Monday, January 29, 2024

This Week on the Dining Table...January 29th Edition

The "Mardi Gras Season is in Full Swing" Edition.....  

You can't look anywhere without seeing decorations(both indoors and outdoors)in purple, green and gold and King Cakes(which is really a pastry, not a cake).  Heck my old PT has a Mardi Gras TREE up!(Take a Christmas Tree, remove all the red and dark green and Christmasy stuff and add purple, gold and green bling and top it with a crown.)

This is day 232 of the new "diet".  Down 59 lbs. since the cruise(not counting the 8 I gained on the cruise and then lost again, which would make it 67 lbs.).  
Not actively trying to lose right now, just maintaining.

Onward to the meal planning!
This is what was planned for last week...........
1. Sunday--leftover Cabbage, Chinese takeout for lunch
2. Monday--leftover Chinese take out, strawberry cheesecake
3. Tuesday--Cheeseburger(bun optional), Spinach Soufflè
4  Wednesday--Chicken and Dumplings w/Carrots
5. Thursday--Don't know and don't care
6.  Friday--Don't know and don't care
7. Saturday--Don't know and don't care


And here's what actually happened.......
1. Sunday--Chinese takeout for lunch, Leftover Cabbage for dinner
2. Monday--leftover Chinese take out, strawberry cheesecake
3. Tuesday--Cheeseburger(bun optional), Spinach Soufflè
4  Wednesday--Chicken and Dumplings w/Carrots
5. Thursday--Lasagna Bolognese (Dinner out)
6.  Friday--Frozen Pizza
7. Saturday--Veal Parm, Leftover Collards

Didn't do a lot of shopping and didn't have many veggies other than some lunch salads.  Some week are like that.

What got taken out of the freezer last week...
*  Strawberry Cheesecake(Birthday!)
*  4 Hamburger Patties
*  1 Spinach Soufleè
*  6 Chicken Thighs
*  1 Frozen Pizza
*  1 Veal Parm Pack

What got put into the freezer last week....
*  1 Pizza(The same one I took out later)

Last week we spent $50.08 on grocery shopping for January. 

Total shopping comes to $652.94 for January.   
There are 2 shopping days left in January.  

Rebate monies earned this month so far.....
I've earned $224.29 on Ibotta in January.
I've earned $59.50 on Shopmium in January.
I've earned $14.00 on Alexa app in January.
I've earned $2.20 on Kroger Cash Back in January.
I've earned $43.97 on TaDa in January.
I've earned $7.76 on Checkout51 in January
I've earned $3.00 on Aisle and $12.84 on a Manuf. Rebate.
I've earned 5,663 points from food shopping on Fetch in January.
I've earned 360 points from food shopping on Shop Kick in January
I've earned 0 SB from food shopping on Swag Bucks in January.

That is $351.36 in rebates(not counting the Kroger Cash Back/Shop Kick/Fetch/Alexa)on $652.94 of grocery spending so in reality it's $301.58 in food spending after the 6 rebate apps I count. 

My savings percentage for the last week was 46.76% and the monthly savings total for January comes in at 52.80% spent.  

Leftovers going into this week....Chicken and Dumplings, 2 Hamburger Patties, 2 pieces of Veal Parm and 1 piece of Pizza.

Here is this week's "food plan".....
1. Sunday--Zaxby Zalad
2. Monday--Cheeseburgers(bun optional), Baked Sweet Potato Fries
3. Tuesday--Leftover Chicken and Dumplings
4  Wednesday--Salmon, Stir-Fry Veggies
5. Thursday--Soup and Sammies or ?
6.  Friday--???
7. Saturday--Whatever is easy or Hubs makes

I have 2 x $3 off $3 deli meat/cheese Qs from Kroger I must use this week and I heard there are some Frozen food deals at our Walmart here going down but other than that, the grocery stores hold no big allure for me this week.
3 of my days this week are taken up with medical appointments(Pain Management/Neurology/Dermatology), one out of state as there is no Derm that treats HS in the whole state of LA(crazy, right?)so the plan this week is to use what we have and/or find food. Period. lol

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 deals on food at your stores this week?  

Sluggy    

Sunday, January 28, 2024

A Fresh Voice & Music for a Sunday

I've been meaning to share this for awhile but things kept coming up, keeping me from doing so. Here's an interesting musician with an interesting life story making waves in the music industry.  I'm not much of a Country Music fan(though I've got a cousin plus ancestral cousins you all may have heard of in that realm)but his music touched something in my soul.  This gentleman lives in the area where my mother's "people" come from in Virginia(though he isn't originally from that area but West Virginia I think).

