Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Sometimes Cheap Food Isn't Really Cheap


I know we are not all Suzy Freakin' Homemaker.....
Not everyone is cut out to be chained to the kitchen, churning out delectable foods for the family.
At some point in our lives, we all need to make concessions in feeding our families, be it buying less expensive ingredients or cutting corners due to time, talent or finances.

There are tons of companies out there with food products and sometimes making a choice is daunting.
Just know that those labeled "convenience foods" will almost without fail be the most expensive choice you make.  It may seem like a bargain at the register if it's on sale and you have a coupon for it, but in the end what is the quality of the product(the taste)and even more so what is the end result on your health by eating that product?

Take for instance Pop-Tarts.
It's cheap(on sale and with a Q), it's easy(no work involved unless you want to toast it and that really doesn't involve any "work" lol), and it's something you can get your kids to eat readily(it's sweet).
But in the end the quality is questionable(it's full of ingredients you can't pronounce)and stuff that is rather bad for you(empty calories).

If you have some baking skills, why not challenge yourself to come up with a homemade version of a Pop-Tart?
You know....one that you can control what ingredients go into it, so it tastes good but is also better for you and your kids!  See if you can do this and keep the cost at or lower than what the Pop-Tart folks charge for their product.

And the next time you are in the grocery store and you go to reach for that processed food thing you are about to put into your cart,  ponder this.....



Makes you want to put a garden in your yard this year, doesn't it?

Sluggy

Monday, February 11, 2013

Meal Planning Feb. Week 3 & Food Spending Week 2

Here is the only photo I took of the "Nemo" we got around here.  Snowfall totaled about 6-7 inches.

Oh the inhumanity of it all!  Will I ever be able to sit on my swing again? lol
To a Southerner(except for those raised in the mountains), THIS amount of snow is enough to make you panic.  Nobody can drive in it, most places don't have the equipment to deal with it and everybody goes nuts thinking they'll never be able to buy food at the grocery store again!
I must say that "real" snowfall amounts were a novelty to me the first few years I lived above the Mason-Dixon Line, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing snow.
But it wears off right quick when you have to shovel it.

Good luck up in New England though as they got total snowfalls like we use to get in the Poconos every year.   Here's our previous house.....

I can't believe we lived there and SHOVELED out multiple times a Winter without a snowblower for 14 YEARS!  We were young and healthier......oh, and broke, so couldn't justify the expense of a snowthrowing machine.

So you folks in CT, RI, MA and ME have my sympathies.

And here is what actually got served last week......

Sunday--Chicken Fajitas
Monday--Taco Bell or Fend for Yourself
Tuesday--Salmon, Broccoli
Wednesday--Pan Saute Chicken, leftover rice from Take-Out, leftover Corn
Thursday--leftover Chicken Fajitas
Friday--Buffalo Blue Cheese Chicken Dip with Celery or leftover Tortilla Chips
Saturday--Hamburgers, French Fries, leftover Salad

I served about half of what I had planned.  The hot dogs, ,the soup and the ravioli got moved to this week.  Friday the Daughter was all jazzed to make some amazing chicken dip she had had before.  It called for 2 bottles of Frank's hot sauce(2 bottles!!!)so I knew I'd probably be dieting on Friday whether I wanted to or not. lol  She cut down on the hot sauce but it was still too spicy for me, though I did eat some of it.  It was also a CHEESE OVERLOAD.  So between the mega cheese and the hot sauce, let's just say I was not a happy camper on Saturday who stuck close to the bathroom and leave it at that.   Next time, I'll eat less of that hot mess and carry a box of baby wipes with me for the next 24 hours.  LOLZ
Now that I've scarred you for life.....let's move on.

