I didn't buy any groceries this week, because I'm leaving for my vacation on Tuesday! I was tempted to buy some, because our meals have gotten admittedly stranger as I try to use up all of our perishable food. I've still got 2 dozen eggs to use up! Anyway, here is my menu plan for the next few days and what I plan to take with us on vacation.
Sunday
Leftover stir fry
Leftover rice
Monday
Quiche
Vacation food!
Apple walnut bread (This is to use up some bananas and sour cream I have!)
Date nut bread (This is to use up bananas, buttermilk, and of course, dates!)
Yogurt
PBJ sandwiches
Leftover brownies
For breakfast and lunch on Sunday and Monday, I plan to really try to eat up the eggs and some homemade bread I have. I know eggs are cholesterol bombs, but I just really hate to waste them! Hopefully my arteries won't get too clogged.
I hope everyone has an awesome Thanksgiving. I can't wait to buy turkeys on sale! I'm hoping to buy at least two, because I seriously love turkey. Turkey stew, turkey pot pie, turkey salad...I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Frugal Mishmash Post!
Sorry I didn't post this week, but my Internet was down for 5 days! I finally got it fixed, though and then when I had the chance to sit down and blog...I got writers block! As an antidote to the dreaded block, I've decided to write a "Frugal mishmash post" about a few frugal things I like to do that aren't really enough individually for an entire blog article. Here goes!
Rolling change
Today I rolled up all of the change I'd been saving for the last 6 months. It amounted to $112! I'm taking it to the bank on Monday to exchange it for paper money. A lot of people don't bother saving change, but I've found it to be a great way to painlessly save money. I keep my silver change in a big, pink piggy bank. I keep pennies separate from the silver change in a big mason jar.
Brewing my own beer!
About a year ago, I bought a home beer brewing kit and it has been a great purchase! Home brewed beer costs about half of what you'd pay at the store and it's really fun to make! The only downside is that it takes about a month to finish fermenting and conditioning, so if you're a serious drinker, home brewing might not be the way you want to go. My favorite part of the process is cooking the wort. (Yes I did say, "Wort.") Before it ferments in the keg, immature beer is called wort! I like to say it as often as possible.:P
I'm willing to eat an odd dinner
Today my kids and I ate cereal with bananas, dates and soymilk for dinner. I REALLY didn't feel like cooking, in case you couldn't tell!:P The temptation to order pizza, or Chinese food was enormous, but then I looked on top of my fridge and I saw all of that raisin bran and all of those kix I bought on sale. Then I looked on the counter and saw a bunch of bananas that were edging into the "overripe" category. Luckily, my kids really like cereal! I'm so glad I didn't get takeout!
I took my kids on a walk
This afternoon my kids were, "Sooo bored!" My older two were starting to REALLY get on my nerves, so I finally just loaded the baby into her stroller (yard sale find, only $8!) and said we were going on a walk to get some exercise. We walked all over the neighborhood and what started out as a way to just get the kids to stop fighting for 5 minutes, really turned into a fun outing! We stopped and said hello to friends, we looked at what trees were changing color, we met a stray dog, and best of all...It didn't cost any money! I plan to do this a lot, while the weather is nice.
Rolling change
Today I rolled up all of the change I'd been saving for the last 6 months. It amounted to $112! I'm taking it to the bank on Monday to exchange it for paper money. A lot of people don't bother saving change, but I've found it to be a great way to painlessly save money. I keep my silver change in a big, pink piggy bank. I keep pennies separate from the silver change in a big mason jar.
Brewing my own beer!
