Well, we haven't exactly been as frugal as we could have or should have this past few weeks. I have been busy with doctors appointments, tests, and still have some to go.
I guess frugality is truly a seasonal thing, some weeks or months we do really well, but when Mom is barely functional, I guess frugality goes out the window.
Tonight, though, I am making Chili, which will net us a minimum of 2-3 meals out of a mere maybe $5-6
Now to figure, out of 17.90 worth of ground beef I got 14 packages for the freezer, that is 1.27 for the ground beef, my quart of tomatoes with chilies cost me 83 cents, and I canned them last season (I figured that cost in an argument I won, but it was still worth the effort) The beans, I use two cans at never more than 50 cents a piece, eventually I will be trying to use dried beans, but I am not that confident in my bean making skills yet. The onion, cost merely 3 cents (thank you sales) and the seasoning, may cost a whole quarter, but I doubt it (I have never measured how much chili powder fits in my HUGE jumbo sized jar, but I know I have had it for almost a year and its not half gone yet, and I have made LOTS of chili)
So the grand total $3.13, plus my loaf of bread that doesn't cost $1 and that will give us at least two or three meals.
Unfortunately, I don't use a recipe for chili, so I can share it, I toss the ground beef in with a quart of home canned rotel tomatoes add onion, granulated garlic, chili powder and beans. Maybe a can of Corn or mushrooms if I remember, if I add both of them, it only ups the cost by about 82 cents. still under $5
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Homeschooling While Sick
Although not a totally frugal post, I wanted to share this to remember that its Okay to need to take a break.
I have a rare condition that right now is getting the better of me. Bug is home schooled.
Put those together and some days, you don't get much accomplished. Since Wednesday last week I have barely been able to get out of bed. I get up, do somethings and try my hardest to not fall back asleep while she is playing.
Children learn even when scheduled learning is not taking place. Bug is playing computer games, will be getting regular games that stimulate the mind, and is learning to care for a sick person. She is doing really well at all three tasks.
I do not need to send her to school because she isn't getting a total education at home, she is still getting a more complete education here and she is learning skills that will take her further in life.
No school can teach her how to care for the sick, no school can allow her to be happy all day and learn all the way til bedtime (homework that lasts well into the night DOES NOT COUNT as they don't remember much if any of it later)
I have a rare condition that right now is getting the better of me. Bug is home schooled.
Put those together and some days, you don't get much accomplished. Since Wednesday last week I have barely been able to get out of bed. I get up, do somethings and try my hardest to not fall back asleep while she is playing.
Children learn even when scheduled learning is not taking place. Bug is playing computer games, will be getting regular games that stimulate the mind, and is learning to care for a sick person. She is doing really well at all three tasks.
I do not need to send her to school because she isn't getting a total education at home, she is still getting a more complete education here and she is learning skills that will take her further in life.
No school can teach her how to care for the sick, no school can allow her to be happy all day and learn all the way til bedtime (homework that lasts well into the night DOES NOT COUNT as they don't remember much if any of it later)
Friday, November 9, 2007
The Sorted Pantry
Oh how I would love a REAL pantry, but that's not going to happen for a while, and when it does, it will be a space saver version in my kitchen (we plan on removing some useless cabinets to place two prefabricated pantries in that area)
In the meantime, I use the closet that is under our stairs as a pantry, it holds a short and a tall set of metal wire shelves, I also have a set of these shelves in my kitchen, they are strong and hold quite a bit. I got them in store for about a third of the cheapest I can find them online though.
In my pantry right now, its a bit naked as we have been living out of it a lot this past month since we are trying to avoid dipping into the savings account.
We have
2 cans of Tuna (will be replaced when I find it for under 50cents a can)
4 cans Re fried Beans
5 cans Kidney Beans
1 can Chili beans
3 cans Black Beans
2 cans Great Northern Beans
2 cans Pork and beans
3 cans baked Beans
1 can vegetarian beans (pork and beans with no pork)
Can you tell we use a lot of beans?
