April Food Spending Week 4, Meal Plan May Week 1

No vintage kitchen today folks.  I have depleted my stash of them and have to seek out more.  Maybe next week....

Onward to the meal plans!
And here is the meal plan that actually happened last week.....

SUNDAY--Leftovers 

 MONDAY--Tacos or Taco Salad

TUESDAY--Beef Pie
WEDNESDAY--Eggplant Parmesan, Garlic Bread
THURSDAY--Leftovers
FRIDAY--Chinese Take-Out
SATURDAY--Burgers, Corn
I also made a Carrot Cake and a pan of Fudge with Nuts.
 

We ended up getting Take-Out one night, which wasn't on the plan.   4 nights of new meals and 2 nights of leftovers make for a week I am happy with.

The weekly food spending was $77.53 this past week.

There was my $29.04 trip to Weis I talked about HERE.  Hubs picked up sour cream, a head of lettuce and 2 bags of cheese during the week and spent $5.97.  I went to the local grocer on Saturday and spent $42.52 on Ginger-Ale, 12 packs of soda for #2 Son, Orange Juice, Whipped Cream, 3 lb. of Butter, Pie Shells, Milk, Taco Shells and more bags of Shredded Cheese.  I stocked up on Butter, OJ, Soda, Whipped Cream, Pasta, Napkins, Paper Towels & bags of Cheese. 

The bags of Cheese I bought this past week I used with the Jumbo Pasta Shells and Ricotta Cheese I had bought earlier in the month to make a large quantity of Stuffed Shells on Sunday.  I froze 54 on them and we had the rest for dinner on Sunday.  Figuring costs, each piece comes out to .25¢ counting the pasta sauce too, so approx. $1.00 per serving.

Value of food bought was at $135.53 so my savings rate was 42.80% for the week.

************************

In terms of leftovers, I'm going into this week with leftover Eggplant Parmesan(and 1 helping of Shells from Sunday). 

This week's menu.....

SUNDAY--Stuffed Shells

MONDAY--Chicken Fajitas

TUESDAY--Leftover Eggplant/Fajitas

WEDNESDAY--Pizza
THURSDAY--Taco Bell, Salad
FRIDAY--Fish, Rice, Veg.(Son can have leftover Shells)
SATURDAY--Hot Dogs, Corn

This menu gives us 5 new meals and 1 night of leftovers and 1 night of Take-Out.

Hubs won't be home for dinner 2 nights so we are doing easy one night and take-out the other night.
 
As for items I need to buy for this week....red bell pepper, mushrooms, hot dog rolls.

We'll be buying milk as usual, along with some fruit.

Stock-up prices this week for me are taco shells($1.25), apple juice(.99¢), bagged salad($1.99),green chiles($1.25).

With what I "need" this week and the stock-ups, I'll be spending around $80.

So what is everyone else eating this week?

Sluggy

Sluggy's Boring Blog Giveaway Box Week #2......Enter Now!

Time for another......

Sluggy's BORING BLOG BOX GIVEAWAY!

Here's how it works.....

I put things in the box(mostly what I have gotten for free or almost free)each week and when the box is filled we draw a winner from all the entries received.

Here is what went into the Box today.....

 

 

 

 

1.  a bottle of Olay Quench Lotion
2.  a bottle of Olay Body Wash
3.  the book "Do-Over!" by Robin Hemley
4.  a tube of Rembrandt Toothpaste

If this is your first time, please go read all the rules for these Giveaways HERE.

Time to enter.....You can enter on this Giveaway post until I close this post to entries.  Then I will put up another post to comment on until the box is full.

1 entry per person per day on THIS POST.
Leave your name/email addy and a COMMENT on this post.  

This week I want to hear about what was your favorite subject in high school in your comments.  And did you end up doing something for a living that was related to that subject?

You can come directly to this blog post or find it through the link on the right side bar to leave 1 comment per day.  The current Giveaway Post will be linked right at the top of the side bar.

Please NOTE--You MUST be a follower to enter the Giveaway.  If you aren't one, just click on the "Follow" button on the right hand side of my blog to become a follower.

There are 2 ways to get EXTRA entries....

1. Put my blog on your blog's Blogroll.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST with the URL of your blog so I can go check it out. If I'm already on your Blogroll, say so in an extra entry comment.
2.  Blog about this Giveaway on your blog or on a Message Board.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST with a link to your blog post or the message on the board.


Any questions?  Just email me.

Happy Entering!! 

Sluggy

12-ish Years of Sluggy as Spring Fashion Diva

I've got 1 album scanned now. I do need to go back as a few photos didn't come out well the first time. But basically I have all the 1960-1973 years done, along with just a couple of the 1959 photos done since they are in another album.
Looking through them I don't see nearly the number of photos that I always had assumed my mother took.
I use to think we had massive amounts of photos but in reality, we don't.  She seemed to have only taken photos at most Easters, all the Christmases, and some at special events like Graduations, Birthday parties, a couple of vacation pictures and a few family portraits.  There are also all those dreadful School Photos which I'll get to some day.

Here's a Trip Down Memory Lane told in Easter photos. Let's see what a Fashion Plate I was from an early age.

