I Love a Good Challenge!

One of the blogs I follow regularly, Money Saving Mom, is hosting an "Eat From the Pantry Challenge" for the month of January, and I have decided to give it a try. 

As I posted earlier, one of my own goals is to only spend $75 per month on groceries.  Well, this weekend I went to the grocery, grabbed some really great deals and spent $77.47 (darn tax!)  I purchased a ton of stuff that will hopefully last us the month.  I will have to buy more milk, as that is pretty much all Little A will drink.  I have lots of spaghetti noodles, so if you have any great recipes that call for noodles (other than traditional spaghetti) I would love for you to share them with me.

 

So there is a peek in my pantry. I'm going to give the ol' meal planning a try, so I'll be sure to update you as we go along.  I really believe that planning out our meals on paper will be a huge help - especially since I never get home until after 6:00 each night. Look out crock pot and pressure cooker, I think we're about to become close friends!

A Little Goal Setting

Last night I started thinking about my first blog post of 2010, and reflecting on 2009 immediately came to mind.  But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I don't want to focus on the past.  Now I am all about learning from our past wins and losses, but I am ready to get started MOVING FORWARD!

With that, here is a list of goals I've made for 2010...

1 - Only spend $75 per month on groceries and food. Yes, that's right 7-5.

2 - Before the beginning of each month, spend all of our money on paper before we actually SPEND all of our money.

3 - Sit down with Big B (at least) once per week to discuss our budget.

4 - Take the debit cards out of our wallets and use only cash.  This one scares the dickens out of me, but I know we can do it.

5 - Find a church that Big B, Little A, and I all love and attend regularly.

6 - Menu plan either for the week or for the month (not sure which is going to be more doable at this point, and I need to figure out my $75 a month approach.  I really haven't decided if I will try a once a month grocery trip, or shop the deals each week.  It's just so time consuming to go each week.)

7 - Find a "me" activity outside the house.  Big B is a drummer in a band, and he gets out once a week with the guys.  I really need to find something for me, too.

Ok - that's it for now.  I've never actually set goals like this for myself and my family, and I have never, ever put them out there for the world to see - can you say accountability?

I must say that I am truly looking forward to all that 2010 has to offer.  I am more determined than ever to get out of debt and to begin living the life I know I was meant to live.  My prayer is that each of you reading this has a happy and healthy 2010.

Cheers!

My Thrifty Thanksgiving Success!

DISCLAIMER - I started writing this post a LONG LONG time ago.  And as you have probably learned, life has a tendency of keeping me away from posting with any sort of regular schedule.  I can't stand to let things go, so I am here now to finish and post.  Thank you for hanging in there!

I did it...I did it....I did it!!!!  My $30 goal was a cinch.  Keep in mind that my $30 consisted of things I had to go and purchase specifically for this dinner...I didn't include items that were already in my pantry (i.e. butter, oil, salt, etc).  I'll break it down for you.  (I wish I still had my receipts, because I would take a picture of them with the wonderful new camera I received from my "Fairy Godmother" this week.  Wink wink, you know who you are!)

Turkey
-12 lb. Turkey = $4.76 (on sale for .40 cents per lb at WalMart)
-Herbes de Provence (gift from my Aunt Debbye = free!)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- (approx) 3.5 lbs. sweet potatoes = .83 (on sale for .25 cents per lb)
-olive oil, salt, pepper = already in the cabinet; no extra out of pocket expense

Homemade Garlic Mashed Potatoes
-5 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes = 2.99 (Aldi)
-Half and Half = 1.79 (Aldi)
-Butter = 1.49 (Aldi - I seriously couldn't believe a lb. of butter was this cheap!)
-3 bulbs garlic = .79 (Aldi)

Gravy
-2 cans chicken stock = 2 x .49 (Aldi)
-Flour = already in the cabinet; no extra out of pocket expense

Corn Casserole
-creamed corn = .69 (Aldi)
-regular corn = .69 (Aldi)
-jiffy corn bread mix = .42 (Food Lion special)
-butter = on hand, no extra out of pocket expense
-8 oz. sour cream - .89 (Food Lion special)

Ham & Broccoli Casserole
1 package frozen broccoli florets - (already in freezer - woo hoo!)
1 package shredded cheddar cheese - 2.00
Dry Mustard - all of these were on hand
Milk
Flour
Salt
Pepper

Roasted Brussels Sprouts (no one else really ate these but me, so I didn't have to get too many!)
1 lb. - on sale for 1.99 lb. at Publix
olive oil - all of these were on hand
salt
pepper


Cranberry Sauce - .79 (Aldi)

Pecan Tarts - I have to brag a little.  I found this recipe in the Cooking Light Holiday Cookbook and they are incredible.  The crust is made with cream cheese.  I will  post the recipe because they are incredibly easy and will be sure to impress!  The only two items I had to purchase to make these amazing little tasties were
Karo Syrup - 2.99
Cream Cheese - .79 (Aldi - best price I found all season)
I lucked out and was able to score some free pecans from work!

And my grand total for extra out of pocket expenses for a Thanksgiving meal for 5 adults and one child was....drum roll please.....$24.88.  Our tax rate is pretty high, 9.25%, which put me at $27.18!!!

