This Week on the Dining Table

 The "I Wish I Wasn't Here" Edition...

It's cold as F*^k here!  It was 80F and sunny back in December 2021 in the Virgin Islands.  That larger boat was the one we took there.  Maybe we can move there or go stay for a month or two if we can find someone to watch the dogs for us and not charge us an arm and a leg. ;-)

How about you take our dogs for awhile Kim.  With all the animals and grandkids running around there you'd never even notice them. hehehe

Onward to the meal planning!

Here's what was planned......

1. Sunday--I didn't eat(see above), don't know what Hubs had

2. Monday--Chicken and Dumplings w/Carrots

3. Tuesday--Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff, leftover, Brussels Sprouts, Rice

4. Wednesday--Fish, Cole Slaw
5. Thursday--Butternut Squash Ravioli w/Béchamel, Salad

6.  Friday--Homemade flatbread Pizza, Veggie TBD

7. Saturday--Leftovers

And here's what actually happened........

1. Sunday--I didn't eat(at hospital), don't know what Hubs had

2. Monday--Chicken and Dumplings w/Carrots

3. Tuesday--Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff, leftover, Brussels Sprouts, Rice

4. Wednesday--Fish, Cole Slaw, Sweet Potatoes
5. Thursday--Ate Lunch out, I didn't have dinner

6.  Friday--Leftovers

7. Saturday--Chinese Take-Out for Lunch, no dinner

Again, the homemade pizza and squash ravioli didn't happen and moves again.

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

*  a box of Super Pretzel

What got taken out of the freezer and used...

*  1 lb. London Broil

*  1 box of fish

*  a box of Super Preetzel

*  a qt. of Ben and Jerry's

I spent $29.99 on food/toiletries/HBA the last week. This brings our food/toiletries/paper goods Total to $29.00 for February.  

There are 21 shopping days left in February.  

I've earned $51.12 on Ibotta in February.

I've earned $10.13 on Checkout51 in February.

I've earned $5.00 on Coupons dotcom/Paypal in February.

I've earned 258 points($.25) from shopping on Fetch in February.

I earned 150 Kicks($.60)from food shopping on Shop Kick in February. 

I've earned 942SB($9.42) from food shopping on Swag Bucks in February.

I've earned $0 from food shopping on Tada in February.

That's $67.75 in rebates(not counting the Shop Kick/Swag Bucks/Tada/Fetch)on $29.00 in grocery spending so in reality it's -$38.75 spent after the 3 rebate apps I count(plus a $1.50 rebate sent to my Paypal account).

rah...

My savings percentage for the last week was 67.33%(without "regular" Rite-Aid trips)and the monthly savings total for February comes in at 67.33% so far(w/out R-A). 

Leftovers going into this week.....Chicken and Dumplings, 1 helping each of Fish, Cole Slaw, Sweet Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts

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

1. Sunday--Bought a bucket of KFC while out

2. Monday--Leftover KFC

3. Tuesday--Chicken Marsala w/Mushrooms, Veggie TBD, Mashed Potatoes

4. Wednesday--Leftovers or Copycat Bob Evans Salad
5. Thursday--Butternut Squash Ravioli w/Béchamel, Salad

6.  Friday--Homemade flatbread Pizza, Veggie TBD

7. Saturday--Leftovers

What do I need to buy to fix everything on this menu?  Nothing.  I've got everything I just have to dig some chicken breast out of the freezer for the Marsala.  I'll save some chicken from the KFC bucket to top my Bob Evans copycat salad.  I made Colonial dressing last week to use on that.

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

  

Where To Move To...I Need Input!

 I need some input from my dear readers.  In the next year or two Hubs and I will be leaving PA.  Now that the kids are all grown and have left home we have little reason to live here.  One son is nearby as well as one of Hubs' siblings and our nephew but I don't expect most of them to stay in this area for long.

                                                 Not our house. lolz

We have narrowed our search to a few states with the criteria of climate, taxes, proximity to family and healthcare access.  We want to be closer to family(but not too close lol-we have family in LA, SC, VA, NJ, PA *for now*), be in a lower cost area(taxes and cost of housing), warmer state and an area with good healthcare(docs, hospitals, etc.)available as we age.  We no longer want to be in the snow belt and I don't care to be in the Deep South of MS/AL/GA/FL. I grew up near the shore but I fear property is just too expensive to justify a move to the coast.