From 1959....with my brothers.  I am the 3 month old peeing, pooing and drooling blob in the middle.
**You will notice the headgear began early.

From 1960.....after the posed picture with the brothers I grabbed my rabbit and took off fleeing....in a color coordinated hat of course.....

From 1961.....with brothers and my "old" mother who was all of 26 in that photo.  I look like I had a pie plate full of whipped cream with ribbons dangling from it on my head.  All I know is that it was held on by a small annoying length of elastic under my chin.  Guess who had sensory issues with elastic and other things on her body as a young child?  And why do I have a purse?  Did I even know what a purse was for at 2+ years old?
I guess my parents had bought one of those newfangled Polaroid Instant Cameras  that year so that is why this photo is black and white.....

From 1962.....This wasn't Easter but Sept. and my brother's 1st Communion.  I couldn't find an Easter photo for this year but I am sure I wore this fashionable ensemble at Easter as well.  I am with my Granny(father's mother).  At least she is wearing a hat too so I don't feel so alone in my head wear fetish.

From 1963....with my brothers, my Granny(r)and my Grandma-mother's mom(l).  Standing in front of our house(which had been my mom's parents' house).  The window behind us is to my bedroom.  What's this?....no hat!  The hair is all curled and fussed with though. The brothers look none too pleased to be here....

From 1964......with my brothers again, standing in front of my Granny's duplex apartment door.
Can it Be??? I don't have a hat on?!?!  But it looks like my hair has been teased and tortured within an inch of it's life.....

I couldn't find a 1965 Easter Photo.  I wonder what happened that year?  It might have been the year my mom had surgery.  I started school that year and we moved that year so that could be why the photo snapping dropped off.  I don't blame her if she just didn't bother that year.  It's not like my father was any help at home....

From 1966.......I'm 7 and this is the last year of my idyllic childhood.  The year before lots of things changed in my life.
I'm with the brothers in front of my Granny's house....she's at the door.  Most years getting a "good" photo with everyone looking at the camera and smiling was a chore.  My older brother was a "cut-up" and he was always trying to get my oldest brother to laugh.  You will notice that oldest(r) is laughing and older(l)is looking away trying to do the innocent "but I did't say anything!", while my mother is probably yelling at him.   I bet after this was snapped older went tearing off with oldest close on his heels muttering that he was going to kill him.
Me?....I just stood there in the middle waiting for them to stop horsing around so we can get this picture done and I can TAKE THAT BLASTED HAT OFF!!

From 1967.....I'm 8 and we moved into a huge old house built around 1912.
With the brothers again, who are looking tickled pink to be there!, and another hat!  And my parents are still lugging around that Polaroid Instant Camera with the tubes of developer and waving pictures in the air.  It would be nice to have some color again, dontcha think?  I remember this lovely ensemble was navy and white.

From 1968....thankfully the Polaroid Camera died before this Easter and we got a new color model.
No, my brothers are still around, just too busy or too cool now being teenagers to pose for a photo with the kid sister.  I'm a vision in a Jackie O. inspired classic pink suit and pill box hat.  If the hat isn't enough I now sport a flower corsage.......if that doesn't shout GEEK to my friends, I don't know what does!
Too bad I didn't have Mark around to accessorize for me because that black patent leather handbag just does nothing for the look!

From 1969....oh, I spoke too soon.....the brothers are back.  Oldest is looking rather glum about it all and Older is smiling.  I bet he's trying to think up something to get Oldest in trouble....
I am the 1969 Fashion Plate.....my mother made the dress and the cape I remember.  The cape was navy and plaid and way cool.  Totally accessorized correctly with the ever present hat(of course), a white patent leather handbag(with cool mod chain strap), white tights and white gloves.
White gloves??  Oh no....overkill again and tres unfashionable for 1969....

From 1970....I know I said the cape was cool but making me fit into it a second year when it's obvious I have outgrown it is so wrong.  And my dress is even shorter than the cape and has no definition.  And that looks like the same hat too!!  You could put a nurse's cap on my head and I'd look all set to make rounds....
Love the knee socks!lol
At least this year Easter came later and the camellia bushes and the daffodils are blooming.

From 1971....another early Easter.....check out the dead grass.lol
The brothers are back.  Oldest is in college now and being 19, couldn't be talked into wearing a suit.
Both are growing their hair long so I know there was tension in the house this year.  I am starting to "fill out" as the hormones have kicked in, so they made me kneel down so I didn't blot out the sun....er, block the brothers from being seen in the photo.  Notice my mom's dog, Annie the poodle, also gets to be in the photo now.  Annie feels the same way about anything on her head that I do.  After coming home from the groomer's with bows clipped to her head, she goes berserk until she can claw them off.  I can relate Annie, oh how I can relate.....

And that is where the Easter portraits end, in 1971 when I am 12.
And more importantly that is where the headgear torture ends.
At least you can see that I did grow into my head eventually.

Sluggy

Buying A Car AKA Throwing Money Away

Hubs and I hashed out the "getting another car or two" issue last week and I am happy to report that he sees it my way.
So we will be buying 1 used car, not 2. 8-)

So now the issue becomes, how much to spend and what to buy?

