Frugal Friday...the March 21st Edition

Here are the frugal wins for this past week....

*  I love finding marked down foods at Kroger(this really doesn't happen at Walmart).  I only did a small shop at Kroger so far this week...picking up 3 4-packs of clearance Activia yogurt, 2 marked down salad kits, a couple of sweet potatoes and strawberries.

*  We used up some pantry items as well.  I have had a craving for corn pudding.  It's not on my "diet" but I can splurge now and again since I haven't made and eaten it in 3 years.  We just needed sour cream(bought that at Kroger on sale)and I only had a small portion so no worries.  4

*  We also had no food waste last week.  We even used a rotting apple to catch an opossum in a trap.

*  There was no eating out this past week.  

*  We took a load to the food bank.  Maybe one more trip there before we leave Lousyana.  It all depends on what deals I can find that we won't use before we leave.  Part of the next food bank donation will be courtesy of reader Diane R. 8-)))

*  It's been warm here so the heat had been off during the day.  The "Cajun Pony Express"(which is what we call the mail service here)lost our electric bill payment for February, so we had to pay it again online(and pay a "convenience fee" for the honor.)  Eventually the mailed ;payment showed up so now we have a large credit toward March's bill and it should cover a piece of April's bill too.  

*  Entertainment last week was free tv, YouTube watching, sitting on the deck reading or doing genealogy.  I've got two books in process--a biography of Roger Daltery of the "Who" and a book on Jesse James, who is one of my ancestral cousins so watch yourself around me! ;-)  

*  I found money!

Two pennies found in the dryer on Sunday when I did laundry.  Finders Keepers, right? 

          

Found Money This Week.....02¢

Grand Total Found this Year.......$1.13

That's all I got.

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

Sluggy    

It's Always Something

I think we've nailed down a one story duplex to rent down the road from our son.  rah.

Once we get back to PA and settled in we can start the search in earnest for a home.

So I went to try to start setting up medical stuff in that area.  Found a PCP and made an appt. for when after we get up there.  This health care system has that dreaded patient portal stuff so tried to set myself up in that only to have their system tell me I already have an account???

The only thing I can think is they bought out the hospital system there where I gave birth to my children so they would have my info in their system already but that was back before anybody had any patient portals??
So I'll have to call tomorrow and see what is going on as I've never been a patient with this healthcare system.

Ain't it always something?

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

"A Gentleman Caller".........

As Amanda Wingfield in the play, "The Glass Menagerie", called a potential beau for her daughter, a "Gentleman Caller", we had a Gentleman Caller of sorts here, again.

Yes, it was another Opossum wanting to sleep under our house.  I doubt it was the same one as before.  Hubs said this one had an attitude when he got trapped.

Hubs hauled his bony butt off to where we let them loose...a nature preserve far from our development.

Onward to the meal planning!

Here is what was planned for the last week.....

1. Sunday--Catfish, Teriyaki Green Beans

2. Monday---Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, Leftover Yellow Squash

3. Tuesday--Chicken Marsala, Mashed Potatoes(optional), Leftover Broccoli

4. Wednesday--Beef, Stir-Fry Veggies

5. Thursday--Pot Pies(Chicken or Turkey)

6. Friday--Leftovers

7. Saturday--Leftovers(if no leftovers, we'll think up something else)

And here's what actually happened....

1. Sunday--Catfish, Teriyaki Green Beans

2. Monday---Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, Leftover Yellow Squash

3. Tuesday--TV dinner Teriyaki Chicken

4. Wednesday--Crab Cakes, Shrimp, Leftover Broccoli

5. Thursday--Chicken Marsala, Brussels Sprouts

6. Friday--Leftover Pork Tenderloin, Salad(Had that at Lunch)

7. Saturday--Leftover Chicken Marsala, Brussels Sprouts

Most everything happened but not necessarily when planned.  When didn't take out something to thaw on Wednesday and didn't feel like pot pies on another night plus we were out of Marsala wine so that meal had to wait until we picked some up.

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

*  Catfish

*  Pork Tenderloin

*  TV Dinner

*  Crab Cakes

*  Shrimp

*  Chicken

Last week we spent $68.53 on groceries and the savings rate came in at 45.28%. Spending for the month is $136.52 and the savings rate is 51.16% for March before rebate monies are added in.

Rebates earned in March-

$46.78 on Ibotta

$14.75 on Checkout51

$0 on Aisle and Misc.

$61.53 Total in $$

Total spent after rebates is $74.99

2,185 Pts. on Fetch

2,133  Pts. on SwagBucks

0 Pts. on My Points

403 Pts. on ShopKick

0 Pts. on TaDa

(I don't count these until I cash out for a gift card or cash.)

Before AND after rebates we had a low spend month for groceries at least for us.

Leftovers going into next week...2 Fried Pork Tenderloins, Roasted Broccoli.

Here is what was planned for this week.....

1. Sunday--Pork Stir-Fry w/Veggies

2. Monday--Salmon, Asparagus

3. Tuesday--Pork Tenderloin, Green Beans

4. Wednesday--Poultry Pot Pies, Salad

5. Thursday--Beef Pie(I'll post the recipe soon)

6. Friday--Leftovers

7. Saturday--Leftovers(if no leftovers, we'll think up something else)

Just trying to eat down what is here when I'm not getting great deals.  I chose my meals by cherry picking the deals and building meals around those items, combined with what is in my freezer.

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.

Sluggy   

Erin Go Braugh

This is a traditional on the blog for St. Patrick's Day............

My meal plan Monday will follow shortly.

Sluggy

Frugal Friday......The March 14th Edition

Here are our frugal wins for this past week....

*  I love finding marked down foods at Kroger(this really doesn't happen at Walmart).  I found some lo-cal Swoon drinks, some Perfect bars on sale that also had Ibotta rebates, some marked down salads and Brussels Sprouts.

*  We used up some pantry items as well.  Had to buy Marsala wine for a dish I made but that will be used up before we leave here.

*  We also had food waste last week.   I went against my instincts and bought a large sweet potato at a store I don't trust to have the freshest produce.  Well I went to pick that tater up last week to peel it and my hand nearly went right through it, it was so rotten.  Lesson learned.

*  There was no eating out this past week.

*  While grocery shopping I picked up some items for the food bank we donate to.  It wasn't much cash out of hand but helps folks struggling here out and makes us feel good.

Spending money on groceries not for us isn't frugal but it certainly is frugal for others.  Especially if it's toiletries or paper goods which they can't use EBT/Snap benefits on.

* It's been warm here so the heat has been off during the day.  We even had the a/c on one day it was so warm.

*  Entertainment last week was free tv, YouTube watching, doing genealogy or reading.

*  I found money! 

I found a penny in my pants pocket.

While at Walmart on Wednesday I  kept finding change in the store.  A penny here, a dime there, 2 pennies at a self-checkout nobody was using, another penny at yet another checkout and then 2 more pennies in the vestibule when I was leaving.

                

Then a quarter at Aldi's under where the carts are parked outside.

          

Found Money This Week.....42¢

Grand Total Found this Year.......$1.11

That's all I got.

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

Sluggy