Thrifty Thursday: Hold Tight

 

Thursday:  Just back from grocery shopping.  It's challenging with Caleb along and no John to help (he had an appointment) but we managed it rather well today.  It does keep me on my toes.  I'm sure here in a bit I'll discover what I failed to buy, and it will be the very thing I needed most, but we'll just hold on tight and go without.

I found ground turkey on clearance for $1.92/pound.  I bought four pounds.  I could have put more in the freezer, but four pounds will be in addition to the four pounds already in the freezer.   Frozen turkey breasts were still on sale for $1.79/pound (Honeysuckle White) this week, so I got one to hold for later in the summer.  I did not buy any other meat today.  I felt this was plenty and since I did not have meats on my list, I didn't get them.  I was shopping at Kroger today and the only thing I didn't get was my free Hillshire Farm sausage (Best Customer coupon) because I didn't see that coupon on my app when I was checking it.  

A few weeks ago, I joined a new Kroger app Fresh Mode. I had loaded deals from points earned last month.  That app was not up and running yesterday and hadn't been since April first.  I was pleased to find today that I did indeed save $7.50 because of that app, plus a $15 off $150 purchase and a few other coupons from digital deals to Best Customer offers.  This netted me several really good buys.  

Part of my grocery purchases today will go on the pantry shelf to help stock up (green beans, apple juice, vegetable oil, and peaches).  I also stocked up on snack items and put those aside.  We don't put them into the snack cupboard and encourage mindless snacking.  No indeed!  Those go into one of the hermetically sealed bins (or gamma lid buckets) and I bring them out one or two at a time over a period of weeks, all within the limits of the best buy day so we're not getting stale items.  I figure if snacks are going to be eaten, I'd rather pay the lowest price, store and then mete them out rather than go in and grab them at full price.  

I took Caleb to the fast-food place and playground.  Thanks to Lana, this will be even more affordable a treat.  She told me about the app.  Lest you ask why I didn't think of that myself, well I just don't, but I'm learning to let my smart phone work for me as a savings tool.

Meals:  Biscuits, Spam

Meatloaf Sandwiches?  I think?

Smoked Turkey, Baked Potatoes, Asparagus

Friday:  We all slept quite late this morning and it was lovely.  Since I'd laid awake until wee hours again last night the additional sleep this morning was pretty near priceless.  

We had cereal for our breakfast, at least John and I did.  I ordered the box on Amazon last month and the shipment was postponed.  It was a 3-pack box of Chex cereal that I got for $5.63 for all three.  I thought given that it's a name brand and the cost of cereal overall, that this was quite a good price.

We went out to lunch with Mama.  She insisted on paying for lunch.  I always insist that we pay the tip. Mama doesn't always tip well, lol.   After lunch we went for ice cream which was my treat.

And aside from haircuts that's all the money we spent today.  I avoided going into the grocery store entirely, opted to by shampoo at the salon.  The cost was a little more than the store might have been but far less than it would have been if I'd given into temptations along the way to the shampoo aisle.

Meals:  Cereal and Banana for us.  Caleb had muffins, grapes, cereal, banana, juice and heaven knows what else. 

Out with Mama.  Leftover pasta and meatballs for Katie and Caleb who opted to stay home.

Chinese Potstickers, Steamed Broccoli, Egg Rolls, Mandarins.

Saturday/Sunday:    We had our usual Saturday breakfast.  It was miserably cold and rainy outdoors.  I had a bit of ground beef left from making meatballs on Thursday.  I thought a pot of soup would be pretty awesome.  John suggested chili mac.  I suggested I reheat pasta left from Thursday, and he could mix his own chili and pasta.  I just wanted chili.

Nothing much to report about Saturday.  I prepped food for today's gathering of the grandchildren. I made lunch here at home, made our chili.  We snugged in and stayed home, all four of us.

Meals:  Bagels, Croissants

Wings, Celery and Carrots, Home Fries

Chili, Pasta for John, Rice for Caleb and I.  Katie had just plain Chili.

No breakfast for us this morning.  

Home from church, I put the finishing touches on Easter Sunday dinner.  The children barely ate.  I felt sure they wouldn't eat much and barely put food on their plates.  Leftovers for supper tonight.

Ham, Smoked Turkey, Green Bean Casserole, Hashbrown Casserole, Mac n Cheese for the children, Cupcakes, Orange Danish.