About a year ago, I bought a home beer brewing kit and it has been a great purchase! Home brewed beer costs about half of what you'd pay at the store and it's really fun to make! The only downside is that it takes about a month to finish fermenting and conditioning, so if you're a serious drinker, home brewing might not be the way you want to go. My favorite part of the process is cooking the wort. (Yes I did say, "Wort.") Before it ferments in the keg, immature beer is called wort! I like to say it as often as possible.:P
I'm willing to eat an odd dinner
Today my kids and I ate cereal with bananas, dates and soymilk for dinner. I REALLY didn't feel like cooking, in case you couldn't tell!:P The temptation to order pizza, or Chinese food was enormous, but then I looked on top of my fridge and I saw all of that raisin bran and all of those kix I bought on sale. Then I looked on the counter and saw a bunch of bananas that were edging into the "overripe" category. Luckily, my kids really like cereal! I'm so glad I didn't get takeout!
I took my kids on a walk
This afternoon my kids were, "Sooo bored!" My older two were starting to REALLY get on my nerves, so I finally just loaded the baby into her stroller (yard sale find, only $8!) and said we were going on a walk to get some exercise. We walked all over the neighborhood and what started out as a way to just get the kids to stop fighting for 5 minutes, really turned into a fun outing! We stopped and said hello to friends, we looked at what trees were changing color, we met a stray dog, and best of all...It didn't cost any money! I plan to do this a lot, while the weather is nice.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
"Canned" Pies!
Back when I was just "Frugal Liz," I would have DIED at the thought of using canned fruit or pumpkin in a pie. I NEVER would've used a frozen pie crust...Everything had to be made from scratch, or we weren't eating it. Now that I'm, "Frugal Divorced Liz," I have a lot less time to make pie crusts from scratch and a lot less money to but fresh fruits to be made into pie filling. One thing I've discovered is canned and frozen fruit make a pretty awesome pie, or crisp, or cobbler as well...And it usually costs a lot less! I can use coupons for canned or frozen fruit, but I have yet to find coupons for fresh. Here is a great peach pie recipe, made from canned peaches!
Peach pie
2 16oz cans of peaches in light syrup (drain the peaches and reserve 1/3C of the syrup)
1/2C sugar
2Tbsp flour
1/2tsp cinnamon
2Tbsp butter
1Tbsp lemon juice
1 double pie crust (I used a refrigerated one I got on sale and with a coupon!)
In a large sauce pan, combine reserved syrup, cinnamon, sugar, flour and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until very thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter, stirring until butter is melted. Add the lemon juice and peaches and stir well to combine.
Roll out bottom crust and fit it into a pie plate. Add the peach mixture to the pie plate and smooth the top. Roll out the top crust and place over the peach mixture. Seal and flute the edges of the pie (fluting is optional, sealing is not! To seal, press the edges of the top and bottom crust together and then fold under, pressing it together again. To flute, press the sealed and folded edge with the tines of a fork all around to make a pretty design.) Cut 5 vent holes in the top of the pie. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Let the pie cool to room temperature before cutting! Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some hot chocolate (or coffee!), for a truly decadent treat!
Desserts are truly one of my guilty pleasures, and the main reason for my ever expanding waistline! One of the hardest things about a tiny grocery budget is justifying desserts. When you hardly have the money to buy a healthy variety, it's hard to justify buying 3 pounds of peaches or apples(possibly out of season!) to turn into a pie. Berries are expensive even when they ARE in season! With coupons and sales, though, I can make a canned or frozen fruit dessert practically for free! I made a pumpkin pie two weeks ago with a can of pumpkin I got for $.49 (it was on sale for $.99 and I had a $.50 off coupon!), a frozen pie crust I got for $.75 ($1.50 for two!), and evaporated milk and eggs I got for free (from Wic!) So that pumpkin pie cost me $1.24 total! It was quick and easy and provided the kids and I with dessert for 3 nights after dinner. 3 days of dessert out of 7 isn't bad! This week I'm making the canned peach pie.
Peach pie
2 16oz cans of peaches in light syrup (drain the peaches and reserve 1/3C of the syrup)
1/2C sugar
2Tbsp flour
1/2tsp cinnamon
2Tbsp butter
1Tbsp lemon juice
1 double pie crust (I used a refrigerated one I got on sale and with a coupon!)
