Menu Planning

My Meal Plan & What It's All About

I have a budget that allows $15 per day ($ 5 per meal) for my family of three. After spending several years on a much smaller food budget, I feel blessed to have learned how to feed my family healthy meals for less.

I take advantage of produce and meat sales by buying as much as I can while these items are at a good price. More money up front, but big savings as the month progresses.

I buy Plainville Farms antibiotic free ground turkey and Publix Greenwise antibiotic free meats, so it really is possible to eat healthier food on a tight budget. I have learned that we really don't need to eat meat at every meal, so I try to limit it to one meal per day unless we have leftovers. This has really helped to keep us on budget.

I buy very few pre packaged foods. Other than the pasta, cinnamon rolls, and sour dough bread, everything else is made from scratch.

I grow what I can in pots and on my 1/10th of an acre to help keep my food costs down. It's fairly inexpensive to start and grow from seed.

Meal Plan - January 2013

Breakfast:
1. mixed fruit (2x per week)
2. organic eggs & hash browns (2x per week)
3. banana bread
4. muffins
5. cinnamon rolls

Lunch:
1. home made pizza - add whatever veggies are on sale that week & pre cooked chicken
2. soup & crackers
3. pinto beans & sour dough toast
4. BLT's on sour dough bread
5. garden salad
6. leftovers (2x per week)

Dinner:
1. bbq or honey chicken & veggies
2. beans & rice
3. meatloaf muffins
4. pasta salad with beans
5. chicken & rice
6. crock pot meal - meat, potatoes, carrots, & corn, green beans, or peas (makes 2 meals when I use a whole chicken or large roast)
7. leftovers

Dessert:
fruit
nuts & seeds
stove popped popcorn
leftover banana bread or muffins

I mix the veggies for meals weekly to keep it from getting boring. I also switch the beans out weekly.

I precook fresh chicken for other meals while I am cooking a chicken meal. It saves time later in the week.

Any food money thats left over at the end of the week goes towards eating out. It's a special treat, but not in the budget to buy regularly.

Being on a budget doesn't have to be boring. With a little imagination, we can all make tasty low cost healthy meals.

 

Happy Saving!!

 

 

Babysitter Savings

This is not about how I save money, but how my neighbor does. I babysit her newborn daughter for...well....whatever she can give me. She is a single mom and can't afford $200 a week for daycare. We agreed on the terms of 'paying me whatever she can, in whatever form she can'. Last week I got a gallon of milk, bananas, my lawn mowed, and a 50% off coupon to my favorite craft store. I love having her daughter (who sleeps most the time anyway) so I don't feel the need to except cash. Plus, as a single mom, she has enough on her plate without worrying how to pay the bills after she pays for daycare.

So...the tip in this story...barter with your neighbors, friends, and family. You may not have to pay cash for goods or services. Think outside the box, and you may be able to save lots of money!

Pressure Cooker Cooking

Several years ago for Christmas my parents gave me a pressure cooker. I kind of looked at it and gave a disappointed thank you. I didn't cook very much at the time, and had no idea what I was going to do this new contraption. It sat on top of the fridge for about a year looking pretty and shiny. Then one day I read someones blog and they were talking about all the stuff they made with so little prep time. So, I gave it a go....and loved it!

With pressure cookers you cut up your ingredients, put them in the cooker, add some water or broth, and your part it done! The cooker does all the hard work! And mine has a non stick coating so it takes less than 5 minutes to clean.

The cool part about it is that I save so much money. I can put a chicken, veggies, water, and spices in and have 3 meals worth in less than 2 hours.

Cost of last nights dinner:

Chicken: $6.00
Veggies: $2.00
Spices: $ .25
Total : $8.25 (Divide that by 3 and you have $2.75 per meal.)


I made a pot roast this weekend with some veggies and got 3 meals out of that for about $2.50 a meal. I also cook beans in it. I have super soft cooked beans in 30 to 45 minutes! And I only spent 5 minutes doing my part!

So, next time you are looking for something to cut your cooking time in half, consider a pressure cooker. It saves time and money! Maybe you can put it on your Birthday or Christmas list and get it as a gift!

Happy Saving!

Bugs and Food Storage Containers

For the longest time I thought buying containers to store food a waste of money. That was, until I found a village....no.....a whole country of little bugs in 2 bags of flower in my cupboard. I then checked and found that they were claiming more land in my oatmeal containers.

