My Grocery Budget - March Update

I happily spent a vast majority of our grocery budget on fresh produce.  I also stocked up on cream cheese, sour cream, tomato sauce and pasta among of few other things.

My non food items budget is $25 a month and I had $3.11 leftover from February to roll over and add to it making it $28.11.  I bought aluminum foil, some cleaning supplies and stocked up on toilet paper spending $15.11  and leaving me with $12.63 left to roll over next month and use.

Here is the list of food I bought.  The items highlighted in red are my stock up items:

Groceries		$$$
Milk - 1 gal.		1.89	Sale
Cream - 1 pt.		2.49
Spinach		1.99
Lettuce		1.89
Coleslaw mix		1.49
Oranges - 4#		2.77	Sale
Onions - 1.7#		0.82
Garlic		0.44
Pasta (12)		8.28	Store Coupon
Broccoli		0.81	Sale
Milk - 1/2 gal. (4)		3.16	Store Coupon
Orange juice - 1/2 gal. (2)		1.58	Store Coupon
Cream cheese - (4)		3.96	Store Coupon
Eggs - dozen (2)		1.98	Store Coupon
Ice cream (2)		3.38	Store Coupon
Tomato sauce (10)		4.90	Sale
Butter		3.48
Plums		2.21	Sale
Tomatoes		1.39	Sale
Oranges - 2.5#		1.63	Sale
Blood oranges		1.41	Sale
Corned beef		10.27	Grocery Outlet
Corned beef		8.42	Grocery Outlet
Butter		2.99	Grocery Outlet
Cheese (4)		1.94	Grocery Outlet
Hummus (3)		2.97	Grocery Outlet
Herb spread		0.97	Grocery Outlet
Tortilla chips		1.49	Grocery Outlet
Sour cream (2)		1.98	Store Coupon
Mayonnaise (2)		3.98	Store Coupon
Crackers (2)		3.98	Sale
Potatoes - red		0.94
Cake mix (5)		4.40	Sale
Veggie tray		7.99
Lettuce		1.89
Non stick cooking spray		1.00	Dollar Store
Whole chicken		4.45	Markdown
Bagels - 6ct (2)		1.98	Markdown
Potatoes - 10#		1.49	Sale
Green onions		0.79	Sale
Crackers (2)		2.78	Store Coupon
Butter		3.98	Store Coupon
Corn (4)		1.56	Sale
Total		$ 124.19

$124.19 ÷ 31 days ÷3 people = $1.34 per person per day!

Next month I am hoping for a good buy on sugar and as always meat and cheese.  Did you stock up on anything this month?  Any super deals?

Last Week's Thrifty Moves

Pretty little vintage lamp.

I had a very busy and productive week, which I love.  It was spring break for my girls and I was able to work half days and have extra time with them too.

Sunday I got up and got busy.  I made a small loaf of whole wheat bread and a dozen dinner rolls.  Then I spent some quality time with my sewing machine.

I embellished the second set of sheets I bought the week before with vintage crocheted trim I already had in my stash.  I finished my embroidered chicken tea towel.  I embellished three of the hand towels I had bought at Bed Bath & Beyond (post coming) using vintage crocheted pillowcase lace I had been given by a friend.  I cut out another doily from a scrap of fabric I had.

I made a satin belt for my oldest.  A friend of hers gave her a dress she no longer wanted and it was missing the belt.  She plans to wear the dress to her freshman dance so I made her a simple belt using a wide satin ribbon I had in my stash and a skirt hook I also had on hand.  It looks perfect with the dress and she is very pleased.

I hemmed a pair of the shorts we found at a thrift store a couple weeks ago for my youngest.  They were a touch longer than she liked.  One must have the correct length on their shorts when running track, you see. J

I used a little Spray & Wash to clean a couple spots off of a lampshade I bought at the thrift store the week before for $1.99.  Then I cleaned the rest of the shade with a damp rag.  It cleaned up very nicely.  I let it dry and then got out the glue gun to add some pretty gold trim I had.  I think it turned out very nice.

Tuesday evening I finished embroidering a tea towel I had started last year.

Wednesday I dug out all of my scraps and smaller pieces of fabric.  It always take me forever to make a final decision on which ones I'll eventually end up using, however this time my pile seemed to have its own color theme which made it a much easier process for me.  I had just enough to cut out pieces to make 12 nine patch quilt squares.  Thursday I finished stitching them all together.  Whooo hoooo.

I had a small pile of scraps from my scraps.  I took about half of them and crazy quilted them together and used that to embellish my tea towel.  I have never crazy quilted before and I have to admit it was pretty fun.  Plus I got to use a lot of my fancy stitches on my machine.  I think it turned out pretty cute.

With all the projects I've been working on and finishing up the past few weeks I have managed to make some space in my unfinished project bin, my fabric dresser and I eliminated a good sized bag of trim from my stash.  My living room floor is starting to become visible again too.  J

Thursday, on the way home from work, I finished up my Easter shopping at Walgreens with a few inexpensive items I found on sale.  I spent less than $5.