It is my habit to do a review of any holiday meals I prepare for and what worked, what didn't, etc.  I made too much food today.  The children just barely ate.  They'd had a big breakfast at home and Caleb had been snacking since he got up.  

I made the green bean casserole and the hashbrown casserole from scratch.  No bought mushroom soup in the bean casserole.  No bought hashbrowns in the potato dish.  Ham was from the half we bought right after Christmas that I cut into fourths.  I still have another piece of that left.  The turkey was left over from our dinner Friday night.  I cut it thin and put half in the freezer and saved half for today.  We still have enough of that left to make sandwiches one day this week.  I did not keep the frame of the breast.  I don't like the smokiness of the bone broth.

I purchased (or had Katie buy) fancy little cups, pretty napkins and Chinet paper plates.  Also frosting and sprinkles for the cupcakes.  She bought a bag of plastic eggs to add to my bag and filled them all.  We used fruit snacks, tiny bottles of bubbles, little, tiny cups of playdoh, those little super bouncy balls and some cute little cars she found and packages of Skittles candies.  I paid for my paper goods and frosting.  She said that all of our stuff together was under $25.  Next year, I'll plan ahead for filling eggs and buy items on sale though I felt she did very well with her budget.  Especially when you consider that my paper items comprised more than half the budget.

Monday:  I was given a box of food items which I've added to my pantry.  It was odds and ends but I received it gratefully.  There was a bottle of catsup, a jar of spaghetti sauce, a packet of pasta, a box of pancake mix, a can each of corn and green beans and soup, as well as a box of crackers.  All of these items will come in handy at some time and I am happy to receive them.

I cleared the fridge this morning and determined right away how items would be used.  We've got sliced turkey and ham for sandwiches this week.  I froze a couple of items that I simply couldn't determine how to use right away.  I made a pot of stew using some leftovers from last week's meals.  It's in the crockpot now smelling lovely.  We had leftovers for our lunch.  

Meals: Boiled Eggs, Toast.  The eggs I boiled on Friday for this weekend froze.  I simply put them on to come up to a boil once more.  They didn't taste like a freshly boiled egg, but they weren't overcooked, nor was the texture compromised.  It's not something I'd do on purpose but at least I saved those five eggs!

Various leftovers of meals from last week.

Beef Stew, Salad, Slaw, Cornbread Muffins, Cupcakes.  I made the stew from leftover roast, potatoes and carrots and added in a cup of frozen green peas, a can of tomato soup and two pucks of frozen tomato paste.  I seasoned it with bay leaf, garlic and onion powders.  It was delicious!  We skipped cupcakes because Caleb had had enough (no quiet time does that to a little guy) long before supper and he stood up the moment we'd said prayer, "I'm done!" and off he went to wash his face and hands and pester the daylights out of his Mama and I, insisting we play with a toy while we ate.  

Today's mail brought a new version of the Jiffy Mixes cookbook.  I found a link a few weeks ago for the free cookbook.  I'd forgotten all about it but here it is in today's mail.  I've linked it above in the word 'link' so that you can at least go see it online and perhaps order one for yourself.

I took time to review digital coupons at Publix and loaded them onto my account.  I'm trying to get into the habit of using the e-coupons with my phone number at this store.

I received 750 Fetch reward points for participating in a survey two weeks ago.  I am now able to get a new gift card with my points.  I will say that now I'm getting accustomed to matching sales with promotions on this site, I'm earning points more quickly.  It's still slow, but going quicker than it did in the past. 

Tuesday:  Took time this morning to get my checkbook more or less in order for the coming pay period.  Checks are written for bills received.  My register sheet is set up.  I've run tentative figures so I know where we should stand when it's all totaled up in the next few days.  It's so important to keep our finances up to date instead of recklessly ignoring it all.  I've been better, but just now I am doing the best I can at this moment.

To save us a trip, I asked Katie to please pick up our prescriptions on her lunch break.  She kindly did so.  The pharmacy is near her workplace.

I did a freezer inventory of the meats and prepared entrees in the big freezer.  The inventory is not complete, but I did the best I could with a limited amount of time.  Silly Caleb kept standing in the door, wrapped in a blanket, complaining that the freezer was cold. I assured him he could stand elsewhere.

Caleb has been anxious for me to cut a pineapple I bought last week.  It was quite green at the time and I'd chosen the ripest looking one.  I walked by the counter today and caught a faint whiff of the ripe pineapple.  I pared and cut it.  Caleb wanted to help.  He went through the play dishes and found a pretend chef's knife.  I got his wooden cutting board and gave him a piece of peel to 'cut'.  I told him to sit on the rug at my feet to do his job.  He stayed out of my way, and I got the pineapple pared and cut.  He got a piece of pineapple to taste as soon as I started cutting it.