The food spending last week?
Ugh.
I spent $120.90 at my 2 stores.  Most of the damage was done at Weis PMITA Markets.  I bought dairy products for Daughter's dip(everything was on sale thankfully), fruit, ravioli, asparagus, beans, OJ, clearance bologna, 3lb. of ground beef and splurged on a box of Crab Rangoons.  Then I stocked up on 6 100% juices, honey, 3lbs. of catfish and 4 pizzas, the ones we love best(on sale AND used Qs!). A sale pack of Salmon, Cabbage, Onions and frozen Green Beans(all on sale)rounded out my shopping for the week.

I've spent $206.92 and I am left at this point with $193.08 in my food budget for February.

As for leftovers rolling into this week--the only thing is a big bowl of that Chicken Dip stuff.  I'm not eating it but the family has orders to do so since it sure did cost a fortune!
If I have to buy some chips or something to get them to use it up, by gosh I will.....even if I have to pay retail for the chips!! ;-)

***********************

Here is what is getting served this week.....
Sunday--Hot Dogs, Grilled Asparagus
Monday--Ham and Bean Soup, Green Bean Casserole, homemade Bread
Tuesday--Halushki + Ham Soup/GB Casserole, Bread
Wednesday--Meatloaf, Potatoes(not sure which way), Cauliflower
Thursday--Leftovers or Fend for Yourself
Friday--Ravioli, Sausage Sauce, Caesar Salad
Saturday--Maybe Chinese date nite with Hubs

Needed at the store to serve the meals I am making this week?
I already picked up the Asparagus, Cabbage, Celery, frozen Green Beans, frozen Ravioli and a can of beans(for the soup-can you believe I had no dried Northern beans left?)last week.   
Still need....Romaine lettuce, milk. I'm looking to stay out of the store(except to do my Price Book Week 6 numbers) so I'll give myself $40 this week just in case a good deal comes up.

What's on your menu for the week?  Any good deals at the grocers this week?
Did you have any food waste this week?  I need to clean out the nether regions of my fridge this week and I have a bad bad feeling I'm going to find a science experiment back there. lol

Sluggy

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Only a Southern Girl........


My buddy Lisa Pie posted this over on her Facebook feed and I am stealing it so all y'all can see it.
But especially so my Daughter can start studying up on how she is gonna be needin' to talk once she moves to Louisiana.

I am a G.R.I.T.S. gal through and through so it's pained me that my children have not been raised in the South.
Yes, I have been known to have said, "I'm as stuffed as a tick!" on more than one occasion.

 Enjoy these!
There is nothing on Earth like a Southern Belle.....bless her heart. ;-)







Sluggy

Saturday, February 9, 2013

$20K Savings Challenge....JANUARY Update

In our family we save money.
It is important to us to put money aside for "rainy days".  You know.....those unexpected days when things happen in your life that you can't plan on, but that DO happen and they cost you money you didn't know you'd need to pay out.

Our income is mainly the salary my Hubs draws from his job.  We have money taken off each paycheck from the top to put into savings, before we even get our hands on it.  This money that's taken goes into various pots....life insurance, investments and retirement savings.  It's automatic so we are never tempted to NOT put it into savings.
Once the automatic savings, plus taxes and medical/dental/vision payments are taken out, it leaves what we get to "live on".  From this amount we budget for bills, both monthly and irregular bills(semi-annual, etc.) and our variable bills(like food, eating out, etc.)  Anything left over once our monthly expenses are paid, I put aside into a Savings Challenge. 

For 2013 I am continuing my Yearly Savings Challenge.  I am going to keep the Goal amount at $20,000 again this year.

On to the January report.....

I have posted my JANUARY End of Month $20K $AVING$ CHALLENGE Totals.
Check out the side bar to your right for the specific numbers.

I have 2 goals each month.....
The 1st is to actually finish each month in the black and not the red.
The 2nd is to hit the targeted savings amount of $1,666.67.

I have to report that we finished up January in the black!
The extra cash amount we ended the month of January with?.......$2,761.06

Income
We had $2,579.14 left over from our income after our monthly expenses were deducted. 
Add in a per diem check for mileage for some business traveling and some bank interest and we get another $181.92.  This brought our gain to $2,761.06 for January.