In a large sauce pan, combine reserved syrup, cinnamon, sugar, flour and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until very thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter, stirring until butter is melted. Add the lemon juice and peaches and stir well to combine.
Roll out bottom crust and fit it into a pie plate. Add the peach mixture to the pie plate and smooth the top. Roll out the top crust and place over the peach mixture. Seal and flute the edges of the pie (fluting is optional, sealing is not! To seal, press the edges of the top and bottom crust together and then fold under, pressing it together again. To flute, press the sealed and folded edge with the tines of a fork all around to make a pretty design.) Cut 5 vent holes in the top of the pie. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Let the pie cool to room temperature before cutting! Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some hot chocolate (or coffee!), for a truly decadent treat!
Desserts are truly one of my guilty pleasures, and the main reason for my ever expanding waistline! One of the hardest things about a tiny grocery budget is justifying desserts. When you hardly have the money to buy a healthy variety, it's hard to justify buying 3 pounds of peaches or apples(possibly out of season!) to turn into a pie. Berries are expensive even when they ARE in season! With coupons and sales, though, I can make a canned or frozen fruit dessert practically for free! I made a pumpkin pie two weeks ago with a can of pumpkin I got for $.49 (it was on sale for $.99 and I had a $.50 off coupon!), a frozen pie crust I got for $.75 ($1.50 for two!), and evaporated milk and eggs I got for free (from Wic!) So that pumpkin pie cost me $1.24 total! It was quick and easy and provided the kids and I with dessert for 3 nights after dinner. 3 days of dessert out of 7 isn't bad! This week I'm making the canned peach pie.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Weekly Grocery and Menu Plan
I had a request from one of my readers that I post where I bought my groceries, what I bought and how much I paid for each item, so here goes!
Bi-Lo
1 watermelon that was on sale for $4 (I wouldn't normally buy out of season, but we love watermelon so much!)
1 bunch of bananas that were on sale for $.33 a pound!
Publix
Two 4 packs of Yo-Plus yogurt that were on sale for $1.25 each. Luckily, I had two $1 off coupons, so I actually got them for $.25 each!
Commissary
2 boxes of twelve "Nature Valley" granola bars: $3.98 (However, I had $1.80 worth of coupons, so these ended up costing me $2.20 total)
2 boxes of "Rozini Smart Taste" macaroni noodles: $1.98 (However, I had 2 $1 coupons, so these ended up being free!)
2 boxes of "Uncle Ben's white and wild rice": $3.04 (I had $1.50 worth of coupons, so these only cost me $1.54 total!)
Welches black cherry and grape juice: $2.59 ($1 off coupon, so $1.59!)
Welches white grape and peach juice: $2.59 ($1 off coupon, so $1.59!)
2 boxes of Triscuit crackers: $3.58 (I had $1.50 worth of coupons, so this was only $2.08!)
Washing soda: $2.05 (sadly, no coupon)
6 Yoplait yogurts: $3.00 (I had a $.50 off coupon, so $2.50!)
Buttermilk: $1.33 (Sadly, no coupon!)
2 boxes of frozen Green Giant sugar snap peas: $1.98 ($.50 off coupon, so $1.48!)
2 pounds of lean ground turkey: $4.72 ($2.25 worth of coupons, so $2.47!)
Shredded lettuce: $1.25 (Sadly, no coupon)
5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes: $2.99 (Sadly, no coupon!)
Well, my grand total grocery spending for the week is: $32! That leaves $8 more for me to save for Williamsburg, so I'm pretty psyched! I hope this post was informative and not boring.:P Now for my menu plan!
Monday
Marinated steak
Green beans
Mashed potatoes (The parsnips were still too expensive!:()
Tuesday
Chicken salad sandwiches
Oven fries
Sugar snap peas
Wednesday
Ground turkey and rice skillet meal
Thursday
Leftovers!
Friday
Asian stir fry
Rice
Saturday
Leftovers!
Sunday
Anything that needs eating up before our trip!