I am leaning toward a vehicle with.....

A-low miles
B-but a low price
C-high gas mileage
D-not expensive to repair/purchase replacement parts
E-a safe car
F-lower insurance quote

And yes, I KNOW I can't have it all....lol
It's all a balancing act really, isn't it?

A newer car will be pricier and the insurance will probably be more but will be safer, have better fuel efficiency and lower miles on it.
While an older car will be less expensive to purchase, have lower insurance rates and easier to repair/afford parts.

So dear readers, if you were having to purchase a used car for your 19 and 16 year old teens to drive, keeping all these points in mind, what specific car would you look for?

How much would you spend?  Remember, we are paying cash for this.
Do you have a particular make/model you would consider?
Does gas mileage and/or mileage on the vehicle concern you?
Any other point you see that I am not considering?

I am so dreading shopping for this.
But I want to get it done before the Daughter comes home from college.
Because if she goes with her dad to car shop, she'll be pressing him to buy some cool sports car thing with a big sticker price.

Sluggy

Out & About on Tuesday

The Orthodontist check-up went well.  #2 Son goes back in 3 months and only has to wear his retainers at night now.  We are at the end of that very long "Teenager in Braces" Phase of  his life.  The wisdom teeth have all been pulled, the braces and elastics worn and removed and he's on the second set of retainers now.
And the bill was paid up front(with a discount for paying in full)2 years ago in Jan. of 2010.
I know #2 is thrilled to almost be done too!


So I went ahead and hit the grocery store while I was out and gussied up(dressed) on Wednesday.
I had a $2.50 WYSpend $35 Catalina Q from Weis, so between things I needed(eggplant)and things I can use later, I worked up what turned out to be a $45 order(before coupons).
They still had the Healthy Bites magazines in the store with those Weis store Qs in them.
And I printed off some Weis Qs off of their Facebook page.
And here is what I got.  The only thing not pictured are the 3.20 lbs. of eggplant and the 4 gourmet burgers that were discounted.  We ate those last night.  And I'm just too lazy to get the eggplant out of the fridge now. ;-)

1 x Marcal 8-pack Paper Towels on sale $5.99    (with double stacked Qs makes it $3.99)
2 x Edy's fruit bars on sale $3.00=$6.00   (with Q makes it $5/2)
3.30 lbs. of eggplant=$3.27   (on sale for .99¢lb.)
1 x 4 pack bakery dept. muffins 50% off=$2.24
1 x Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches=$5.99    ($3 store Q makes it $2.99)
2 x store made gourmet burgers=$5.26     ($2 store Q makes it $3.26 for 1.4lbs. meat)
2 x Full Circle tomato paste on sale(.89)=$1.78    ($1 Weis Q makes it .39 can)
1 x Weis Olive Oil on sale=$3.99    ($1 Weis Q makes it $2.99)
1 x Weis dressing on sale=$2.00    ($1 Weis Q makes it $1.00)
1 x Weis mayo on sale=$1.50     ($1 Weis Q makes it .50¢)
3 x Weis napkins on sale .88¢=$2.64
1 x Weis ketchup on sale=$.88    ($1 Weis Q makes it -.12¢)
1 x Weis barbecue sauce on sale=$.8    ($1 Weis Q makes it -.12¢)
2 x Weis pasta on sale .88¢=$1.76
1 x Weis pickle relish on sale=$.88
SubTotal....$45.06

Coupons Used
1 x $2.50 WYSpend $35=$2.50
1 x $1/1 Marcal Towels ManuQ=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Marcal Towels Weis Q=$1.00
1 x $1/2 Edy's fruit bars ManuQ=$1.00
1 x $3 Instant Store discount on Jimmy Dean product=$3.00
2 x $1 Instant Store discount on Gournet Burgers=$2.00
1 x $1/2 Full Circle products Weis Q=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Weis Olive Oil Weis Q=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Weis dressing Weis FB Q=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Weis mayo Weis FB Q=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Weis ketchup Weis FB Q=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Weis barbecue sauce Weis FB Q=$1.00
Coupon Total.....$16.50

$45.06-$16.50=28.56 + .48¢ tax=$29.04 OOP

$60.15 reg. retail, savings of $31.59 which is a rate of 52%.

There are 4 Qs on the Weis Markets Facebook page--$1 of each of mayo, barbecue sauce, salad dressing and ketchup or mustard.  The Weis brand barbecue sauce, mustard and ketchup are part of the "Buy 8 Items for .88¢ each Deal".  So if you buy in multiples of 8, you get these Q items for free AND 12 cents per item carried over to go toward other purchases in your order.

I still have a few things to pick up at the other grocer in town and I might go back to Weis to get a Bottom Round Roast at $3.99lb and some more free condiments and other .88¢ items.  My oldest is moving into an apartment this Fall at school and will be cooking for himself, therefore I'll be looking to pick up cheap or free pantry goods for him when I hit the stores between now and August.

I said I would spend $35 this week but I might end up spending a bit more, to the tune of $45 or $50.
Yes, I am a wastrel.....lol

Sluggy