Bacon .50, Milk $1.59, Onions .25, Celery .25, Potatoes .50/ Bread .50, Cheese $1.63, Brussel Sprouts .83=$8.05


SUNDAY--Leftovers

Adding up what has already been spent and what I need to spend for this week's menu, I can serve this menu of 6 meals to a family of 3 adults/teens for a total of $20.86(figuring $2 max for the carbs/veggies to round out the unspecified turkey meal on Friday).  This cost also gives me a second Enchilada meal for another week.

Leftover nights have no cost as they were already figured in when the meal was served the first time. If you divide the meals' cost by 6 nights, you get an average cost per night of $3.48. That's $1.16 per person per night. And this is mostly a cooking from scratch menu. The only 'processed foods' are the salad dressing and the rolls/bread.
The items marked with the asteriks are free as they are leftovers and the cost was already paid.
Looking over this menu I've got leftovers going every night of the week that I am cooking!lolol

How am I being frugal with this menu?
*The Turkey meals are using the leftover roasted turkey from last week.  Between snacking on turkey last weekend(sandwiches)and the 2 meals this week, we should polish off all the turkey.*The Beef Enchiladas...No leftover Sloppy Joes this week but I have leftover Chili I can add to the filling to spice it up.
*The Pulled Pork is leftover boneless ribs I cooked when we grilled out the Friday before last.  I made them in case we ran out of food that night with the extra mouths here to feed.  Since we didn't need them, I'll make them into bbq this week.  By using sauce I can revive them even though they are a bit dry, being this old.  No one will know the difference....lol
*I also had leftover ears of roasted corn from that cookout.  I cut the kernels off the cobs and froze it.  That corn will be a nice addition to my clam chowder.

LAST WEEK'S FOOD SPENDING

I spent $37.76 at the store last week on groceries.
I 'spent' $8.60 in food items already in my pantry/freezer for a Food Stamp Challenge weekly total of $46.36. 
My total FSC spending for June is at $140.66.
I have an allotment of $410.72 to spend in June on food due to my participation in the June Food Stamp Challenge.
I have $270.06 remaining.

The only NEEDS for this week's menu are rolls, bread, cabbage, carrots, fruit and milk. Since I can't get the baked goods at the bakery outlet(they don't take EBT) I'll have to find a sale on bread/rolls at the reg. grocery store which will make those items cost me more.  I'm hoping to keep this list under $20 in price.
I don't see much in the stores this week that I want to stock-up on so I should be able to keep the food spending low this week.

FOOD WASTE REPORT

We had a waste casualty this week.  A bowl of something brown(most likely in the meat family)got pushed to the back and forgotten.  It was more mold than meat when found so we lost a tad more than 1 cup of food last week.
Food Waste sucks.....

Check out Organizing Junkie to see what other Home Cooks are serving this week.

Sluggy

Is it Tuesday Already? What I've Been Up To....

Ok....so it's Tuesday already!
I think I lost a day somewhere between Friday and now.
The weekend was  nuts with teens going here and teens going there and teens packing to leave for summer jobs, and school ending and on & on & on.
DH got the fencing up late Saturday around the garden beds much to the consternation of the resident rabbit.

Sunday DH and I had a date of sorts.  There is something around these parts called a "Chinese Auction"(not a very PC name for it however).  It also goes by the names Tricky Tray, or Basket Auction or Penny Social depending on the types of prizes.  It's gambling.  Not Bingo, Bunco or Poker but it's still a game of chance.....and some people find it highly addictive anyway.

The good thing about these auctions is that these are held as fundraisers for local non-profit organizations.  The group will get members and/or local businesses to donate prizes.  The prizes can be new items, they can be used items, or they can be a whole basket of prizes depending on the set-up.  The prizes can also be food or services as well(these are the kind I like).
 
