Stuff Lately

* I haven't left the house much lately.  I've been enjoying the cooler temps around here since last Friday though and not having the a/c running.  I need to pick tomatoes again today if the rain holds off too.

My hermit time will end tonight when  I go to Weis, use the $5 off Q, and get gas with my points(they expire Labor Day I think).

* We spent the weekend putting Hubs' room back together mostly(plus I've been working in the garage too).  He's dragging his ass a bit stopping to do other things so not everything is back where it needs to be and out of the way and still in my room or our bedroom.
I hope to have everything in the upstairs relocated and where it needs to be before this coming weekend is over.  Then I can share photos of it all.
Really, it's not that great of a change or a beautiful makeover or anything.  But I just want it done so I can move on to other issues.

* Tomorrow I go to the Chronic Pain Clinic.
Oh joy!

I need to stay out of ERs.  This last time was quite pricey, even with insurance because they ran a bunch of tests I didn't need.  I knew what was wrong with me but they had to rule out stuff in their minds because not being my doctor they don't know my history personally and gawd forbid they miss something, I die and they get sued. ;-)

I got two bills, the first one totaled $13,987.35 before insurance.

I added the second bill and it all came to $15,513.35 before insurance.
EEK!
And I had to pay just under $750 in co-pays. ick

And they didn't actually "do" anything to help me at the ER other than give me a valium(and the ER doc wouldn't write me a script for it either, just for a drug that didn't help and he KNEW it didn't help....so worthless).

So let's hope the CPC(Chronic Pain Clinic)is a little more helpful.  I suspect it will be A LOT less expensive than the ER. lolz

* I've almost gotten the garage cleaned up enough to hold a stockpile sale in September(depending on the weather).  I have filled the living room up with toiletries and a few yard sale type items.

Then after that happens I'll relist my diaper stash on the local tag sale site and start listing stuff on eBay for the Holiday season buying time.

*  I went and joined a Dave Ramsey group on Facebook.  Stupidest thing I ever did in hindsight!  I thought I could help some folks there with questions/issues about money and debt.  But really some of these folks are clueless and nothing but a good ass kicking will get them to see the light. lolz
This group is a bunch of prodigious posters and I have to scroll through so many posts to see anything not this group related.  As a wise woman once remarked......



* We have decided to drive to LA for Daughter's wedding instead of flying.  We ran the numbers and renting a car, gas, motels, food for the trip, extra days to kennel the dogs vs flying is cheaper than plane tickets and cabs/Uber to and from airports, etc.  The only problem may be weather in early January on our end(and would also be a problem if we fly out of and into PA).  It will be a mad dash halfway across the country and then back in the middle of Winter.
Oh fun.

* Our wedding anniversary is tomorrow, Wednesday.  37 years married.....where does the time go? ;-)

Hubs actually had HAIR back then and I had a very very bad perm. lolz

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Where's Breakfast Mommy?!?" Edition................

A shot of the canine gang this morning.  Just getting them both to hold still is a challenge, especially when they want breakfast. lolz

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned--

1. Sunday--Tacos and/or Taco Salad

2. Monday--Garlic Pork Loin, Mac and Cheese, Cabbage

3. Tuesday--Baked Catfish, French Fries, Mixed Veg

4. Wednesday--Chicken/Turkey Enchiladas, Rice, Beans

5. Thursday--Leftovers

6. Friday--Pizza(maybe), Salad
7. Saturday--Leftovers
Plus we will have sliced tomatoes and cukes to fill in if we are a low on a dish or someone doesn't want something served(me usually).

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Tacos and/or Taco Salad

2. Monday--Garlic Pork Loin, Corn on Cob

3. Tuesday--Baked Catfish and Salmon, Cabbage, Roasted Sweet Potato cubes

4. Wednesday--Turkey Enchiladas(I had beans)

5. Thursday--Hot Dogs, Squash and Onions

6. Friday--Leftovers
7. Saturday--Rigatoni and Meatballs, Salad

Last week saw 5 nights of home cooked dinners, 1 nights of leftovers/ffy, and 0 nights of Eating Out/Take-Out.
The pork loin was done in the crockpot as Monday was still hot/muggy.
Wednesday I was able to use leftovers-turkey already cooked from the freezer.  I cooked Wednesday's dinner on Tuesday as I was running the oven then.  The Enchiladas just needed reheating on Wednesday. The sweet potatoes were long in the tooth and needed using so I was glad to get those cooked/served.
I did sauce and 2 packs of those meatballs in the crockpot on Saturday.  We had Rigatoni/Salad with them Sat. and there is enough for another meal or two lunches this week.  I'm not planning on meatballs again for a dinner since, well, Hubs. lolz

What got put into the freezer last week.....

* 10 lbs. of meatballs
* 3 lbs. of nitrite-free bacon

What got taken out of the freezer and used last week.....
* Cooked Turkey Breast slices
* a Pork Loin
* medium Catfish fillet
* small Salmon portion
* 8 hot dogs

Two trips to Malacari's produce($57.27)-and 12 lbs. of meatballs later-brought the weekly spending to $57.27 and my August total to $238.43.
I shot for $60 in food spending last week and I kept to it. go me. lol

My savings percentage last week was 56.35%(without Rite-Aid trips)and August's monthly savings total comes in at 49.13%(w/out R-A). 

I have 5 more food shopping/spending days in August and $161.57 left in my $400 food budget for this month.  I guess I will stay under budget this month on food

Leftovers going into this week......Pork Loin slices, 2
Enchiladas, Mixed Veg, Cabbage, 2 Corn on Cob, Rigatoni and Meatballs.
I'll strip the kernels off the corn and either freeze them or put them in the pot pie I am making tonight.  Hot weather rolls back in Tueday so no more running the oven for awhile and back to stove top/grill/crockpot meals for awhile longer.

