To Garden or Not To Garden? Thoughts

While I do love to have a veggie garden each year(since it makes me exercise and gets me outside on a regular basis besides gives us fresh vegetables)I have come to the conclusion that gardening here is just not working any longer.

By not working, I mean that we have critters(critters=rabbits, raccoon, chipmunks, squirrels, deer and an occasional bear)living in the yard and nearby now that we can't keep from getting at the veggies before they are ready to be picked and consumed by the humans growing them.  We have had to replace seedlings multiple times in a season and then if the weather doesn't spoil our harvest the nibbling critters make swift work of the goodies before things are ready to be picked.
It wouldn't be so bad if I had the room to plant larger amounts to allow for a percentage to be eaten by the local wildlife, but I don't have that kind of space.
I guess our dogs use to keep the wildlife on their toes more and they were more reticent to move in so close to the house to nibble at the garden goodies.
sigh.
It's frustrating and I just hate throwing all this money into gardening and getting nothing for the effort and expense.

Now if we were to make a proper garden area with real fences to keep out the critters it would be worth going through this exercise.
But that would mean a LOT of money spend on real fencing at the least and seeing as we are only planning on living here another 1.5 years I don't see the point dropping that kind of cash into this.

It would have to be a high fence(to keep the deer at bay)and I think only a wooden variety would be allowed here.  Since Hubs can't do it himself we'd have to pay through the nose to have someone else build it.

We do have seasonal access to fresh veggies via farm stands and a farm in the area but at a cost....although it is usually cheaper than buying at the local grocery store.  They still aren't veggies we hand raise at home.

So the only way I see putting in yet another garden is if I can come up with something that will keep the critters at bay without shelling out for a proper fence.

I'll be thinking on this issue in the coming weeks.


Sluggy

Rite-Aid for Valentine's Day

I meant to go to Rite-Aid Monday but the weather forecast meant I went out in the cold on Sunday night.
I bought this stuff on my card..........

6 x Tresemme Poo and Conditioner on sale $4ea.=$24.00

Coupons Used
I used a $3/15 wyb $15 in any hair care Q that was generated on my receipt earlier in the month=$3.00
And 3 x $3/2 Tresemme ManuQs from that Unilever book I got in VA at Walmart=$9.00
Coupon Total........$12.00

$24.00-$12.00=$12.00+.72¢tax=$12.72.
I used $12.72 in Plenti Points to pay.
I earned $30 in new Plenti Points(2 x $5 wyb3 Tresemme, $20 BPE wyb $100 tracking) so even though I "spent down" $2.72 in Points on the purchase(after I received $10 in Plenti points for buying the Tresemme)that $20 BPE Bonus Points made it ultimately into a $17.28 moneymaker.

I probably won't be doing anymore purchases during the BPE as there is little I see that I can buy that will get me to $150 in BPE tracking that will be nearly free or at least won't cost more than $15 in Points($15 in Points is the next Bonus Level).
There is nothing I NEED to buy there anyway as my toiltries supply is packed at the moment, even after culling out items to add to the Food Bank Donation I have going on at the moment.

Getting free toiletries is great but not if they exceed your storage space. ;-)
In Winter, when I don't travel anywhere and/or have anyone travel to see me here, it's difficult getting rid of some of this stuff, as I have a decade long supply of shampoo at the moment.
The stockpile of this will start to thin out as we get into "Traveling Season" and I get to share my good fortune with family and friends again.  8-)

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

It's the "Can It Get Any Colder??" Edition--

I don't have a photo but idiot that I am, I went to Rite-Aid after dark last night.  I had planned on going Monday afternoon but they are predicting snow here for then so I ran out in the monstrously cold night.  Luckily I have a remote start feature on my Sonic so I didn't have to sit in the car waiting for the heat to kick in....but even so, it was beastly cold for here.  My car dashboard read 3F degrees...eek!  It was even colder Friday/Saturday night at negative something or other.  At that temp I didn't even want to look so I'm not sure how frigid it did get then. 8-o

Onward to the meal planning!

Here's what was planned last week.......

1. Sunday--Frozen Pizza, Salad
2. Monday--Barbecue Pork(leftover)on Rolls w/Cole Slaw
3. Tuesday--Sloppy Joes(using taco meat leftover)on Onion Rolls, Sugar Snap Peas
4. Wednesday--Bourbon Salmon fillets, Cole Slaw, Veggie TBD
5. Thursday--Beef Enchiladas(leftover)
6. Friday--Broccoli/Cauliflower Cheddar Soup, French Bread
7. Saturday--Leftover of some kind

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Frozen Pizza, Salad
2. Monday--Barbecue Pork(leftover)on Rolls w/Cole Slaw, Sugar Snap Peas
3. Tuesday--Chinese Take-Out(I was feeling sick so didn't cook)
4. Wednesday--Sloppy Joes(using taco meat leftover)on Onion Rolls, Leftover Sugar Snap Peas
5. Thursday--Leftover Beef Enchiladas, Corn
6. Friday--Broccoli/Cauliflower Cheddar Soup, Biscuits
7. Saturday--Subway Sandwiches

Being sick and getting Take-Out meant the Salmon got moved to this week but otherwise mostly the plan was stuck to.