Basically you buy sheets of little tickets with numbers on them.  Each sheet has 25 tickets or so plus a larger ticket that you hold onto.  All of the tickets have the same number on them and that number is unique from every other sheet of numbers.
The prizes are set out where the auction is being held, with bags or coffee cans next to each prize.  If you see a prize you want to win, you take as many of your tickets as you want & put them into the corresponding bag or can for that prize.  After about 2 hrs. of folks putting tickets in the cans/bags, the folks running the auction draw a numbered ticket out of the can/bag and whoever is holding that number wins the prize!
DH & I go to this particular Auction every year when they hold it in June.  All monies raised go to support a local fire company.

DH use to never win anything when we went but I guess my know-how or dumb luck has finally rubbed off on him.
Here is what we hauled home this year.....

Oops....forgot this item in the shot....

DH won 5 times and I won 12 times.  Well actually, we have a dispute on the ratio of mine/his winnings since one of the things I won for him but he says if I hadn't put tickets in for that item, he would have won it himself anyway.....so it's him 6/me 11 or him 5/me 12 wins. lolol

Sometimes it gets nuts at these auctions with all the people crammed in and the yelling and jostling about.  More often than naught I find myself winning something I don't even remember putting a ticket in for....like that Getty 2001 Fire Engine. Doh!

DH won a dress shirt(in his size) and a set of thermal underwear in #1 son's size which he'll be needing this winter back at school near Lake Erie.   DH also won a nice set of suede leather work gloves, some candles, a set of earphones and a jar of a locally-made specialty called Hot Sauce(it's more like Skyline Chili Sauce).
I always focus on the restaurant and services prizes....those are all those envelopes over on the left in the photo.  This year I won some free pizzas, a custom printed t-shirt, credit at a book store(for DH), $30 in hair services so I can get my hair cut, a sports shop gift card(for #2 son), gift cards to 3 other restaurants, free bowling passes & tickets for a Childrens Museum.  I've won gas station gift cards, theatre tickets, tickets to a concert, horseback riding and on and on in the past.  You just never know what goodies they will have each year.
When you add up the value of all we win, we always win at least double what we spend on the tickets.  We budget for the spending on this event every year so it's a planned expense(in case we don't win anything).  It usually costs us the equivalent of a nice restaurant meal.  We always make out like bandits in the prize dept. and the group raises cash for their cause, plus we have a good time! 

Monday rolled around and it was finally time for 2 of the teens to leave for their summer job training.  I don't know if I was happier to see them leave or they were happier to leave.lol
Of course, neither of them called me when they got there safely!!  We had to call them  & got through 11 hours after they left here!  The excuse why they didn't call?......they had no minutes left on their phones.  Right.....they were too busy using those minutes up with their friends and that's why we couldn't get through and our calls went to voice mail....if they would have been here I would have STRANGLED them!!!   (And no, they don't talk and drive.  They took turns driving so they could each blab on their phones in the passenger seat when not driving.)

The Good News is....I am down to 1 teen for the next week. 8-))
The Bad News is....Of course there is #2 son's buddy down the street who practically lives here during the summer and that kid's step brother from TX who spends a large chunk of the summer here too, so really, I still have 3 teens to deal with. 8-((

In 1 week #2 son will be going to attend camp for 2 weeks and daughter will be coming home from training for 2 weeks, until her employment time starts up.  I have a chart on the fridge to keep straight which teens are here which weeks for the summer to keep from overtaxing my brain.  I check the chart each morning to figure out which teen(s) are home and oversleeping before I start hollering names.

I spent most of Monday doing all the dirty laundry & dishes they left for me and forming a plan of attack for cleaning up things here.  I need to find my Summer Groove, ya know?

I also need to get some photos of the garden beds.  It rained bucket loads here on Sunday and lots of stuff shot up.  The weeds seem to have grown at twice the rate of the plants I WANT to grow however.
Ugh.