The areas we have on our short list are North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas(eastern/upper part near NW LA).  Kentucky, Arkansas and West Virginia are not on the list due to inadequate healthcare facilities unless you know of areas in those states that prove that assumption wrong and have affordable housing, etc. as well.

We are looking to downsize from a 2,100+ Sq Ft. 4 bedroom/2.5 bath 2 story home w/a 2 car garage on 1/3 of an acre, to a 1,800 or less sq. ft. 3 bedroom/2 bath 1 story home w/a 2 car garage on more land.  We would like to make a lateral move financially so about $300K or less would be preferable.

Anybody who has experience or lives in any of these targeted states have any input or information I'd love to hear your thoughts either in the comments or email me privately.  I thought I'd ask before we start making trips to look at property in those states so we don't waste time looking in areas that just don't meet our criteria.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Sluggy

Frugal Friday....the February 4th Edition

This was the view out the front door this morning.  Since then it's been snowing.  I won't be going anywhere anytime soon so no money spent. rah.

So here are a few of the frugal-ish things that happened here this past week.......

*   No food waste so far. ;-)  We've got lots of leftovers this week to use up or repurpose.

*  I used 3 expiring $2 rewards at Subway to get us lunch on Thursday along with part of a gift card. 

 I saw I also had a free Birthday cookie in my Subway account so Hubs picked that up too. ;-)

* I bought about $12 in stuff on a trip to Weis.  That was my only food shopping trip for the week.

*  I did about 4 Rite-Aid transactions this week utilizing BC, Catalinas and coupons.......

*  On Wednesday Hubs and I had a lunch out at Applebee's using a Xmas gift card from Sonya.  I "went outside my lane" as they say and ordered something new(uh oh), a small steak.  It was overcooked and I couldn't cut it(the dull knife they gave me didn't help any either).  I gave my plate to Hubs to attempt to cut the steak.  This piece of meat shouldn't have been served.  I've had tough and chewy steaks before as well as grisly ones and sinewy ones but there was an artery/vein tube that ran through the center of this steak!  You couldn't cut the tube(think rubber hose)or cut the meat away that was edible from around it.  Called the server over to send it back for an edible piece of meat.  Manager brings new steak over along with a new knife(just as dull as the old one though)and I cut into that one.  Not much better but at least there was no hose in it and it was chewable.

The server brought the check and I used part of my gift card to pay and noticed I had been charge for TWO steaks!  We signaled him over and pointed out that this was an error and he took the check and gift card up to his manager then came back having taken the second steak charge off the check as well as another $10 off for all the issues on this visit.  Basically my part of the meal had cost $3 and change at this point.  go me.

*  I got the result of my sleep study back and the findings where that I no longer need the supplemental oxygen at night so no concentrator is needed.  Rah!  That's less medical bills in my future for DMEs.  Anybody need a broken oxygen concentrator? lol

*  I got $4 back in "post coupons" at R-A this week.  $2 for St. Joseph Aspirin and $2 for Nivea lotion when I forgot my qs at home.

*   I found money!

One whole penny at Weis in front of the CS desk.  I'm shocked I found no errant change in R-A this week!  At least I didn't get skunked for the week thanks to that lone penny at Weis(PMITA)Markets.

Total Found in last Week...... .01¢
Total Found This Year......$1.88

That's about all I've got for this week.

Any frugal wins in your neck of the woods?  Let's hear all about them!

And have a good weekend and stay warm!  It's been snowing all day here.... 8-(

Sluggy  

Rite-Aid Haul Before The Storm

So there were a few deals I could use at Rite-Aid this week.  Plus purchase based Catalinas kept spitting out which made the deals even sweeter and I got a $11/$55 spent Q in the snail mail this past weekend as well.
Sweet!

I figured I'd better hit R-A  before the weather came so here is everything.........