As I was throwing food away (money!) I realized that those containers I thought were a waste....weren't so much a waste. So, I went out this week and purchased 6 packs of those Target brand food containers. Each pack came with 3 containers for about $2.20.

Last night I made the time to transfer all the food that could be attacked by those minute creatures into containers. To my surprise, I like that everything is more stackable.

So...want to save money? Keep your food safe from bugs.

Here is my new plan:

1. keep food in air tight containers

2. wipe cupboard shelves with cleaner once a month

3. check your food periodically. This way you know what you have, and you know that it's fresh.

You'll thank yourself later!

A Month Worth of Groceries!

I thought I would try something different.

Today I purchased the entire month worth of groceries (minus the milk and sandwich bread)!

The total came to $147.06!!

I checked the freezer and pantry before I left and made a list based on what I already had.

Here is what I got:

6 chickens (I get them for .59 cents a pound!! This was the best buy of the whole trip! I also have 4 more in the freezer along with 3 packs of pork chops)
6 jars of spaghetti sauce (They were buy one get one free!)
3 boxes of spaghetti noodles
2 containers of shredded Parmesan cheese for the spaghetti
1 four pound bag of pinto beans (we were running low and the bigger bag was the better buy)
1 ten pound bag of rice
16 cans of veggies (Green Giant was on sale today!)
1 four pound tub of butter ( it was $1 cheaper to buy this one instead of 3 one pound tubs)
4 pounds of lunch meat ( Publix now carries it's own one pound container of lunch meat! So much cheaper than the 5 or 8 ounce brand name ones!)
4 packs of sandwich cheese ( Kraft Cheese was on sale!)
2 cans of Pam cooking spray
2 containers of popcorn oil
1 large bag of popcorn kernels
1 popcorn salt
2 jars of salt free chicken seasoning
4 boxes of 10 Minute Maid juice drinks (on sale 3 for $5!)
3 dozen eggs ( They had them on sale .60 cents cheaper than usual!)
2 boxes of pancake mix ( cheaper than buying cereal this month)
1 jar of maple syrup
3 boxes of potato's
2 loaves of sandwich bread (for this week)
10 yogurt cups (on sale 10 for $5! My son has 6 left in the fridge, so they will last him about 3 weeks!)
1 bag of apples ( it had about 9 apples for $2.99! I already have a bag of 8 in the fridge, so these will last my son about 3 weeks!)
1 milk ( for this week)

I will then go to the store on Sundays after church for milk and sandwich bread. This will cost about $6 a week.

It was so nice getting it all done in one trip, and it only took me an hour to do it!

We will see how well this works for the month. Although, my husband already asked if I bought chips for the Florida/Georgia football game this afternoon! He didn't tell me he wanted them, so I didn't get them.

If all goes well I will be under my $200 budget for the month, and maybe have a little extra for ice cream and chips next month!

Happy Saving!!

Little or No Money for Groceries

The last few months have been hard on us since my husband works on straight commission. With the economy the way it is, and all the storms we have had lately, people are not thinking of fixing up their houses. My husbands checks have been very small or nothing over the past 2 months.

The good news is that I know how to live on less. I have worked out a plan for when we are in times like this. I had a 4 week supply of food to help us when times got rough. But, are now reaching the end of our reserves.

I had $20 to spend on groceries this week. Now most people would think that its impossible to work with, but I think differently!

It only took about 30 minutes at my desk (that is nice and clean now!!) to work out next weeks menu. I checked the pantry and found that we had another 2 weeks worth of rice, beans, spaghetti, and canned veggies. I also had 2 chickens left in the freezer. So, all I needed was one more chicken, fresh fruits, and cold items.

This is what I purchased for $20.74!!

1 chicken $5.72 (I can get 2 meals out of this!)
4 personal pizza's $ 2.00 ( On sale for 50 cents a piece! I love sales!!)
1 bag grapes $1.09 ( on sale for 99 cents a pound!)
1 pound bag baby carrots $1.69
1 gallon milk $3.69
1 dozen eggs $1.89
1 loaf bread $.89 (on sale!)
2 bags sunflower seeds $1.00
1 box of 12 fudge popsicles $2.49 ( a nice treat for my son!)