I did a little grocery shopping at Albertson's after work Friday.  I wanted to take advantage of their sale on butter ($1.99 ea.), crackers ($1.39 ea.) 4 cans of corn (39¢ ea.) and a 10# bag of potatoes ($1.49).  While there I happened across a whole roasting chicken and two bags of bagels in the markdown bin.  Not a bad haul.

My youngest made homemade chocolate ice cream and I made two batches of homemade pudding.  The oldest had a not-so-much-fun appointment at the orthodontist so she needed some soft, cool treats for her sore mouth.

I made up another jar of soap.  I pulled out another jar I'd stuck in the purge box and filled it up with the extra bars of hotel soap I had leftover.  Now I have one to take to the "new house".  Grandma would approve.

How was your thrifty week?

My April Meal Plan

April is fast upon us and I made a meal plan that will keep us going throughout the month.  Lots of yummy meals await us and I can hardly wait.

Pork fried rice

This is what I plan to feed my lovely family this month:

Sloppy Joes, Tater Tots, Veggies & Dip

Ham & Bean Soup, Cornbread, Garden Salad

Chicken Caccitore, Pasta, Caesar Salad

Pork Fried Rice, Egg Rolls

Egg & Cheddar Sandwich, Sliced Peaches

Chicken Garlic Pizza, Spinach Salad

Vegetable Beef Soup, Biscuits, Tossed Green Salad

Pork Chops, Rice Pilaf, Steamed Broccoli

Spaghetti & Meat Sauce, Garden Salad

Blueberry Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs

Tuna Schooners, Tater Tots, Veggies & Dip

Chicken Tortillas Soup, Tossed Green Salad

Meat Loaf, Baked Potatoes, Green Beans

Chicken & Pasta Bake, Buttered Peas

Ham & Potato Hash, Fresh Fruit

Tortellini Soup, French Bread, Caesar Salad

Lemon Pepper Chicken, Pesto Orzo, Steamed Veggies

Beef Tacos, Lettuce & Tomatoes, Salsa

Veggie Quiche, Fruit Salad

Chili Dogs, Steak Fries, Veggies & Dip

Chicken Noodle Soup, Breadsticks, Garden Salad

Vegetable beef soup

My meal plan includes that I make pretty much everything from scratch.  Knowing what ingredients are in our food is important to me.  It also makes a huge difference in the cost of each meal.  I try to make all of our baked goods so I save money over buying them at the store.  Occasionally I may grab a loaf of bread if I am short on time, but I try not to do that very often.  We prefer our homemade bread over store bought.

Tortellini soup

As the budget allows I will plan to purchase loss leader items and take advantage of any good sales to further add to our pantry and freezer.

Spinach salad

Any fellow meal planners out there?  Whether you are or not, what are some of your favorites dinners to prepare for your family?

How I Plan To Furnish A Second Home

I shared with you all this last week that I am embarking on a HUGE project.  My retirement goal.  You can never start planning too soon for retirement.  It happens sooner than we think it will.  One of my co-workers just turned in her retirement papers last week.  She said it feels rather strange and surreal.  It's hard for her to believe that it is actually happening now.  It was only a year ago we had discussed her plans in the break room and I'm sure she'd be the first to agree it came around awfully fast.  I have some time to wait until I'll be turning my retirement paperwork in, but that doesn’t mean I can't get started right now.

I also have a short amount of time, less than two years, to wait until my finances are where I want them to be before I actually purchase my second home.  So while I wait I plan to work on some smaller projects geared toward furnishing my new home.  Not only will this allow me to accumulated the items I will need but it will keep me busy while I wait.  And it will be fun.

My hope is to find a little house around 600 to 800 square feet.  Much like the home my great grandparents had in Spokane, Washington.  Preferably built in the 1940s, my favorite home I've ever lived in was a rental built in 1946, and because I love the warmth and coziness of those little homes.  Especially those hardwood floors and arched doorways.

My home now is more contemporary in style and as you may recall I refurnished it with all new furnishings, on a rather tight budget.  I love how my home looks and feels.  The reality is that the stuff in my  home now will be old and worn by the time I retire.  And honestly, I'll be ready for something different.

eBay purchases

This time I don’t plan to furnish my second home with all new stuff.  Quite the contrary.  I want some used things, vintage things, things from the 1940s and homemade things.  And the reason I want to furnish my new home like this is because I plan to take all the wonderful things I have inherited from my grandparents and finally have a place for them.  My grandma's Tiffany lamp and her china, my great grandma's oil lamps, my other great grandma's framed floral print (a calendar page from 1929), her Boston Baked Beans crock and her mahogany side table, my other great grandma's silver and her pretty vase and oodles of other treasures I am fortunate to have.

My latest doily creation

I want to make A LOT of stuff for my new home.  I'll be searching thrift stores, antique shops, eBay and craigslist too.  Finding things to revamp and fix up will all be part of the process and I'll be posting my projects as I go.  Perhaps you'll be inspired to try a few projects yourself.  And if you do I hope you will share.  J

Time to get busy!

Easy Cheesy Chili Dip

Saturday the gals pals and I got together for a day of snacking and playing pinochle while we visited up a storm.  We try to do this at least once a month and we have a great time together.  To keep us well sustained each of us brings something to share.  This time I brought a delicious dip that is super easy to make.