8  x Pure Zero shampoo and conditioners
4 x Nivea(various iterations)
8 x Schiff's Glucosamine
4 x Nature's Truth Vitamin D3
3 x Pringles
1 x Generic Magic Erasers on the Dollar Aisle
1 x St. Joseph low dose aspirin
1 x CORE bar
1 x Bubbly 8 pack

Total spend was $165.27 in Bonus Cash/Coupons/Gift Cards.
I earned back $132.00 in new BC and another $20.39 in Coupons dotcom, Post coupons and Ibotta making this a cost of $10.88 so far.  5 of the items(1 Nature's Truth, St. Joseph, 2 Pringles, the Bubbly sparking water 8-pack*not pictured* and the CORE bar)were also Ibotta rebates which got me to the midweek $3 Bonus so another $12.39 cash back on Ibotta. ;-)

I am working on a $20 BC back on Nature's Truth Deal still so my cost should be $5.86, depending on how close I can get to a $14.98 spend on the vitamins.

The only items I don't "need" are the Pringles so I'll give those away via Ex-CB or the food bank.  I can sell the shampoos and lotions and recoup or make a bit of cash back for those.  The glucosamine were .37 per bottle.  Marvelous price for something I need!

Not a bad week at Rite-Aid.

Sluggy

Food Spending 2022....The January Report

   Onward to January's Food Spending report......

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for JANUARY 2022.

I have posted January's totals on the Total Grocery Savings Page located HERE and have updated the Totals there.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in January.  If you aren't interested in that much detail, just skip to the bottom for the Totals Sum.  My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable. We are a family of 4(2-3 eating at home this month). No "kids" under 25. 
*****************

ALDI

OOP  $5.80

Value  $10.50

Savings  44.76%

DOLLAR GENERAL

OOP  $26.95

Value  $61.93

Savings  56.48%

DOLLAR TREE

OOP  $3.12

Value  $7.48

Savings 58.29%

MALACARI'S

OOP  $25.11

Value  $40.15

Savings  37.46%

OCEAN STATE

OOP  $12.99

Value  $16.97

Savings  23.45%

RITE-AID
OOP  $0.00
Qs/Ads/BC/Gift Cards  $915.97

Value  $915.97
Savings  100%

WALMART
OOP  $230.26

Qs/free Gift Cards  $597.41
Value  $827.67
Savings  72.18%

WEIS

OOP  $12.56

Qs/Sales  $
Value  $20.28
Savings  38.07%

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 100%, Walmart at 72.18%, and Dollar Tree at 58.29%.

The worst rate was at Ocean State at 23.45%.  
I shopped at 8 different stores in January.  

TOTAL Spent in January................$321.18

TOTAL Coupons/Sales/Gift Cards...$663.80

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased....$984.98

TOTAL Savings of .............................67.31%

TOTAL Out of Pocket for January w/R-A..............$321.18

TOTAL Coupons/Sales/Gift Cards w/................$1,579.77
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased w/Rite-Aid...$1,900.95
TOTAL Savings with Rite-Aid items....................83.10%

This closes out the January food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....It was a GREAT lower spending month!  Spent a bit more than expected but still well under budget.  Plus I'll get all that rebate money plus more in December.

The monthly food spending savings percentage went UP by 2.10% in January 2021 to 83.10% compared to the December's 81.00% savings average.  

With 1 month accounted for, I have spent a Grand Total of $321.18 on food/toiletries in 2022.

2021 Yearly Grand Total Spent....................$321.18

2021 Yearly Grand Total Value of Items.....$1900.95

2021 Grand Total Saved...............................$1,579.77

2021 Yearly Savings Total.............................83.10%

The average per month amount spent is $321.18 in 2022.

LOOKING AHEAD To February 2022.......

February is a total unknown.  Yes, I am trying to eat from the stockpile and freezers.  If this wedding and eating out doesn't derail the month I'll be happy with whatever we spend(or don't).  I've still got Bonus Cash and R-A gift cards and have been doing more shopping at Walmart as opposed to Weis(PMITA)Markets.  With unpredictable bad weather I may need to stay in town so Weis will get the bigger bite on my food spending.

If you have other ideas or guidelines you follow please leave a comment and share yours with us all.

*  How much did you spend on food/toiletries in January?

*  Do you track your yearly food spending?  It's really not that hard or time consuming; just have your receipts and either track it in a notebook or on a spreadsheet.

*  What was your savings percentage buying on sale and/or with coupons vs. buying at regular retail price last month, if you track that sort of thing?

*  What are your methods for keeping your food spending in check?

Is anyone out there up for tracking expenditures and trying to spend less but still eat well?


Sluggy