So, since I didn't buy cereal this week, we will have oatmeal, pancakes, or eggs with toast for breakfast. We will have soup, or leftovers for lunch. We will also have spaghetti, chicken, or pizza for dinner. I have 2 packs of cornbread mix, and plenty of flour for biscuits to go with dinner. And plenty of popcorn seeds to pop for dessert. Oh, and the fudge popsicles!

Everyone gets 3 healthy meals a day with 1 snack and 1 dessert! Not bad for only having $20!!

So, the key to saving money is to start with what you already have. When you find out what you have in your pantry and freezer, all you need to add are a few fillers.

Happy Saving!!

Saving Money On Bottled Water

During a storm people stock up on bottled water by the truckload. The question is, is it cost effective? Before I became frugal I would stock up on the 24 packs of water at $4.99 each. But this year, I did a cost comparison. What did I find? I have been wasting money!

Some of you may know that I use jars to store my rice and beans. It keeps them fresh for longer, and keeps any bugs out that may want a meal. When I found out we had a tropical storm coming I decided to fill the empty jars I had with filtered tap water. I had 23 jars filled and placed in my pantry. This was the equivalent of about 50 water bottles.

It costs about 12 cents a gallon to use filter water from home (2 cents for the water and 10 cents for the filter). If I were to buy water in bottle form, it would be more than $1.50 a gallon.

Which would you rather pay?

$ .12 or $1.50 ???

I am filling up from now on!

Oh...and where do I get the jars? From the products I use. Applesauce, spaghetti sauce, pickles, etc. I save all the glass jars for future use. It is well worth taking up a whole kitchen cabinet!

Happy Saving!!

How I Feed My Family Of 3 On $50 A Week

Let me start out by saying that I do not work outside the home, and my husbands job is 100% commission.

I have learned the hard way how to make sure there is always food on the table. There was a time when I didn't keep up with things, and when my husband didn't get a paycheck, we had no food. That is something I never want to go through again! Because of this, I try to be as frugal as possible so there is food for the 'just in case'. Last month for instance, we went two weeks without a paycheck, but it was ok! I had 3 weeks of food stored up. I transferred my husbands prescriptions to Target with coupons and get $80 in gift cards! I used those to purchase milk, eggs, cheese, etc.

I use coupons and purchase store brands when I can. I ask friends and family to send me any coupons they find. They gladly do it to help me out.

I love Publix, which is the middle of the road store in my town. They are not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either. I like their meat and store brand products.

I do not by chips, ice cream, candy, or already prepared foods every week. If there is money left over after the necessities, I will purchase snacks if they are on sale. Otherwise, I just do not buy them. We do make our own popcorn on the stove. It is much cheaper than the microwave bags.

For household items I go to CVS. You can read about how I save money there by clicking the CVS link in the Label section on the left of this page.

Ok....here is how I did it/do it......

First thing first...take an inventory of what you have. Grab a 5 cent wire bound notebook from Walmart if you are strapped for cash. Write out how many cans of green beans, bags of flour, bags of beans, and so on. Check the fridge and write out how many butter containers, cartons of eggs, ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, etc. Don't forget the freezer! Write it all down!

Second....Flip the page in your notebook and plan your meals for next week with what you already have. If you have plenty of meat, start there. Add on your side dishes with what you have. ( I only cook meat 3 nights a week. We alternate with spaghetti one night, breakfast one night, beans & rice one night, and eating out one night. This helps save us from the rising cost of meat!)

Third......Once you have meals set with what you already have, make a list of what you will need to buy right away. Milk, eggs, butter, fresh fruits, veggies, etc.

Fourth..... Next, add the things to the list that you will run out of soon. I like to keep at least 2 weeks worth of meats, veggies, beans, and rice. If I find I am running low, I only buy enough to replenish the stock. ( To help save money, I buy the big 10lb bag of rice and several 2lb bags of beans at Publix)

Fifth......Save some room for great sales!! I like to save about $5 to $10 on my list to pick up great sale items. Like when I find canned veggies on sale and I have coupons. If it's too good of a price to pass up, I can get some and not go over budget. I love buy 1 get 1 sales as well. I'm not picky with spaghetti sauces or cereal, so when there is a B1G1, I use coupons with the sale to save big bucks!!

Sixth...if after all of this, you still have a little money left, by some snacks, or ice cream!