I took the leftover taco meat and made it into Sloppy Joes, finishing off that leftover.

5 meals cooked at home(3 new meals-if you count frozen pizza as a new meal-and 2 using up leftovers) and 2 take-out meals.

As for my grocery spending so far for February.....Hubs made a stop at the store for me and spent $7 and that was everything for last week.
Added to the $242.28 spent in Week #1 that makes a running total of $249.28 spent in February and we have 15 days left in the month.

Leftovers going into this week......ravioli in sauce, pork bbq, Cole Slaw, Broccoli Cheddar Soup.  I will freeze the rest of the bbq this week as we have had it for dinner once and lunch twice last week.  I will eat on the soup for lunches for myself this week.

Here is this week's "food plan"--

1. Sunday--Bourbon Salmon, Mixed Veggies, Mac and Cheese
2. Monday--Chicken Parm, Veggies(Spaghetti for Hubs)
3. Tuesday--Chicken Fajitas
4. Wednesday--Bacon Mushroom Quiche(or another frozen pizza augmented with goodies)
5. Thursday--Shrimp, Cole Slaw, TBA?
6. Friday--Leftovers
7. Saturday--Leftovers

This week will see 5 new meals cooked and 2 meals of leftovers(re-purposed into new dishes or not).

What I need to buy for this menu?  Trying to keep spending down again this week so I concocted meals out of ingredients already in hand here.  I hope to stay out of the grocery stores again this week unless a great "deal" turns up.

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Was last week's plan successful, did you go off plan or did you not even plan what was going to be eaten last week?

Any great deals on food at your stores this week?

Sluggy

More Frugality Last Week

Besides my plan to move my Rxs for free store gift cards I did a couple other frugal things this past week--

*  I had .50¢ in gas points.  Since my Sonic only has a 10 gallon gas tank I give the points to Hubs as his Malibu has an 18.5 gallon gas tank meaning he gets a better benefit(if he runs his gas down first)for those gas points.  Hubs used them this week so the Weis $1.879 gas was only $1.379 per gallon and he saved us $6.43 on his gas fill-up.

*  I have NOT gone to the grocery store this week at all!  One of the few side benefits on not feeling well-I have not felt like grocery shopping.

*  Though I haven't been to the grocery store I sent Hubs out for plastic wrap at the local Shursave store as it was $2 a roll on sale this week and we are on our last roll.  I had thought about going to Weis last week as they had a Mega-Sale that included the same rolls of Glad wrap but the Deal was you had to buy 10 rolls(or as many rolls as you wanted + enough other Mega-Sale items to equal 10 items)....Reg. price at Weis of $2.49, Instant .50¢ off for Mega-Sale makes them each $1.99.....which is what the local Shursave was selling them for on sale.  I don't NEED 10 rolls of plastic wrap nor could I figure out 8 other Mega-Sale items I wanted/needed so it was more fiscally prudent to just buy them at Shursave.

*  While Hubs was picking up the Glad wrap he also bought himself a bag of chips(to finish off the dip I made him for Super Bowl)and it was on sale too.  Evidently this store started some sort of Grocery Giveaway Promotion and he got a game ticket with his purchase.
Well lookie here!  I won a can of tuna!

I'll take it........lolz
So in the end, we spent $7 of the food budget last week and got a free can of tuna.

* I found a free program to help me do my taxes this year.  I can also use them to e-file for free(but I probably will mail in a paper return anyway).  Why pay for tax software when you don't have to?
Now that we don't have enough deductions to itemize my return is a lot easier to complete....well except for that Lifetime Learning/College Credit thing.  The free software from that tax site makes quick work of that too so I am a happier camper and I keep another $50 or so in my wallet not shelling out for TurboTax or whatever.

What frugal hacks have you taken advantage of lately?

Sluggy

Last Trip to Rite-Aid This Week

Went back to Rite-Aid and bought this on son's card to get to the $20 BPE Reward...........

2 x 4 pack light bulbs on sale=$15.98
2 x Speed Stick Deo on sale(but Wellness disc. less $2.95)=$5.90
1 x Gear Deo on sale=$3.49
SubTotal......$25.37

Coupons Used
1 x $1/2 Speed Stick ManuQ=$1.00
1 x $2/1 Gear Deo IPQ(NLA)=$2.00
1 x $2/1 Gear Deo In-AdQ=$2.00
Coupon Total........$5.00

$25.37-$5.00=$20.37+$1.23 tax=$21.60 paid with Plenti points.

I earned $33 in new Plenti points($20 BPE Reward, 2 x $1.50 Speed Stick regular, 2 x $5 Light bulbs) so I am "up" $11.40 in Plenti points for this transaction and I am at $108.28 in tracking for the next BPE Reward at $150 spent.

I'll be going back on Sunday when the new ad starts and get to the $100 spending level on my card to earn the $20 Points Reward again.

This is probably all I will try for with the BPE Rewards.  It's been an "ok" promotion and much better than both last January's and February's promotions, in which I only earned 4 movie theater tickets total for both months.  I like earning free Plenti points much better and the promos have been more lucrative this year.

So 1 more trip and then I'll be laying off of Rite-Aid trips for awhile.

I'll have to wait and see what Rite-Aid has in store for March to see if I'll be going back anytime soon to pillage.  ;-)

Sluggy