With a little planning and putting to good use what you already have on hand, it definitely can be done!

Happy Thrifty Thanksgiving!

Well, it's official.  I am hosting Thanksgiving Dinner this year.  Big B's family (my mother, father, and one sister in-law) will be joining us for what will hopefully be a wonderful, yet inexpensive feast.  I've decided that I am going to set a goal of $30 for the entire dinner...and I mean the ENTIRE dinner (including festive decorations).  Think I can do it?  I KNOW I can.

How does one prepare for such?  I've already started scanning magazines, cookbooks, grocery ads, coupon sites, etc.  This weekend I will prepare an excel spreadsheet with what I'm going to buy, how much it costs, and what coupons I have for those items. Ok, well maybe not a real excel spreadsheet since my printer is out of ink and it would cost me $30 just to replace the ink ;-)  But I digress...

As you know, I've already purchased my turkey, which was only $5.  I think with that great start, I am well on my way to accomplishing this goal.  I will update you on what happens.

Wish me luck, and if you have any great cost effective dishes that you would love to share, send them on. 

Cheers and Blessings,
Dee

You Turkey!

I love finding a great bargain, and boy did I ever find one this week.  Frozen turkeys were on sale at WalMart for 40¢ per pound!  I was so excited about this find that I bought TWO twelve-pound turkeys for a total of $10.  I cooked one of the turkeys last night and it is in my fridge waiting for me to divide into meals.  The other will be saved for the official Turkey Day. 

There are options a plenty when it comes to my bird.  I will slice up one of the breasts, dice up the other for a casserole, save the dark meat for a soup or stew, and then make stock with all that's left.  That is 4 meals - maybe 5 if I can get enough good stock out of him...all for five bucks.  I LOVE it when that happens!

Does anyone out there have any good recipes to send my way?  I am looking for some yummy ideas to whip up with my savings.  Once I get it all done I will share the results.  Happy Basting!!!

What Balance?

As you can see, I haven't posted in exactly 54 days.  I don't even know where to begin, I just know that I need to feel back on track. 

Let's see, what has happened in the last 54 days? 

1 - Big B had a new engine put in his car.  Now, keep in mind that my commute is 100 miles round trip each day.  Since Big B's car was in the shop, I had to take him to work and pick him up too.  That was an extra 30 miles added onto the trip, plus about another 45 minutes of time.

2 - HUGE project at work.  Enough said.

3 - I've been sick TWICE.  Bronchitis the first time, and you guessed it, "THE" flu, yep, that one, this past go round.  I don't think my body ever truly recovered from the bronchitis before I was stricken with the flu.  It was approximately three and a half weeks in between bouts.  And I never once took a true sick day.  I worked from home...not once did I stay in bed the whole day and just rest.  Big B was very helpful with Little A through all of that thank God. 

4 - Little A turned 4!!  I was very sick with the bronchitis on her birthday, so we ended up having to postpone her birthday party.  Talk about GUILT!  I think I felt worse about the postponement than I did about being sick. But she was great.  Never really said anything about it.

5 - Started a "Biggest Loser" contest with Big B.  Well, actually, he joined a contest with the ladies at his work, which totally cracks me up.  So I figured I better join in.  See, my job actually REQUIRES me to eat.  Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but it's true.  That being said, I've gained a TON and am ready to bid it adieu.
So he and I have a side bet going at the house.  I got a jump start when I was sick this last time and actually lost 5 pounds.  But he walks all day for his job, so he'll probably win.  But that's ok - I still need to work on myself.

For a while there, our house was clean all the time.  Then, when I got sick, it went to shambles.  I just didnt' feel like it, and it has pretty much stayed that way for a month.  This weekend is the weekend to get it fixed.  I can't stand that feeling of chaos.  I'm still trying to recover from the flu, but it has to happen. I actually think it will make me feel better.

So there you have it.  You are pretty much caught up on things.  I will do better at posting. I will make time for myself, and for you. 

Date Night

As you know, work and home-life balance is high on my priority list.  It had been a while since Big B and I had some "just us" time, so I was really looking forward to our time together.

You see, Big B and I don't have any family living closer than a three hour drive.  No chance for Little A to just hang out at Grandma's or for Big B and I to just drop her off every once in a while to get some stuff done. Nor do we have any reliable baby-sitters in our area.  Our neighborhood is very small with no teenagers.  And because we commute so far, most of our friends live in the city where we work.  It stinks really. (I know, insert pity party here!)  So, my dear in-laws drove three hours to make our little jaunt possible. God bless 'em!

Let me just say we had an absolute blast.  We went to four different, ahem, "establishments" and enjoyed a beverage and a snack at each one.  We played a few rounds of pool, AND I even convinced Big B to slow dance with me!!!  We even made it home before midnight...

NOT in keeping with my budgeting and getting out of debt goals, we did spend a little more than I would have liked.  But I honestly believe you can not put a price on some good ol' quality time (and a few slow dances with the hubby). 

I send a huge thank you to my fabulous in-laws for making it all possible.  Now, it's time to figure out some good "cheap" date nights for next time.  I'm excited to hear your suggestions!