Your list will not be the same every week. You will run out of items, or find things on sale. The key is to get what is necessary first, then if there is money left over, get the extra stuff!!

This is what I purchased Friday. I spent $50.07.....I know...I went over by 7 cents!!!

3 - Chickens at $1.09 a pound -$15.23 (I used to get them at 89 cents a pound!)
1 - Hillshire Farms Polska Kielbasa - $2.99
1 - Publix Brand Sour Cream - $.89
10 - Dannon Yogurts - $5.00 (ON SALE)
1 - Publix Brand Butter - $1.05
1 - Publix Brand 12 Pack Fudge Popsicles - $2.49
1 - Publix Brand 1 Dozen Eggs - $1.79
2 - Betty Crocker Blueberry Muffin Mix -$1.98
2 - Petridge Farms Goldfish - $3.00 (ON SALE)
2 - Publix Brand Diced Italian Tomato Cans - $1.70
2 - Royal Orange Jello - $1.00
1 - 12 pack of Mug RootBear - $3.67 (ON SALE) ( I only buy soda when it's on sale)
2 - Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheat's - $3.99 (B1G1) ( I used a $1 off 2 coupon)
1 - Nature Made Iron Vitamins - $3.08 (ON SALE)

I saved:
$1.00 with Manufacturer Coupons
$1.51 on Store Specials
$9.09 on Advertised Sale Items

I saved a total of $11.60 this trip!

I hope this helps you as you journey towards a lower grocery bill.

Happy Savings!!

BYOB and Target will take 5 cents off!

I was at Target the other day and the cashier asked me if I wanted a bag. I told her no, since I was just purchasing 2 small things. She scanned a small coupon and said I get 5 cents off for 'bringing my own bag'!

How cool is that?

I know, it is only 5 cents, but it all adds up. I shop at Target at least once a week, so if I bring my own bags every time, that that is at least $2.60 I saved. That will buy an extra carton of eggs, or a 1/2 gallon jug of milk! So why not!

Take your own bags to Target and save your 5 cents!!

Happy Saving!!

It costs more to be healthy!!

As I try to become a healthier eater, I have noticed how much more 'healthy' food costs. If you want fresh vegetables, your going to pay big time these days. If you want hormone and chemical free eggs, milk, butter, ect, your going to pay. So, how can you curb the cost of this?

GROW YOUR OWN!

You don't need a farm or lots of acres to grow your food. We live on 1/10 of an acre. Do you know how small that is? Our house takes up half of that tenth and then there's the shed in the back yard. We don't have lots of space especially since we have 4 dogs that need a place to do their 'business'! But we found a way to make the most of what we have.

This year we grew: strawberries, blueberries, cucumbers, yellow squash, carrots, corn, tomato's, chives, green onions, hot peppers, oranges, and tangelos. We hope to add more next year.

It costs a little bit in the beginning, but once you get your area set up, each year after that is a breeze and very inexpensive. This is our second year and we spent very little on soil, seeds, and plants.

I do want to say...it is time consuming. It will take you a weekend or two to set one up, depending on the size. You also need to water every day, and weed once or twice a week.

But it's worth it!!!

And you don't need to be a gardener to this! I knew nothing about growing fruits and veggies when we started, but looked it up on the web and found out how. It's not hard, and it's actually very nice spending time alone with my veggies! It's very fulfilling, knowing I grew the food I am going to feed my family.

So go ahead, start a garden. Enjoy the fruit of your labor!

Happy Saving!!

I will add photos when I can get my photo editor program working again.

Childrens Sale $$

I am so excited to say....I made $71 at the children's kids sale!! I wasn't sure any of the items would sell, but they all did! I promised my son the money from the sale of his little boy bike. So he will get $20 to spend on what he wants. Lets hope it's not another toy!! The rest of the money will go towards things he needs like socks, underwear, etc.

I am so glad I do this sale every year! It helps to pay for the clothes and things he needs!

So, get out there and participate in a community sale. You just may make some money!

Happy Saving!!

Lots of Target Money

This afternoon I picked up the last of my husbands prescriptions at Target. I managed to collect 8 coupons from friends and family and received $80 in Target gift cards! My husband has 8 prescriptions so I asked and pleaded for 8 coupons.

This week I paid ( out of pocket ) a total of $2.40 for 8 prescriptions, and $.90 for dog food and next weeks groceries. I also have $10 in Target money left!!