I like his voice and he seems to have a lot to say.  Have a listen.  His stage name is Oliver Anthony, in honor of his late grandfather.


Sluggy

Saturday, January 27, 2024

I Am Not An Idiot & The Midnight Special

Contrary to what some would-be commenters think, I am not an idiot. I am an educated, thinking woman with most of a brain remaining.  To "Unknown" who thinks I am foolhardy, crazy even, to just go off of medications, this was not undergone without the advise(yah, the insistence)and consent of my PCP, who feels I've been overmedicated for awhile now.  Time and how my body reacts will tell and I am in no danger of anything medically untoward.
I just wanted to put that out there in case any other trolls or unknowns want to make an issue of my private life.

In happier goings on--
Here's a song about one of my many Birthday Buddies, Robert Weston Smith.  You know him(if you are a person of a certain age like me)as "Wolfman Jack".  The Guess Who wrote a song about him(including him?)in 1972.....

If you are as old as dirt like me, you are very familiar with who Wolfman Jack was.

 Wolfman's first radio gig was in Newport News, VA near were I was born and grew up and after the KKK burned a cross in his front lawn he moved his family to Shreveport LA which is near were we moved to in 2022. 8-)

Wolfman was also made the Host of a tv show featuring musical stars of that era called "The Midnight Special" which aired in the 1970's.  I've been watching some of those episodes lately.  What a walk down memory lane it has been(both good and some very bad and dated songs).

Did you ever watch Midnight Special?

Sluggy


Friday, January 26, 2024

Frugal Friday.....the January 26th Edition

There are a few Frugal wins this past week so here goes....

*  Our house did NOT float away!


We are in full Monsoon Season here in Louisiana.  This is one of many personal bayous(ie; swamps on our property during the rainy season.  It rained so much that day and at such a clip that the road out front became engulfed as well. Crazy!  My brother in Virginia heard about the flooding in Baton Rouge and called me, fearing were were being washed away too.  Nope.  Not even close to Baton Rouge here.

.

*  One doctor appointment this past week plus I had to run out in a deluge on Monday to get bloodwork done before it...Hurrah
The good news is the labs were excellent*using my Mr. Burns from the Simpsons voice in my head here* and my A1C was again not even pre-diabetic(thank you weight loss!)but normal.  At my PCP appointment among the items, we went over we went over all these drugs and supplements I had been put on(some since 2013).

These three prescription drugs on the left(plus one more)and the two vitamin supplements I was still taking due to the Wound Care adventure of Xmas Eve 2022 on the right are out of my life now.  Bye Felicia!
Of course now I am on 2 anti-seizure meds for Neurological issues so you win some you lose some. ;-)  I'll hit up my old NP and see if the rural health clinic can use some of the sealed/unexpired back stock of this stuff I have for their indigent patients.  I'd hate to see expensive meds go to waste if they don't have to.

*  Grocery shopping this past week for 2024....not much in the food department really....

A small trip to Walmart--5 moneymaker Axe deodorants on clearance @ $2.50(.50¢ better than free each after $3 Ibotta rebates), 2 bottles of Axe body wash @ $3, also on clearance(better than free after their 2 x $2 Ibotta rebates and $4 Shopmium rebate)and a jar of Olay face stuff.  That was $11.94 with an $8 rebate plus I got a $3 Bonus as it was the second time I bought an Olay product plus I got a .50¢ any receipt rebate so with the $2.50 in overage on the deodorants this was a little moneymaker. ;-)

A little Kroger shop-2 bags of clearance kibble dog food(same flavor as the super expensive Purina stuff our dogs eat for about a 1/4 of the price), 2 clearance bags of Back to Nature Granola to put in my Yogurt(and I got $2 back from Ibotta making them .99¢ each)and a bag of dishwasher tabs that were suppose to be $1.99 with discount and digital Q but the wrong Q was applied making them $2.99 instead. sigh.  Win some/lose some at least they weren't full price, right?

*  I used a Birthday $5 Kohl's Cash plus a merch. credit I had for some returned pants and got a Birthday gift for my son(who turns 29 in Feb.).  The item in question was 50% off.   I also I paid for a new bucket hat for Hubs, which was also on deep discount.  He's got quite the collection now.