I still don't have a meal plan for this week.  The last 5 weeks having #1 son home put a big dent into my freezer stockpile.  I am considering eating it down so I can fit everything into the freezer compartment on the refrigerator and defrosting the freezer in the garage.  It's due and now that the turkey is out of there I might be able to empty it fully.
Speaking of turkey.....can I talk turkey with you now?lol, I need to figure out some way to serve the leftover turkey meat.  I am NOT a big fan of leftover turkey.....call me weird if you must!  It has a smell I don't like.  I guess I can hold my nose to eat it.  I have an old recipe called "Chicken & Stuffing Casserole".  DH likes it(heck, he likes everything!lol)so maybe I'll make a Turkey variations with the leftovers.  Or I could do a Turkey a la King.    Or Turkey and Dumplings.....oh, I'll come up with something.
Anyone have any suggestions besides Tetrazzini?(not a fan of that one).....

Sluggy

JUNE Food Stamp Challenge....Day Twelve & Thirteen

This post is part of the June Food Stamp Challenge located over HERE.

As Saturday was the last day for the Sales Ads and we were out of fruit & onions(can't cook ANYTHING without onions!lol) and there were some things I wanted to stock up on, I headed to the grocery store.

1 x Cantaloupe on sale=$3.00
1 x 2lbs. Strawberries on sale=$4.99
1 x 2lbs. Onions on sale=$1.29
2 x Easy Mac on sale $.75=$1.50
8 x Hormel Chili on sale $1.00=$8.00
2 x Hanover Veggies on sale $1.67=$3.33
4 x Hanover canned Beans on sale $.80=$3.20
2 x Coffee-Mate on sale $1.50=$3.00
SubTotal.....$28.31

Coupons Used
1 x BOGO Hanover Frozen Veggies ManuQ=$1.67
1 $1/4 Hanover canned Beans ManuQ=$1.00
1 x $1/2 Coffee-Mate ManuQ=$1.00
Coupon Total....$3.67

$28.31-$3.67=$24.64 out of pocket*


*This total doesn't sound quite right to me(checking it against my receipt book) but I have to get the copy of my receipt out later from upstairs to check, as the actual receipt was sent in for a rebate.  I'll correct this later if it's wrong.

The Easy Mac was bought for a rebate that needs mailing out this month.  I've been waiting for it to go on sale somewhere to buy it cheaply.  I needed beans and chili  as I am low.  #2 son eats chili with his burritos during the summer  The Coffee-Mate was a treat for daughter.  Everything bought was on sale and 3 items I had coupons for.

Saturday was Leftover's Day so assorted leftovers were eaten as part of the meal plan.

Sunday was #1 son's last day before leaving for the summer to go work on the opposite side of the state.
I was overruled on staying home and making my Enchiladas for dinner because DH felt we needed to go out to eat.  #1 son is also never home anymore for his birthday in July so this was his Birthday Meal Out that we always do for each person in the family.

I am aware that food stamps does not cover hot food eaten out at a restaurant.  And some people on food stamps can't afford to spend actual cash money on going out to eat, no matter if it's a fancy pants, family, diner, buffet, cafe or fast food type restaurant.
So I am undecided on what I should do here with my food budget for the challenge.  Eating out generally goes under the "Entertainment" budget with us.  Should I deduct the cost of this meal out from the food stamp budgeted amount?  Or do I get a 'pass' here?  Or should I deduct the cost of the food if I have bought it and cooked it at home instead of having eaten the food out from my food stamp budget?
Any thoughts here?.....anyone?

Having cash enough to go out, to spend it on a nice meal out, is a luxury that food stamp recipients probably almost never have.  Yes, having money gives you more choices in your life.  Having been poor(meaning lacking money, not the other kinds of poor) at times in my life, I am painfully aware of that fact.

 Spending for Day Twelve & Thirteen...$24.64

Spent to Date....$140.66
June Food Budget Left....$270.06
Days of Challenge Left....17 

Sluggy

Satuday at Rite-Aid x 3

Made 3 trips to Rite-Aid on Saturday to finish some SCRebates......

