Friday: I did housework Friday morning. Then I packed up the car and went off to town. It's what I didn't buy that day that saved me tons of money. I dropped off trash and then went into the post office to drop off a bill we were paying. Then over to the next town's grocery.
This grocery has a fair selection of potted plants. Trouble was the selection was not as good as usual. I saw lovely coleus, but I'd just planted a bunch of seeds of that in my pots. And while I had a very clear idea of a planter mix of plants I wanted to pot up, they only had one of the variety of plants I needed. I wanted petunias but none to be had, sad face here. Finally, I decided that while I'd gone with a set limit to spend, I didn't HAVE to spend it. I could save it until I could go further afield for a better selection! I did buy one geranium, a lovely variegated red/pink petal affair unlike any I've ever seen.
Had to pick up some salty snacks for the weekend. One bag of chips was all that was needed and one other item, can't remember what at the moment. I stopped outside and bought doughnuts from the fundraising bunch. I could make doughnuts cheaper but I like to support a good cause when I can.
At the drugstore, I printed off a coupon for a 12 pack of Coke for $1.99 with a $10 purchase. I happened to be buying vitamins that day as well as picking up prescriptions. I also printed off a $3 off store brand vitamins, which happened to be on sale b1g1 free. Good deal! I spent just $12 over the cost of the prescriptions and that included my 12 pack of soda.
After stopping at the bank to make a deposit, I came on back home but it was late and I was weary. I stopped at the local diner for burgers (they are slider sized) and fried chicken for the weekend meals. I paid for those out of my allowance. It was worth it to me to not have to fret over meals all weekend long.
Stopped at the local packing shed to pick up peaches and tomatoes. I buy both in town during the all too brief peach season each summer. Fresh tomato sandwiches...here I come!
When I returned home, I put up two work lunches for John and stashed them in baskets in the fridge. Then I tended to last minute household chores, including washing and hanging out a load of clothes. This left my Shabbat weekend nicely clear of anything vaguely resembling 'labor'.
Saturday: Made a pan of squash and onions to go with my cold chicken dinner, sliced tomatoes on the side. I put half the squash and onion mix into the freezer. I'll use to make a casserole later.
Plenty of chicken leftover so it did for supper as well as it did for dinner.
I used my free time to read, write and plan out meals, chores and a shopping list.
Sunday: Up early and raring to go on housework. Mama had said she'd come out and we'd go out to lunch. Nothing turned out as planned. She decided to cook at home and brought food out. The meal was nice and she brought enough for John. It was Beef shish kabob and grilled vegetables. I chopped what was John's and made a grill roasted salad for his work lunch on Monday. I saved the zucchini though to use in another dish.
After Mama left, I got busy in the kitchen and made up two pans of bean and rice enchiladas. I used leftover black beans, corn and rice and added in onion, red bell pepper, garlic and shredded cheese, then wrapped in corn tortillas. I froze them in foil lined pans (as suggested by a dear reader) and then popped into zippered bag (one I'd saved from a meat market bag of frozen french fries). I'll put sauce on them later, either a tomato based enchilada sauce or a cheese sauce and then bake.
I had a bit of the leftover mixture, those pieces of grilled zucchini ...A flour tortilla filled and folded into a burrito, heated in the microwave and that worked well for supper. I took note of the fact that the texture of the grilled zucchini added to the overall composition of the burrito filling very nicely.
I began work on my freezer/pantry inventory that evening. It helped pass time as a thunder storm went on.
As I did the inventory, I put a red asterisk next to the items about to expire in the next two months. I'll use those in the month of July.
Monday: Finished that inventory work and then went on to do other housework. I spent the afternoon making cookie doughs for the freezer. I made caramel, oatmeal crisp, chocolate chip and cappuccino flavored doughs.
No need to water plants. That got a good soaking all day long from the rain. I settled my porch plants near the railing where the rain always blows in, so they got a good drink as well.
Harvest night in our home. In April we had three pay periods. Since we pay bills by halve every other week it takes until end of June for that extra pay period to play out. This week we had two bills we didn't need to set aside money for. One amount covered an unexpected bill that arrived in the mail. The other extra amount was applied to our car repayment.
Tuesday: I was gearing up to go out to do errands when John called to say he would be home early. He wanted to go out for dinner. I 'saved' my errands to do while going through town with him.
Stretched a half pound of ground beef to make meatballs. I made fresh bread crumbs from end pieces of bread I had stored in the freezer.
Ran a full load of dishes in the dishwasher.
Ordered Samuel's birthday gift online and had shipped directly to his home.
Dropped off trash and mail and went by bank while we were out.
Wednesday: Grocery day today. Main shopping was done at Aldi's only, then we drove to the meat market. I spent about $70 there and figure I should get somewhere around 23 entrees from the meat bought. That averages out to about $3 per pound for our meats. My final totals for this month's worth of groceries? $411, $1 under what I spent last month! It's not a big savings but I'm so proud to eke it down a bit further.
I made sure to stock some of the items I was out of. That inventory helped me form my grocery list for the day very nicely.
Thursday: Easy dinner: spaghetti and meatballs with a mixed green salad.
While John was gone this evening I mopped floors and did a few other chores. I was trying to ease my work load for tomorrow so I could work on power point for music.
Used mop water to water porch plants that were looking a bit droopy after the three days of heat.
John was a little late getting in but I had sandwiches waiting. He brought home a gift of cucumbers from one of the gardening members.
John also brought in vanilla ice cream. I made up a quick batch of chocolate syrup to go over the top.
Friday: Used some leftover tomato in our morning omelet. I cooked toast in the oven this morning so I could slide the omelet in alongside to finish cooking.
Mixed up a batch of pizza dough.
Made homemade pizza for our dinner.
Took two rolls of cookie dough out of the freezer to thaw and made cookies to fill the jars.
We didn't buy special breads for our Shabbats this time. I thawed a plain baked roll for use as communion bread.
Ran a full load of dishes this afternoon.
Used some of the frozen lemon juice cubes, regular ice cubes, water and simple syrup to make frozen lemonade. Oh my goodness that was GOOD!
1 comment:
You are always so busy! I love homemade cookies and have become a homemade cookie snob! LOL! No more store bought cookies for us. My boys have gotten spoiled to them as well.
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