You may notice I've planned to eat a lot of leftovers. This is because we leave for our vacation next week!
Bi-Lo
1 watermelon that was on sale for $4 (I wouldn't normally buy out of season, but we love watermelon so much!)
1 bunch of bananas that were on sale for $.33 a pound!
Publix
Two 4 packs of Yo-Plus yogurt that were on sale for $1.25 each. Luckily, I had two $1 off coupons, so I actually got them for $.25 each!
Commissary
2 boxes of twelve "Nature Valley" granola bars: $3.98 (However, I had $1.80 worth of coupons, so these ended up costing me $2.20 total)
2 boxes of "Rozini Smart Taste" macaroni noodles: $1.98 (However, I had 2 $1 coupons, so these ended up being free!)
2 boxes of "Uncle Ben's white and wild rice": $3.04 (I had $1.50 worth of coupons, so these only cost me $1.54 total!)
Welches black cherry and grape juice: $2.59 ($1 off coupon, so $1.59!)
Welches white grape and peach juice: $2.59 ($1 off coupon, so $1.59!)
2 boxes of Triscuit crackers: $3.58 (I had $1.50 worth of coupons, so this was only $2.08!)
Washing soda: $2.05 (sadly, no coupon)
6 Yoplait yogurts: $3.00 (I had a $.50 off coupon, so $2.50!)
Buttermilk: $1.33 (Sadly, no coupon!)
2 boxes of frozen Green Giant sugar snap peas: $1.98 ($.50 off coupon, so $1.48!)
2 pounds of lean ground turkey: $4.72 ($2.25 worth of coupons, so $2.47!)
Shredded lettuce: $1.25 (Sadly, no coupon)
5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes: $2.99 (Sadly, no coupon!)
Well, my grand total grocery spending for the week is: $32! That leaves $8 more for me to save for Williamsburg, so I'm pretty psyched! I hope this post was informative and not boring.:P Now for my menu plan!
Monday
Marinated steak
Green beans
Mashed potatoes (The parsnips were still too expensive!:()
Tuesday
Chicken salad sandwiches
Oven fries
Sugar snap peas
Wednesday
Ground turkey and rice skillet meal
Thursday
Leftovers!
Friday
Asian stir fry
Rice
Saturday
Leftovers!
Sunday
Anything that needs eating up before our trip!
You may notice I've planned to eat a lot of leftovers. This is because we leave for our vacation next week!
Parsnips!
Fall is finally here and with it comes the season's bounty of delicious root vegetables, cabbages and winter squashes! What I'm excited about, though, is the parsnips. Parsnips look like big, white carrots. They have a complex, spicy, tangy flavor and a velvety texture that can't be beat! Best of all, parsnips are CHEAP!:P Today, I will post my favorite parsnip recipes.
Parsnip Pie!
(I swear this pie turns out absolutely delicious! So good...And good for you too!)
1 pie crust (I buy frozen ones on sale, but you could always make your own)
2 pounds parsnips, peeled, cored and cut into chunks (To core, just cut the parsnip in half and remove the woody center)
1 1/2C buttermilk (DON'T use powdered!!!)
2/3C brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp ginger
1/8tsp cloves
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the parsnips and cook until tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain the parsnips and let sit for 5 minutes. Return the parsnips to the cooking pot and mash with a potato masher. Measure out 2C of the parsnip mash and reserve the rest for another use. (I like to use parsnip mash to flavor soups and stews!) Puree the 2C parsnip mash and the buttermilk in a blender until smooth. Transfer the mash to a mixing bowl and beat in the sugar, eggs and spices, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 1 hour. A toothpick inserted into the center of the pie will come out clean. Cool on a wire rack for at least an hour. Serve cold or at room temperature. I prefer cold with whipped cream on top!