Outgo
As for the expenses this January, most of them were on the bad side, rather than the good side....

HERE are the GOOD THINGS
*  The medical bills were $192 lower.
*  The credit card bill was $98 lower.
*  There were no Xmas spending or car repairs/maintenance bills.

HERE are the BAD THINGS
*  The cable bill  monthly price went up in 2013 by $4 a mo.
*  The cash withdrawals were $100 higher.
*  The water bill went up $4+.
*  The electric bill went up by $43.
*  The quarterly garbage bill is due in January.
 
The Food Budget costs for JANUARY are in another post, which is located HERE
We managed to stay well within our $400 food budget in January.

The 2013 TOTAL so far.....
With 1 month behind us, our Savings Grand Total for 2013 stands at $2,761.06.
We surpassed our monthly goal by $1,000 in January!  This extra will be a very good thing later in the year, during some of our more financially challenging months, when we can't hit our target goal.

Looking ahead for February......
February is always a challenging money month for us, because our semi-annual car insurance premium is due, as well as our county taxes for the year.  I also have an unexpected dental bill to pay in February.
In addition, the electric/heating bill will be the highest one of the year this month.
I am hoping to keep the variable bills(food, credit card, Hubs cash withdrawals)wrangled in February to compensate.  And I will hope that none of the cars needs anything other than gas until March.


So how was your January financially?
Did you put the Holiday spending on credit, and do you have Christmas debt to pay now?
Did you spend less than the income you made in January?
Did you stay within your budget or not?

If you posted your financial progress on your own blog, leave a link in the comments so we can go check you out your progress too and celebrate with you!

Sluggy

Friday, February 8, 2013

I Went to Rite-Aid This Week

I have a $20 +Up Reward expiring on Sat., 2/9.  With the snowstorm heading this way, I went Thursday to spend it, instead of waiting until the weekend.

Most of the freebies and almost freebies were gone already.
My mission was to get as close to $20 OOP after coupons and buy only items we can use....


2 x Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent on sale $3.99=$7.98
2 x Gillette disposable Razors on sale $7.49(Gold discount less at $6.39)=$12.78
2 x Hall's cough drops on sale $1.50=$3.00
2 x Reach Toothbrushes on sale $2.99=$5.98
1 x St. Joseph Aspirin on sale=$4.99
SubTotal.....$34.73


Coupons Used
1 x BOGO Gillette disposable Razors ManuQ(2/3RP)=$6.39
1 x $2/1 Gillette disposable Razors ManuQ(1/20SS)=$2.00
1 x $1/2 Hall's cough drops ManuQ(1/6SS1)=$1.00
2 x $1/1 Reach toothbrush Tearpad Q(from dentist office)=$2.00
1 x $2.25/1 St. Joseph item ManuQ(2/3SS)=$2.25
Coupon Total....$13.64

$34.73-$13.64=$21.09+.03¢tax=$21.12
I used my $20 +Up Reward and put the  $1.12 on my Rite-Aid gift card.

I received back $9 in +Up Rewards(2 x $2 Arm&Hammer, 2 x $2 Reach, $1 Halls).
I have $28.75 in tracking for the February Anniversary Promotion.

I had a Load2Card digital Q for $1/2 Reach toothbrushes but it didn't come off.  I was expecting my total after Qs to be $20.12 instead.  Oh well.  Those L2C Qs are hit and miss so badly that I NEVER count on them anymore.
bleh.

Totals for this trip....

Out of Pocket.....$0.00 cash
Value of items bought.....$53.31
+Ups at beginning of month....$20.00+
+Ups used....$20.00+
+Ups received....$9.00+


**GRAND TOTALS FOR FEBRUARY**So Far

Out Of Pocket....$0.00  cash
Value of items bought.....$53.31
Savings Rate of  100%
Rebates due......$0.00

+Ups at beginning of month...$20.00+
+Ups used....$20.00+
+Ups received...$9.00+
+Ups currently...$9.00+  


 Sluggy