Lunch today was all leftovers and fresh pineapple.  

I am trying hard to get meat to thaw today.  Since the planned meal was to have gone in the crockpot, I am now past the window of opportunity to get supper cooked in it for tonight.  I looked over my menu and went to a Plan B.  I found there was not enough ham leftovers, they had apparently been decimated for a sandwich on Sunday.  Never mind.  I looked over the menu again.  I planned one meal short and knew the cold pasta salad on a cold spring day was not prime option either.  Plan C is now in effect.  I'll be two plans short for this week, three if the weather doesn't warm a bit, and will need to think hard about what to do for those meals.   Thanks to the freezer inventory I know I have options.

The weather might be cool, but it is so beautiful outdoors.  It's not a frugal thing but it's worth every ounce of appreciation I can give it.  The sky is very nearly an October blue.  The trees are the greenest of greens and the sun is lovely.

Meals:  Scrambled Eggs, Donuts.  I found these in the cabinet yesterday when I cleared out the snacks and they were still fresh.  Onto the menu!

Chili, mac and Cheese, Pineapple.

Pigs in Blankets, Potato Salad...and that's as far as it got.  Caleb had applesauce which he wolfed down.  He skipped the potato salad and had two naked hot dogs after he stripped off the 'blanket'.

Wednesday:  No need to feed the kiddos from across the field breakfast as Bess was going in to work later in the morning.  

I had a plan for lunch, and an alternate plan.  I also got my supper started in the crockpot.  More on that in a moment.

When the children arrived chaos ensued.  It took quite a little while for the noise and mayhem to subside but it was pleasant if hectic.  

Josh and I talked about lunch.  So I started the base portion of the meal.  Then I suggested we might make a dessert and he was quite happy at the idea.  Next time I'll let him do more of the work but he did help today.  And I'm happy to say the dessert was a huge hit with the kiddos.

The dessert utilized one of those 62c packets of chocolate chip cookie mix, an egg and a stick of butter.  We made a big pizza shaped cooked.  After we'd had lunch, I set out marshmallows, chocolate chips, a packet of Sixlets and another of mini M&Ms candies, the leftover frostings from this past week's cupcakes and peanut butter that I warmed until melty.  The children had a grand time decorating their 'pizza' slice and we all agreed that it was good and had been fun.   I cut the slices into very narrow pieces but Josh and I both said we'd like that as a birthday cake.

I had enough supper to put leftovers into the freezer for a future meal.  Not to have right away.  Truth told, I altered the recipe to use what I had on hand and while elements were delicious, others were rather 'meh' at best.  I won't do the substitutions as I did ever again.  I'd rather skip the one ingredient entirely than to purchase the required item and don't care for the results with the substitute.

I made Koolaid for the children to drink at lunch.  I use less sugar than the packets call for.  In fact, to two packets and 1 gallon of water I used only 3/4 cup sugar.  Not one person complained over the flavor of that drink mix.  

I asked while we were having lunch, what they would like to have for future lunches.  Their suggestions were surprisingly economical.  Their suggestions: PBJs, Hot dogs, bologna sandwiches (I happen to know they also like ham and cheese), spaghetti (mac and cheese would make them happy as well), pizza.  It gave me a starting point of ideas for meals which is grand since it appears that management has now decided that Sam's meetings will be once a week starting in May.  The boys get out of school about the third week of May.

Meals:  Orange Danish, bits of ham and kielbasa, all leftovers

Pepperoni Pizza, Cookie Pizza

Snack: popcorn, Nutella on bread for the two oldest and butter on bread for the two youngest (their request).  Which reminds me that Granny and Grandmother both used to sometimes give us bread and butter with a light sprinkle of sugar as a snack sandwich.

Company Chicken, Wild Rice, Broccoli.  I subbed in the OM Turkey bacon for the regular bacon (reminder that I have not made this recipe in at least 40 years) and the Carl Buddig Beef sandwich slices (it's like a cross between pastrami and corned beef) and frankly they neither one did the dish a favor.  In future, I'll be more inclined to just make the gravy and pour over the chicken and skip the excess meats.  I don't want to buy dried beef (too high) and real bacon (too greasy) so this recipe will be permanently shelfed.  

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