Parsnip and leek soup
2Tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
6C chicken or vegetable broth
2 leeks (White and light green parts only) trimmed, washed and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
1 pound parsnips, peeled, cored and diced
1 pound potatoes (I prefer yellow!) peeled and cut into dice
2tsp turmeric
Melt the butter in a large, heavy soup kettle. Add the onion with some salt and cook until the onion is soft. Add the broth, leeks, parsnips and potatoes and boil briskly for 5 minutes. Add the turmeric. Turn down the heat and simmer until the vegetables are very soft, about 15-20 minutes longer. Puree the soup in a blender and strain it through a medium sieve (It is not strictly necessary to strain it...I almost never do!) Add more broth if the soup is very thick. I can't wait to make this soup over the weekend! I like to drizzle a little buttermilk over the top, just before serving.
Mashed Parsnips!
2 pounds parsnips, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
1/2C evaporated whole milk, or cream or even buttermilk
2Tbsp butter
1Tbsp lemon juice
1Tbsp fresh chives, or dill
Cook the parsnips in boiling water until tender. Drain the parsnips and let sit for 5 minutes. Return the parsnips to the cooking pot and mash with a potato masher. Add the lemon juice, milk, cream, or buttermilk and butter and whip the parsnips with a large wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle the herbs over the top. So good...Even tastier than potatoes! Mashed parsnips go really good with steak that has been marinated in a sugar bourbon marinade and then grilled. I have some steak in the freezer right now...I know what I'm defrosting over the weekend!:P
Parsnip Pie!
(I swear this pie turns out absolutely delicious! So good...And good for you too!)
1 pie crust (I buy frozen ones on sale, but you could always make your own)
2 pounds parsnips, peeled, cored and cut into chunks (To core, just cut the parsnip in half and remove the woody center)
1 1/2C buttermilk (DON'T use powdered!!!)
2/3C brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp ginger
1/8tsp cloves
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the parsnips and cook until tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain the parsnips and let sit for 5 minutes. Return the parsnips to the cooking pot and mash with a potato masher. Measure out 2C of the parsnip mash and reserve the rest for another use. (I like to use parsnip mash to flavor soups and stews!) Puree the 2C parsnip mash and the buttermilk in a blender until smooth. Transfer the mash to a mixing bowl and beat in the sugar, eggs and spices, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 1 hour. A toothpick inserted into the center of the pie will come out clean. Cool on a wire rack for at least an hour. Serve cold or at room temperature. I prefer cold with whipped cream on top!
Parsnip and leek soup
2Tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
6C chicken or vegetable broth
2 leeks (White and light green parts only) trimmed, washed and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
1 pound parsnips, peeled, cored and diced
1 pound potatoes (I prefer yellow!) peeled and cut into dice
2tsp turmeric
Melt the butter in a large, heavy soup kettle. Add the onion with some salt and cook until the onion is soft. Add the broth, leeks, parsnips and potatoes and boil briskly for 5 minutes. Add the turmeric. Turn down the heat and simmer until the vegetables are very soft, about 15-20 minutes longer. Puree the soup in a blender and strain it through a medium sieve (It is not strictly necessary to strain it...I almost never do!) Add more broth if the soup is very thick. I can't wait to make this soup over the weekend! I like to drizzle a little buttermilk over the top, just before serving.
Mashed Parsnips!
2 pounds parsnips, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
1/2C evaporated whole milk, or cream or even buttermilk
2Tbsp butter
1Tbsp lemon juice
1Tbsp fresh chives, or dill
Cook the parsnips in boiling water until tender. Drain the parsnips and let sit for 5 minutes. Return the parsnips to the cooking pot and mash with a potato masher. Add the lemon juice, milk, cream, or buttermilk and butter and whip the parsnips with a large wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle the herbs over the top. So good...Even tastier than potatoes! Mashed parsnips go really good with steak that has been marinated in a sugar bourbon marinade and then grilled. I have some steak in the freezer right now...I know what I'm defrosting over the weekend!:P
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Williamsburg Update! and Frugal goals
Today I checked my Williamsburg savings account and discovered I'm a little ahead of schedule in my savings goals! So far I've saved: $590 hotel money, and $140 spending money! I had $200 in spending money, but I had to use $60 of it to buy firewood.:( At least I still have 1 more week to save. I'm thinking I won't buy too many groceries this week, because we need to eat up what I already have! There's nothing worse than going on vacation with a bunch of food sitting in the fridge...Slowly decomposing.:P If I'm careful with my grocery spending and my miscellaneous spending, I'm hoping to have another $40 saved by the end of next week. $180 for my spending money isn't too bad! I'm really excited about this vacation. I love Williamsburg and this has been a bad few months for me and my kids, so we could really use some time off!