*  I had my last PT appointment on Wednesday.  As we are liable for a $20 co-pay for each session since going on Medicare I had to access whether the sessions were actually adding to my recovery or just a social outlet for me now.  The consensus was they are no longer medically necessary.
I will miss them as they are a great group of folks. 8-(

*  I found Money!
Nope.  Didn't find any this past week other than the change Hubs handed me when we got a burger at Wendy's while out.  He never asked for it back so I am counting it. lol

Total Found in last Week.... .26¢
Grand Total Found this Year........74¢

And here is a photo of a slice of fruitcake just because Anne hates it. lolol



That's all I got.  

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

Sluggy   

Monday, January 22, 2024

This Week on the Dining Table.....the January 22nd Edition

The "Happy Birthday to Me!" Edition.....  

Well I woke up on my birthday with a UTI so we spent the morning yesterday in Urgent Care. go me.  Then it was off to get some antibiotics and Chinese Food, drink a lot of water and take a nap.  My daughter came over to bring me a card/gift, my youngest texted me and then called me later last night and my brother and his wife called to sing me "Happy Birthday".  I got 3 whole cards, one from Hubs, my Daughter and Cousin Sonya.  A bunch of people who never talk to me posted on FB "Happy Birthday".  And my oldest?  Crickets......nada.   I feel so special 8-))

Welcome to age 65.

This is day 225 of the new "diet".  Down 59 lbs. since the cruise(not counting the 8 I gained on the cruise and then lost again, which would make it 67 lbs.).  
Not actively trying to lose right now, just maintaining.

Onward to the meal planning!
This is what was planned for last week...........
1. Sunday--Leftover Chicken Parm, Salad
2. Monday--Chicken Marsala, leftover Collards
3. Tuesday--Cabbage w/Onions, Chicken Sausages
4  Wednesday--Shrimp Scampi, leftover Collards
5. Thursday--Stauffer's Cheddar Broccoli Bake
6.  Friday--Leftovers or Lean Cuisine tv dinner
7. Saturday--Leftovers or ?


And here's what actually happened.......
Here is this week's "food plan".....
1. Sunday--Leftover Chicken Parm, Salad
2. Monday--Chicken Marsala, leftover Collards
3. Tuesday--Cabbage w/Onions, Chicken Sausages
4  Wednesday--Leftover Chicken Marsala, Collards, Scalloped Taters
5. Thursday--Zaxby's Zalad, Chicken Salad
6.  Friday--Stauffer's Broccoli Cheddar Pasta Bake
7. Saturday--Pretzel Crackers w/Hummus

Didn't do much shopping and no cooking at the end of the week.

What got taken out of the freezer last week...
*  Chicken Breast
*  Chicken Sausages
*  Broccoli Cheddar Pasta Bake

What got put into the freezer last week....
*  Nothing

Last week we spent $79.23 on grocery shopping for January.  Most of that amount was on goodies at World Markets at 90% off and not "real" groceries.

Total shopping comes to $602.86 for January.   
There are 9 shopping days left in January.  

Rebate monies earned this month so far.....
I've earned $191.54 on Ibotta in January.
I've earned $55.50 on Shopmium in January.
I've earned $14.00 on Alexa app in January.
I've earned $2.20 on Kroger Cash Back in January.
I've earned $43.97 on TaDa in January.
I've earned $7.76 on Checkout51 in January
I've earned $3.00 on Aisle and $12.84 on a Manuf. Rebate.
I've earned 5,663 points from food shopping on Fetch in January.
I've earned 350 points from food shopping on Shop Kick in January
I've earned 0 SB from food shopping on Swag Bucks in January.

That is $314.61 in rebates(not counting the Kroger Cash Back/Shop Kick/Fetch/Alexa)on $602.86 of grocery spending so in reality it's $288.25 in food spending after the 6 rebate apps I count. 

My savings percentage for the last week was 81.87% and the monthly savings total for January comes in at 53.24% spent. 

Leftovers going into this week....2 Chicken Sausages, Cabbage, 2 small pieces of Chicken Marsala and Collards.

Here is this week's "food plan".....
1. Sunday--leftover Cabbage, Chinese takeout for lunch
2. Monday--leftover Chinese take out, strawberry cheesecake
3. Tuesday--Cheeseburger(bun optional), Spinach Soufflè
4  Wednesday--Chicken and Dumplings w/Carrots
5. Thursday--Don't know and don't care
6.  Friday--Don't know and don't care
7. Saturday--Don't know and don't care

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 deals on food at your stores this week?  

Sluggy