5 cans Mushrooms
6 cans Corn
1 can Potatoes
1 can Sauerkraut
1 can Peas
2 cans Pineapple
and about 8 jars home canned Peaches
5 bottles Barbecue Sauce
1 jug cranberry Juice
1 container Miracle whip
1 5lb bag All Purpose flour (I also have bread kits for my bread machine out of a 5lb bag of Bread flour, 1 5lb bag of Rye Flour)
3 cans Green Enchilada sauce
2 containers Bread crumbs
2 6packs of Kroger Soda
1 jar of GOOD peanut Butter (1 jar of Peanut Butter Cookie Peanut Butter too)
several cans of Beef Broth (I couldn't get at them to count them without knocking the stack over, but I should not need Beef Broth for another year or so at the rate we use it, lol
We also have 6 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
4 cans of ready to eat soup
and 3 cans of Chili (lazy mans Nachos)
We also have 5 hamburger Helpers (yuck)
5 pasta roni, 7 boxes macaroni and cheese, 7 rice a roni, 5 packets onion soup mix, and 1 packet spaghetti seasoning.
4 boxes pasta, 1 taco shells hard, 1 flour tortillas, 32 oz quick oats, and one box of Frosted Flakes (til tomorrow when they get used to make treats)
And that is the total of my pantry. Tomorrow, after I go shopping for my empty refrigerator and freezer, I will share those lists.
In the meantime, I use the closet that is under our stairs as a pantry, it holds a short and a tall set of metal wire shelves, I also have a set of these shelves in my kitchen, they are strong and hold quite a bit. I got them in store for about a third of the cheapest I can find them online though.
In my pantry right now, its a bit naked as we have been living out of it a lot this past month since we are trying to avoid dipping into the savings account.
We have
2 cans of Tuna (will be replaced when I find it for under 50cents a can)
4 cans Re fried Beans
5 cans Kidney Beans
1 can Chili beans
3 cans Black Beans
2 cans Great Northern Beans
2 cans Pork and beans
3 cans baked Beans
1 can vegetarian beans (pork and beans with no pork)
Can you tell we use a lot of beans?
5 cans Mushrooms
6 cans Corn
1 can Potatoes
1 can Sauerkraut
1 can Peas
2 cans Pineapple
and about 8 jars home canned Peaches
5 bottles Barbecue Sauce
1 jug cranberry Juice
1 container Miracle whip
1 5lb bag All Purpose flour (I also have bread kits for my bread machine out of a 5lb bag of Bread flour, 1 5lb bag of Rye Flour)
3 cans Green Enchilada sauce
2 containers Bread crumbs
2 6packs of Kroger Soda
1 jar of GOOD peanut Butter (1 jar of Peanut Butter Cookie Peanut Butter too)
several cans of Beef Broth (I couldn't get at them to count them without knocking the stack over, but I should not need Beef Broth for another year or so at the rate we use it, lol
We also have 6 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
4 cans of ready to eat soup
and 3 cans of Chili (lazy mans Nachos)
We also have 5 hamburger Helpers (yuck)
5 pasta roni, 7 boxes macaroni and cheese, 7 rice a roni, 5 packets onion soup mix, and 1 packet spaghetti seasoning.
4 boxes pasta, 1 taco shells hard, 1 flour tortillas, 32 oz quick oats, and one box of Frosted Flakes (til tomorrow when they get used to make treats)
And that is the total of my pantry. Tomorrow, after I go shopping for my empty refrigerator and freezer, I will share those lists.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Waste Not, Want Not
This morning, while making DH's Lunch, I stood at the counter thinking that packing a lunch was supposed to save me a significant amount of money, after all, he isn't going out and spending $5 at the local fast food place every single day, right?
However, rising prices seem to have lead to the cost of his daily homemade lunch DOUBLING.