Easy Cheesy Chili Dip

2 15oz cans of chili

4oz. cream cheese

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Put all ingredients in a slow cooker.  Allow to heat through, stirring occasionally.  Serve.

Yeah that's pretty much it.  That and opening a bag of chips.

I used 4 cups of my own homemade chili and low fat cream cheese which I think makes it a healthier dip.  Certainly less salty.

A Sweet Quilted Pillow

I am no quilter and I certainly don't pretend to be one.  I have made a few quilts in my time but nothing overly spectacular.  I'm not one for fussy or complicated, simply because I lack the time and the patience to make those beautiful quilts with all the intricate patterns.  I won't even take the time to learn how to stitch and cut a fat quarter despite the fact I've been told it is dead easy to do.  Someday when I have more time and fewer responsibilities who knows, I may expand my horizons a bit.

I don't have any fancy mattes, cutters or templates.  No quilting books either.  But I can cut a few squares, or several, and stitch them together.  No problem.  So for now I keep it simple. 

I used a piece of scrap paper to cut my pattern.  I cut a square measuring 4 1/4" X 4 1/4".  Then I picked out the fabric from my stash, which is always the longest part of the process for me.  It takes me forever to make a decision on what fabric or fabrics to use for any project.  Perhaps that is another reason I don't quilt much.

I chose two complimentary fabrics in blues and yellows for the pillow front that I planned to quilt and a piece to make the back of the pillow that would work well with the fabrics I used on the front.  I cut 8 squares of the blue fabric and 8 squares of the yellow floral fabric using my pattern.  Then I laid them out alternating each one. 

I sewed the squares together in rows and pressed my seams flat, then I sewed my rows together and pressed those seams flat as well.  I then cut a piece of the yellow fabric to match the size of the pillow front.

I kept with the theme by piecing scraps of batting I had leftover from previous projects.  I stitched them with a nice wide zigzag stitch and had just pieces for both the front and back of the pillow.

After pinning the batting to both the front and back pillow pieces I quilted the top.  I did a stitch in the ditch on all the seams and then diagonally across all the squares.  I pinned the front to the back and stitched all the way around leaving a 4 inch opening.  I trimmed the edges and corners before turning it right side out.  I stuffed it well with plenty of polyfil.  Once that was done I was ready to press it again and finish the pillow.

I don't skimp on the stuffing.  Once I had enough stuffed inside I whip stitched the opening closed and plumped it up.

It was a fun little project and took about three hours from start to finish, including making the pattern and choosing the fabrics I used.  I thought about adding trim around the edge but in this case I thought it looked nice just as it was.  Maybe the next one I make I'll do a little trim or ruffle.

Have some fabric scraps to use up?  Maybe a little quilted pillow could be on your project list sometime soon.

Last Week's Thrifty Moves

Knowing that Thursday was going to be a busy one for us we celebrated St. Patrick's Day early with a traditional corned beef dinner on Sunday night.  I put a roast in the slow cooker first thing Sunday morning and allowed it to cook on high all day.  I added baby carrots and red potatoes later in the day.  Instead of steamed cabbage, which I love, we made coleslaw instead, because that is what we already had. The girls like that better anyway.

Sunday afternoon I took a coupon a friend gave me to JoAnns Fabrics and used it to buy cotton quilt batting that was on sale and a bag of polyfil.  The coupon gave me an extra 25% off my total and I had a little bit left on a gift card.  My final total was under $20.  Not too shabby.

I used up the last of the quilt batting and polyfil I had leftover from all those pillows I made at Christmas.  I pieced the scraps of batting together and had just enough to line another throw pillow I made.  I'll post more about that tomorrow.

I went through my sewing stash and worked on some more handcrafted projects.  I am having way too much fun.  J I bid on and won some items from eBay.  A couple milk glass lamps, a 100% cotton blanket (brand new and still in the package), a beautiful white vintage bedspread and a darling stenciled fabric panel.  I plan to make a quilt out of the panel and I am super excited about it.  I also have plans for the lamps.  As I finish these projects I'll give you all the updates.

I picked up another set of blue 100% cotton sheets at Fred Meyer that were on sale plus I had a coupon for an additional 10% OFF.  I plan to spruce them up like I did the white ones I embellished.

Friday I stopped in a few thrift stores on the way home from work and found a cute lampshade for $1.99, another one for $1.59.  They both will need to be cleaned and I have plans to rework them a bit as well.

My $1.99 lampshade

The chickies have kicked egg production into high gear.  We fed them our kitchen scraps and they rewarded us in kind with 14 lovely eggs.  I sold a dozen this week.   $3 toward their next feed purchase.  Good job ladies.

A friend of mine gave me a trash bag full of leather shoes, brand new, that she didn't want.  Several pair are perfect for work.  What a blessing!

I made a pint of "Ranch" salad dressing.

I composted coffee grounds, tea bags, egg shells and veggie trimmings the hens couldn't eat.

I washed out a couple of Ziploc bags to reuse and added water to the dish soap bottle so I could use up every last bit.

How thrifty was your week?