 Transaction #1

3x Old Spice Dedorant or Body Spray on sale $3.50=$10.50
1 x Rembrandt Toothpaste reg. $8.29, w/Wellness 20% discount=$6.63
1 x Pantene Shampoo on sale=$3.50
4 x Ramen Noodles on clearance $.12ea.=$.48
SubTotal....$21.11

Coupons Used
1 x $5/$20 Purchase AdPerks/VV IPQ=$5.00
1 x B2G1 Old Spice=$3.50
1 x $1/2 Old Spice=$1.00
1 x $3/1 Rembrandt ManuQ=$3.00
1 x $3/1 Rembrandt AdPerks/VV IPQ=$3.00
1 x $1.50/1 Pantene Home Mailer Q(Vocalpt.)=$1.50
1 x $4 +Up Reward /Wellness CRT Q=$4.00
Coupon Total....$21.00

$21.11-$21.00=$.11 OOP--put on Free Rite-Aid Gift Card=ZERO out of pocket
SCR qualifed for....$3(Pantene)** & $5 Gift Card(P&G items)

The $3 Pantene SCR is a "special rebate" I received notice of in an email from Rite-Aid.  I do believe it's not so special really since everyone who is signed up for the Wellness Program got this notice.lol

And I have a big bone to pick with Rite-Aid due to this transaction.
When I bought the 3 Old Spice items I was SUPPOSE to receive a $4 +Up Rewards that prints on the end of the receipt(like a CVS Extra Care Buck).....but it didn't print!
The cashier(who is the front end manager btw)warned me that the last person who bought the Old Spice items and used Old Spice ManuQs in her payment also did NOT get the +Up Reward.  I told the cashier that I had bought the same items earlier in the week, using those same Qs and the +Up Reward did print......and now, while the offer was still valid and the tags were on the shelf and said NOTHING about not getting the Reward if you used coupons, the Reward didn't print!!
What's up with this Rite-Aid?
I am NOT happy with you!!!
Has anyone else had this problem with their +Up Reward NOT PRINTING?!?  Let us know, willya?!

So I went to finish off my SCR#555(Skin Care) and now did NOT have that $4 +Up Reward to bring down my OOP total.  I did however, have my $20 Allergy Rewards Certificate that came in the mail last week.

Transaction #2

1 x Sea Breeze Cleaner $5.29 w/Welllness 20% discount=$4.23
1 x Neutrogena Clinical Treatment $39.99 w/Wellness 20% discount=$31.99
SubTotal....$36.22

Coupons Used
1 x $5/$20 Purchase AdPerks/VV IPQ=$5.00
1 x $5/1 Neutrogena Clinical IPQ=$5.00
1 x $5/1 Neutrogena Clinical In-Ad Q=$5.00
1 x $1/$10 any Skin Care Purchase Wellness IPQ=$1.00
Coupon Total....$16.00

$36.22-$16.00=$20.22
Used 1 x $20/1 Allergy Rewards Certificate=$20.00 to pay.

$20.22-$20.00=$.22+ $.02 tax=$.24 OOP--put on Free Rite-Aid Gift Card so ZERO Out of Pocket

SCR qualifed for....$3(Sea Breeze) & the Neutrogena purchase took me over the $50 Skin Care items mark so I also qualify for the $25 Gift Card now + the Bonus $5 Gift Card for completing SCR#555.
In additional there is a $15 Mail-In Rebate(MIR)for this Neutrogena Clinical product.

1 more transaction to finish out the week, this time for my BIL's account....

1 x Gillette ProGlide Razor on sale but 20% Wellness discount better=$8.79
1 x Blink Tears on sale=$7.99
1 x Reeses Pieces bag $3.99 w/Wellness 20% discount=$3.19
SubTotal.....$19.97

Coupons Used
1 x $5/$20 Purchase AdPerks/VV IPQ=$5.00
1 x $4/1 Gillette Razor ManuQ=$4.00
1 x $2/1 Blink Tears ManuQ=$2.00
1 x FREE ITEM Reese's Pieces(home mailer)=$3.19
Coupons Total....$14.19

$19.97-$14.19=$5.78 OOP--put on Free Rite-Aid Gift Card so ZERO Out of Pocket
SRC qualified for....$5(Razor),$7.99(Blink Tears)=$12.99

Here again, I didn't figure the lower price on the Razor as it was on sale, so my total was just under $20.  They took the $5 off $20 Q anyway again.
I found another razor with the $5 Survey inside.  Tried to use it for BIL and was told "thanks but we have enough responses." Dangit....