Granted, it still cost a lot less than going out, but why did the cost double?
Looking at how I made his lunch, I realized that, while he was not taking a larger variety of foods, he was however, taking more meat and cheese in his sandwiches. He was needing more protein to get through his afternoons, and the carb snacks were making him drag through the afternoon.
I think we may have to find a protein snack to replace the extra meat in his lunch.
While all prices have risen, we need to find ways to use less expensive ingredients to their highest potential. This time of year our favorite nut goes on sale (we don't buy them throughout the year because they are priced way too high the rest of the time) so I guess instead of a large sandwich, he will get a handful of Pistachios or Almonds. I am already cutting his cheese on his sandwich in half (my 8 ounce package of sliced Provolone went from a sale of $1 last year to a sale of $1.99 this, but get this, not only did the price go up by double, the size went DOWN, its now only 6 ounces, so I lost 1/4 of our cheese and got the price increase too)
It may be time to start thinking about using the deli now, as I can buy exactly the amount I need for the week each week.
Waste Not, Want Not, No sense in paying for things that will go bad over the weekend (when DH refuses to eat sandwiches, who can blame him)
However, rising prices seem to have lead to the cost of his daily homemade lunch DOUBLING.
Granted, it still cost a lot less than going out, but why did the cost double?
Looking at how I made his lunch, I realized that, while he was not taking a larger variety of foods, he was however, taking more meat and cheese in his sandwiches. He was needing more protein to get through his afternoons, and the carb snacks were making him drag through the afternoon.
I think we may have to find a protein snack to replace the extra meat in his lunch.
While all prices have risen, we need to find ways to use less expensive ingredients to their highest potential. This time of year our favorite nut goes on sale (we don't buy them throughout the year because they are priced way too high the rest of the time) so I guess instead of a large sandwich, he will get a handful of Pistachios or Almonds. I am already cutting his cheese on his sandwich in half (my 8 ounce package of sliced Provolone went from a sale of $1 last year to a sale of $1.99 this, but get this, not only did the price go up by double, the size went DOWN, its now only 6 ounces, so I lost 1/4 of our cheese and got the price increase too)
It may be time to start thinking about using the deli now, as I can buy exactly the amount I need for the week each week.
Waste Not, Want Not, No sense in paying for things that will go bad over the weekend (when DH refuses to eat sandwiches, who can blame him)
Monday, November 5, 2007
Once A Month Cooking
Today we got our local grocery ads. I was totally befuddled. Of course we all know prices are going up, but I guess that means its time to start more cooking from scratch.
So what did I do today? I made a list of Twenty meals and some side dishes. Eight Chicken meals and Twelve Beef, all of which require very few convenient components. (Tortillas is the main one that I have yet to make from scratch) I also came up with a few sides that can be made ahead (twice baked Potatoes, potato wedges, Tater skins, hash brown casserole, Broccoli casserole) most of the rest of our sides are Rice or steamed veggies or salads or Pasta sides, none of which taste good if pre-made)
Now, I do not actually do technical once a month cooking, but I will do Cooking Kits.
I precook ground beef with onions and garlic to be used in things like, Tater Tot Casserole, Chimichangas, Burritos, Tacos (yes, we eat A LOT of Mexican foods), stroganoff and spaghetti Sauce. Altogether, I fry up 8 1/2 lbs of the ground beef for those meals and package another 1 1/2 lbs of meat into patties for hamburgers. I use quite a bit of meat in my spaghetti sauce because its a Huge batch. I use the recipe my grandpa used to make to feed their family of eight two meals, but it feeds my family closer to six meals.