I've decided to start setting some frugal goals for myself, so maybe I'll get more excited about my new, single life and not pine so much for my old, married one. Here are the goals I've decided to try and reach!
Finish my afghan. I started crocheting an afghan like a year ago and I would really like to finish it! Crocheting is a fun and relatively frugal hobby. My mom is an AWESOME crocheter (is that even a word?). I'm an okay crocheter, but I still like it a lot. This frugal goal is really more about me getting back in the swing of things, than it is about frugality. It's been really hard for me to be motivated to do anything, since my husband left.
Start making my own yogurt again. I used to make yogurt a lot, but again...I stopped when my husband left. I get milk for free through WIC, though, so making yogurt would be an extremely frugal use of my time! I'm going to try to make a batch over the weekend in my crock pot.
Bake some freaking bread. When do you think I stopped baking my own bread...? I really like baking, is the ironic part! Baking my own bread is much healthier and more frugal than eating store bought. It's about motivation. Being depressed makes me tired, but I'm hoping that if I just start doing all of the things I like again, I won't feel so depressed anymore. I'm hoping to make some beer bread rolls this weekend, to enjoy with some leftover bean soup!
Those are all the frugal goals I can handle for now.:P I'll post next Thursday and tell how I did!
I've decided to start setting some frugal goals for myself, so maybe I'll get more excited about my new, single life and not pine so much for my old, married one. Here are the goals I've decided to try and reach!
Finish my afghan. I started crocheting an afghan like a year ago and I would really like to finish it! Crocheting is a fun and relatively frugal hobby. My mom is an AWESOME crocheter (is that even a word?). I'm an okay crocheter, but I still like it a lot. This frugal goal is really more about me getting back in the swing of things, than it is about frugality. It's been really hard for me to be motivated to do anything, since my husband left.
Start making my own yogurt again. I used to make yogurt a lot, but again...I stopped when my husband left. I get milk for free through WIC, though, so making yogurt would be an extremely frugal use of my time! I'm going to try to make a batch over the weekend in my crock pot.
Bake some freaking bread. When do you think I stopped baking my own bread...? I really like baking, is the ironic part! Baking my own bread is much healthier and more frugal than eating store bought. It's about motivation. Being depressed makes me tired, but I'm hoping that if I just start doing all of the things I like again, I won't feel so depressed anymore. I'm hoping to make some beer bread rolls this weekend, to enjoy with some leftover bean soup!
Those are all the frugal goals I can handle for now.:P I'll post next Thursday and tell how I did!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
How a few pantry items can save the day!
Being a single mom of three small children can be VERY exhausting. I have a million responsibilities and things that stress me out during the day. A lot of times, I just don't want to face making dinner and then dealing with a mountain of dishes and cleaning the kitchen and dining room afterwards. Getting take-out just isn't an option for me, however, so here is what I have done to prepare for those nights when I'd rather do ANYTHING but cook and do dishes!
I have stocked up on easy to prepare ingredients. Having just a few staples on hand at all times can make a HUGE difference. My pantry staples are: rice, pasta, canned tomatoes, various condiments, spices and herbs, canned chicken, canned "cream of" soups, evaporated milk and canned beans. My freezer staples are: Frozen vegetables, ground beef (portioned out into 1 pound increments) and 1 loaf of frozen french or garlic bread (whichever was on sale when I bought it!). My refrigerator staples are: Block cheese, onions and eggs. With these items on hand, I have a myriad of easy, fast meals I can prepare on short notice.