Value of Items today....$100.88
Out of Pocket....$6.13 put on gift cards
SCRs earned....$18.99 cash and $35 in Gift Cards

My Rite-Aid Totals so far this month......
Number of Transactions.....7
Total Spent....$43.48--all put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO  OOP
Total Value of Items Purchased....$228.54
SCR qualified for....$41.98 in cash and $35 in Gift Cards
Other Cash....$15 MIR from Neutrogena
+Up Rewards Earned....$8.00(it spends like a CVS ECB)--they owe me $4 on this!
Additional Rewards....$5.00 Gift Card from Gillette(for survey)

My actual overage is $41.98 after gift cards.
Add in the other $20 cash(MIR and Survey) and I'm up to $61.98 in cash rebates/overage.


Sluggy

JUNE Food Stamp Challenge....Using Coupons with EBT/Snap

This post is part of the June Food Stamp Challenge located over HERE.

One way to make your EBT/SNAP/Food Stamps stretch further is to utilize store and/or manufacturers coupons.  Every dollar you use in coupons is one more dollar that isn't used of your food stamps allotment.
Pretty basic concept,huh?
But I've read where many people who receive governmental food benefits don't realize they can combine their food stamps with coupons.
I am sure as well that there are people who use food stamps who just don't care or want to take the time to clip coupons just like in the non-food stamp using population.
But we need to get the word out to people who just don't know that you CAN use coupons with your food stamp benefits.


If you live in a state that taxes food purchases, if you pay with food stamps, you are not taxed.  For example, if your state taxes food and you buy $50 of groceries and pay with cash or with a debit/credit card, you would be charged $50 + whatever the sales tax rate for your state is on that $50 purchase.
If you buy the same $50 in groceries and pay with EBT/Snap benefits, you would not be charged tax on the purchase.

However, if you use manufacturer's coupons along with your EBT/Snap benefits to pay for your groceries, you will owe CASH on the face value of the coupons at whatever the sales tax rate is for your state.
Store issued coupons on the other hand are NOT taxable.
Both types of coupons are solely an adjustment of the sales price of items and outside of the food stamp sales tax exemption.


Here's an example using my state of PA(sales tax rate of 6%)....
You buy $11 worth of eligible food.
You pay for your $11 of groceries with your EBT/Snap.
You are out of pocket no actual cash and $11 in EBT/Snap benefits for the month.
But--
You buy $11 worth of eligible food, using $1 worth of manufacturer’s discount coupons, and $10 in
food stamps.
Since the sales tax is imposed on the dollar amount of the coupon, the recipient
would pay $10.06 and would therefore have to supplement the $10 in food stamps with 6¢ in cash.
If the $1 coupon is a store issued coupon/discount it's not taxed, and the recipient pays $10.

While the coupons save you some EBT/Snap credit, you do have to pay out actual cash.
If you are in a situation where you can not afford using any of your cash to cover the tax on the coupons, you may not want to use manufacturers coupons.

Personally, I don't quite understand the reasoning of how this works.   You would think the government would encourage people to combine coupon use with EBT/Snap benefits so they could stretch their food credits further or be able to buy a higher quality/price of food.

Dinging someone with such low cash resources who wants to utilize coupons makes little sense to me.  You would think the government would do everything in it's power to encourage thrift among it's recipients!
Perhaps we need to get the rules changed and make manufacturer's coupons exempt from sales tax when used on food stamp eligible purchases.

Sluggy