Grandpa's Spaghetti Sauce (my version)
3lbs Ground Beef
1 large diced Onion
1/2 a head of Garlic Crushed and sliced
2 Quarts Diced Tomatoes
1 15 ounce can tomato Sauce
1 6 ounce can of Tomato Paste
1 8 ounce can mushroom drained (optional)
2 packets store brand spaghetti seasoning (looking for a substitute ore homemade version of this)
Brown Beef, Onion, and Garlic til no longer pink. Drain, add Tomatoes, sauce, Paste, mushrooms and seasoning. Simmer 30 minutes, adjust seasonings (to me, that means Add LOTS of Oregano, Basil and Dehydrated Garlic)
Reduce heat to low, simmer 2 and a half hours. stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
after 2 1/2 hours, begin water for Spaghetti (always first nights meal from the sauce) come back in 20 minutes, add spaghetti and cook ten minutes)
Put away leftover sauce into quart bags or prepare 2 batches (9 inch square) lasagna, and put the rest into bags each holding 3 cups or so) I usually end up with 5 quarts of sauce leftover.
When I use the leftover sauce, I thin each bag with 1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce.
So what did I do today? I made a list of Twenty meals and some side dishes. Eight Chicken meals and Twelve Beef, all of which require very few convenient components. (Tortillas is the main one that I have yet to make from scratch) I also came up with a few sides that can be made ahead (twice baked Potatoes, potato wedges, Tater skins, hash brown casserole, Broccoli casserole) most of the rest of our sides are Rice or steamed veggies or salads or Pasta sides, none of which taste good if pre-made)
Now, I do not actually do technical once a month cooking, but I will do Cooking Kits.
I precook ground beef with onions and garlic to be used in things like, Tater Tot Casserole, Chimichangas, Burritos, Tacos (yes, we eat A LOT of Mexican foods), stroganoff and spaghetti Sauce. Altogether, I fry up 8 1/2 lbs of the ground beef for those meals and package another 1 1/2 lbs of meat into patties for hamburgers. I use quite a bit of meat in my spaghetti sauce because its a Huge batch. I use the recipe my grandpa used to make to feed their family of eight two meals, but it feeds my family closer to six meals.
Grandpa's Spaghetti Sauce (my version)
3lbs Ground Beef
1 large diced Onion
1/2 a head of Garlic Crushed and sliced
2 Quarts Diced Tomatoes
1 15 ounce can tomato Sauce
1 6 ounce can of Tomato Paste
1 8 ounce can mushroom drained (optional)
2 packets store brand spaghetti seasoning (looking for a substitute ore homemade version of this)
Brown Beef, Onion, and Garlic til no longer pink. Drain, add Tomatoes, sauce, Paste, mushrooms and seasoning. Simmer 30 minutes, adjust seasonings (to me, that means Add LOTS of Oregano, Basil and Dehydrated Garlic)
Reduce heat to low, simmer 2 and a half hours. stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
after 2 1/2 hours, begin water for Spaghetti (always first nights meal from the sauce) come back in 20 minutes, add spaghetti and cook ten minutes)
Put away leftover sauce into quart bags or prepare 2 batches (9 inch square) lasagna, and put the rest into bags each holding 3 cups or so) I usually end up with 5 quarts of sauce leftover.
When I use the leftover sauce, I thin each bag with 1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
How much do you spend?
On Gas?
On a Meal out?
On a meal at home?
DH works fairly close to home (about a 15 minute drive) Has a car that averages 25mpg city, and fills up the rest of the tank about once a week (we don't let it get below half if we can help it)
We put in $20 a week (give or take, that's what it averages out to) We could often eliminate one tank every 3 weeks or so though.
On a meal out, fast food cost our family of three between $13 and $18, Slow food, costs us the same because Bug does not order (she shares with us)
On a meal at home? Are you ready for this? A meal of Tacos (same as we would get at one of the two favorite taco places down the street) cost us about the cost of feeding ONE of us there, between $3 and $6 depending on how elaborate I am.
I know that sounds like a lot for tacos at home, but lets be real.