It pays to read those store ads!!

Happy Saving!!

$10 Target Gift Card For Transferred Prescription

I this past Sunday's paper, the Target add had a coupon it. If you transfer a prescription to Target they will give you a $10 gift card (with coupon). What a great deal! I know CVS and Walgreens do this several times a year, but this is the first time I have seen Target do it.

I transferred 2 prescriptions yesterday and got $20 in gift cards! What a deal!

Happy Saving!!

Free Antibiotics at Publix

I was so happy when my father told me about the free antibiotics at Publix Grocery Stores.

Below is information from the Publix website. Click here for more details.

Now the Publix Pharmacy makes you feel even better with FREE antibiotics.*Publix wants to help you with your health-care costs, so we're happy to be able to give you a great deal on certain antibiotics doctors often prescribe. New or current customers: bring in your prescription for one of the oral antibiotics listed below to your neighborhood Publix Pharmacy and receive it FREE, up to a 14-day supply. There are no limits on the number of prescriptions you can have filled. And they're FREE to you regardless of your prescription insurance provider.

Amoxicillin
Cephalexin
Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP)
Ciprofloxacin (excluding Ciprofloxacin XR)
Penicillin VK
Ampicillin
Erythromycin Stearate and Ethylsuccinate
Doxycycline Hyclate (capsules)

*Oral antibiotics only.

Don't But It If You Don't Need It!

This week money was low and there wasn't a lot for groceries. I decided to do a mental inventory of what we had to see what was necessary for next week. I realized, I didn't even need to spend the normal $50 on food like I do every week. All I needed was American cheese,spaghetti cheese, and butter. I spent a whole $5 on groceries this week!!

So...if you don't need to buy food... don't. Use the money to pay a bill, or put gas in your car, or save it in your emergency fund. You'll thank yourself later!

Happy Saving!!

Dogs & Hair Cuts

We rescued a puppy a little more than a month ago. He was full of matted flea infested hair. I went to Petsmart to ask how much it would cost to cut his hair, and I just about had a stroke when the lady told the price. She actually said $40!!!!!!!! I said he was only 9 months old, and 6 pounds. She said it is by breed. WHAT?!?!?!

Anyway, we have decided to cut his hair ourselves. We are using the same Walmart clippers we use on our hair ( we take the blades off and clean with alcohol after use on the dog) and small mustache clippers for his face. It takes us about 30minutes, but they do the job.

So, save the $40 and do it yourself. Don't take my word for it, just check out our puppy's new hair cut! If I can do it, so can you!!

Happy Saving!!

HomeSchool Curriculum

I have been planning my sons lessons for the upcoming school year, and thought about you!
I save so much money on home school books, I just can't keep it to myself!

I use 2 main sources for my books: Ebay and Amazon.com

We all know about the great savings on Ebay! All I do is find the best price on the books I want.

As for Amazon.com, you can buy new from them, or buy from the sellers advertising on Amazon. I have purchased brand new books from those sellers at a fraction of the cost. It is well worth checking out!

Happy Saving!

I Scored at Goodwill Today!!

I went to Goodwill to find items to sell on Ebay when I came across the childrens book section. I found a hard back Harry Potter book for $1.25. I also found the other 6 Harry Potter books in paperback for .79 cents a piece. I got all 7 books for half the retail price of 1 book!!

You never know what you will find at Goodwill!!

Happy Saving!!

The Fabric Grocery Bag

Everyone is selling them these days. The cotton bag to use instead of paper or plastic. But how much are you paying for them? I have seen prices anywhere from $.99 to $20. Here are some ways to save money on those cotton bags.

1. Use any bags you may already have at home
2. Ask family or friends for bags they no longer use
3. Make your own. You can get fabric for $1 -$2 a yard at Walmart
4. Purchase bags at the craft store with coupons
5. Look for bags on sale or clearance

You don't need to go out and purchase high priced bags. See what you have at home or with friends and family first. Then look for big sales!

Happy Saving!!

Saving on Hospital Food

Over the last two weeks I have spent lots of time visiting family in the hospital. I have noticed how pricey the cafeteria food can be. So, here are a few tips.....

1. bring food & drinks from home to snack on
2. stop by your favorite fast food place and order off the dollar menu
3. get the premade food in the cafeteria, it is usually cheaper than the hot just prepared food

Happy Saving!!