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

1. Sunday--Chinese Take-Out
2. Monday--Chicken Pot Pie

3. Tuesday--Kielbasa on Rolls, Sauerkraut(optional), Harvard Beets

4. Wednesday--Dinner Out(Anniversary)

5. Thursday--Breakfast for Dinner

6. Friday--Shrimp Scampi w/Linguine
7. Saturday--Steak, Salad, Corn Casserole

This week will see 5 new meals cooked, 0 night of leftovers/FFY, and 2 nights of Take-Out/Eating Out.

What needs buying for this menu? We need milk and I want a watermelon this week.  I'll go to Weis before Thursday to use that $5 off $25 Q.

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  

August Giveaway Winner Revealed

There were 82 valid entries and Random dotorg helped me select the winner.

And the winner is.............

Marthicafer

AnonymousAugust 22, 2019 at 11:51 AM

hope i win!, august is not my favorite month, school is back soon
marthicafer @ gmail.com

Congratulations marthicafer! Please email me your full name and mailing address within 48 hours of this post going live so I can get this box of goodies out to you asap.

Thanks to everyone for playing this month.  

Don't forget to enter the Couponers Giveaway which ends on Aug. 27th(Tuesday)too.

Another Sluggy's Boring Blog Box Giveaway will work it's way down the pipeline some time in September so be watching for it. ;-)

Sluggy

Spent Down the Last Card at Rite-Aid

The Bulldog Ibotta rebate was back on my gallery Friday morning so I bought this on the son's card.........

1 x Bulldog face scrub 20% Wellness disc.=$6.07
2 x Nature's Truth turmeric BOGOFree=$15.49
SubTotal.........$21.56

I used a $3/1 Bulldog item L2CQ so the total was $18.56 +.18¢ tax=$18.74 paid for this Bonus Cash.
I now have .52¢ in BC left on that card.

I submitted and have already received $7 in cash rebates on Ibotta($3 Bulldog, 2 x $2 Nature's Truth)for this transaction
.
I now only have $15.05 in BC left between 4 Wellness cards.

But I also have a $15 P&G prepaid card to use by the end of September that I received for free at Rite-Aid spending BC.

The Bulldog will make an appearance in a family member's stocking this Xmas and the Turmeric is something I take daily.  These 2 bottles will keep me in Turmeric for 2 months.



Sluggy

Frugal Friday....the August 23rd Edition

**DON'T FORGET IT'S THE LAST DAY TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY.**


Here's the frugal goodness we experienced here this past week.............


*  I found money!

A penny at Rite-Aid.
rah!

*  I brought all this home(plus 4 x 12-packs of soda)from Rite-Aid for free.......

* I earned $6.20 in Ibotta rebates from Rite-Aid purchases.  Not only did the stuff bought at Rite-Aid cost me nothing OOP but I got another $6.20 in cash rebates for taking it home.

*  I hit Malacari's produce this past week and found some deals...........

Minute Maid OJ in shelf stable boxes for .99¢.  Not a "stock up for a year price" because they were short dated, but a good deal nonetheless.

They also have these 3 lb. packs of nitrite-free bacon for $5.99.  They are a Canadian made brand and it's divided into 2-1.5 lb. packs and have a sell by date in late Oct.
That makes this $2 lb. for bacon which is a rock bottom/stock the freezer price!  But I only bought one.....for now.  Explanation after showing the next item.

I got 2 packs of these fancy pants meatballs.  Each pack is 1 lb.(12 balls).  This brand runs $4.99 a package at Walmart and even higher at my Weis(PMITA)Markets.

They were 2 packs for $3 at the produce market so $1.50 each.
I can't even buy ground beef for $1.50 a lb. so these were an awesome find!!!

Having made some room in the chest freezer the last few weeks, when Hubs and I were nearby running other errands on Wednesday we picked up more...........

10 more packages! lolz
I've removed all the meatballs from this bulky packaging and snuggled them into freezer Ziploc bags now(except for 2 packs I am using in the next few days).  They have refilled the room made in the freezer.

I will go back in a couple of weeks for more of that $2 lb. bacon once I've made more room in the freezer.  I figured the meatballs would go quickly at that price(and considering how many packages of meatballs they had)but the bacon will be around for awhile, especially since they also have 1 lb. packs of Hatfield bacon for $2.99 there.  Folks(mostly older shoppers)are more apt to go for the Hatfield 1 lb. packs rather than the 3 lb. Canadian "strange" brand(even if that's the better deal).

So it's our secret.....shhhhh....don't tell anyone about the bacon deal there until I can go back and get more bacon.  ;-)

*  Last week it was a movie and this week's splurge is that Hubs' and I went out for Lunch to Bob Evans on Wednesday.  I used a $5 off $25 Q from the Sunday Q inserts. 8-)

*  As part of cleaning Hubs' man cave room out he found these among his crap..........

3 gift cards he didn't finish using the balance of that I had given him when he made the "Rescue Mission Trip" in Nov. 2017 to move his sister.
Those 2 pictured haven't been used at all.  I let him keep the Dunkin' Donuts one for coffee emergencies. lolz
That's $30 in fast food script I thought was gone/used.  It was a nice surprise to have it back in the box o' gift cards. ;-)

That's about it for Chez Sluggy this week.

What frugal wins did y'all experience this past week?
Tell us all about it!



Sluggy