Summer is over (and my tomatoes are JUST NOW ripening) so I have had to purchase those. That's nearly $1.79 just for one tomato. Taco meat cost me a whopping $1.36 (including seasoning) an onion is pennies. Shells range quite a bit, but they cost about $1 a package and cheese just went up through the roof, what a year ago I could routinely feed my family for on 25 cents worth of cheese NOW cost our family 41 cents almost double. And my saffron rice is still 89cents a tube (which makes up for the cost of the saffron to make it from scratch because I can't ruin the mix,lol)
So total that up, $5.45 give or take a few cents.
While that isn't bad, I think we could do better.
Last night we had a glorious meal of Surf and Turf, ok, a bit elaborate, but DH deserved something special and going out wasn't an option.
Shrimp, on sale $2.66 lb (buy one at $7.99 get two free)
steak $2per pound which is how much we used.
Mushrooms, purchased at Sam's, 33 cents a can
two Onions (same pennies as for the tacos, I got 4-2lb bags for 33 cents each a few weeks ago, they will last half of winter...hopefully, but doubtfully)
baked potatoes, 4 small probably about 10 cents total (out of a 10lb bag for 1.49)
Butter and sour cream, about a quarter.
now to calculate.
$5.39
ok, so now tell me, why do we have think we have to eat like paupers because we don't have money?
That steak dinner cost less than my homemade tacos.
If I didn't buy the stuff on sale, or in bulk (which is how I shop) This meal still would have only cost me less than $12 total.
I know I haven't mastered an inexpensive menu, but at the same time, if you start somewhere in getting those finances in line with your goals, you will be further ahead than if you just wait til you are bringing in more money.
On a Meal out?
On a meal at home?
DH works fairly close to home (about a 15 minute drive) Has a car that averages 25mpg city, and fills up the rest of the tank about once a week (we don't let it get below half if we can help it)
We put in $20 a week (give or take, that's what it averages out to) We could often eliminate one tank every 3 weeks or so though.
On a meal out, fast food cost our family of three between $13 and $18, Slow food, costs us the same because Bug does not order (she shares with us)
On a meal at home? Are you ready for this? A meal of Tacos (same as we would get at one of the two favorite taco places down the street) cost us about the cost of feeding ONE of us there, between $3 and $6 depending on how elaborate I am.
I know that sounds like a lot for tacos at home, but lets be real.
Summer is over (and my tomatoes are JUST NOW ripening) so I have had to purchase those. That's nearly $1.79 just for one tomato. Taco meat cost me a whopping $1.36 (including seasoning) an onion is pennies. Shells range quite a bit, but they cost about $1 a package and cheese just went up through the roof, what a year ago I could routinely feed my family for on 25 cents worth of cheese NOW cost our family 41 cents almost double. And my saffron rice is still 89cents a tube (which makes up for the cost of the saffron to make it from scratch because I can't ruin the mix,lol)
So total that up, $5.45 give or take a few cents.
While that isn't bad, I think we could do better.
Last night we had a glorious meal of Surf and Turf, ok, a bit elaborate, but DH deserved something special and going out wasn't an option.
Shrimp, on sale $2.66 lb (buy one at $7.99 get two free)
steak $2per pound which is how much we used.
Mushrooms, purchased at Sam's, 33 cents a can
two Onions (same pennies as for the tacos, I got 4-2lb bags for 33 cents each a few weeks ago, they will last half of winter...hopefully, but doubtfully)
baked potatoes, 4 small probably about 10 cents total (out of a 10lb bag for 1.49)
Butter and sour cream, about a quarter.
now to calculate.
$5.39
ok, so now tell me, why do we have think we have to eat like paupers because we don't have money?
That steak dinner cost less than my homemade tacos.
If I didn't buy the stuff on sale, or in bulk (which is how I shop) This meal still would have only cost me less than $12 total.
I know I haven't mastered an inexpensive menu, but at the same time, if you start somewhere in getting those finances in line with your goals, you will be further ahead than if you just wait til you are bringing in more money.
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