I also do a lot of prep work ahead of time. By prep work, I mean chopping up vegetables and putting them in ziplock bags, cooking extra rice, or pasta that can be heated up later, assembling and shaping a meatloaf for later, peeling and slicing up potatoes to be made into mashed potatoes or oven fries (store in cold water in the fridge so they don't turn brown!). Doing some work in advance not only makes me feel a lot better, it also ensures me a much less stressful evening, which makes my kids feel better! Even if my 8 year old has a meltdown, my 6 year old decides to give the dog a bath in the toilet and my 3 year old once again decides that toilet training isn't for her, dinner will only take a few minutes to prepare and it won't make a lot of dishes.
For nights that I'm just too tired to cook at all, I have some meals already cooked and frozen. I'm not saying these are GREAT meals, but they will get the job done! The frozen meals I have right now are: Bean soup, baked ziti, and chicken tenders with oven fries. Sometimes I cook a lasagna and freeze it, or I make extra pizza and freeze it. I always like to have two or three meals, just in case I get sick, or I really just don't have time to cook. Having a few dinners already prepared has really helped me out on several occasions. Another trick is to have partial meals already cooked. By partial meals, I mean cook and freeze the parts of a meal that are more time consuming and difficult to prepare. The "meal kits" I currently have on hand are: cooked, shredded beef to be made into enchiladas or quick beef stew, cooked beans to be made into chili or bean burritos and cooked, frozen rice to be tossed into soups and casseroles on the fly.
I have stocked up on easy to prepare ingredients. Having just a few staples on hand at all times can make a HUGE difference. My pantry staples are: rice, pasta, canned tomatoes, various condiments, spices and herbs, canned chicken, canned "cream of" soups, evaporated milk and canned beans. My freezer staples are: Frozen vegetables, ground beef (portioned out into 1 pound increments) and 1 loaf of frozen french or garlic bread (whichever was on sale when I bought it!). My refrigerator staples are: Block cheese, onions and eggs. With these items on hand, I have a myriad of easy, fast meals I can prepare on short notice.
I also do a lot of prep work ahead of time. By prep work, I mean chopping up vegetables and putting them in ziplock bags, cooking extra rice, or pasta that can be heated up later, assembling and shaping a meatloaf for later, peeling and slicing up potatoes to be made into mashed potatoes or oven fries (store in cold water in the fridge so they don't turn brown!). Doing some work in advance not only makes me feel a lot better, it also ensures me a much less stressful evening, which makes my kids feel better! Even if my 8 year old has a meltdown, my 6 year old decides to give the dog a bath in the toilet and my 3 year old once again decides that toilet training isn't for her, dinner will only take a few minutes to prepare and it won't make a lot of dishes.
For nights that I'm just too tired to cook at all, I have some meals already cooked and frozen. I'm not saying these are GREAT meals, but they will get the job done! The frozen meals I have right now are: Bean soup, baked ziti, and chicken tenders with oven fries. Sometimes I cook a lasagna and freeze it, or I make extra pizza and freeze it. I always like to have two or three meals, just in case I get sick, or I really just don't have time to cook. Having a few dinners already prepared has really helped me out on several occasions. Another trick is to have partial meals already cooked. By partial meals, I mean cook and freeze the parts of a meal that are more time consuming and difficult to prepare. The "meal kits" I currently have on hand are: cooked, shredded beef to be made into enchiladas or quick beef stew, cooked beans to be made into chili or bean burritos and cooked, frozen rice to be tossed into soups and casseroles on the fly.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Eating Healthy on a Tiny Grocery Budget!
Ever since my grocery budget plummeted to $40 a week for my family of 4, it's been a real challenge for me to make sure we eat healthy. Unhealthy, processed foods are often a lot cheaper than healthy foods. I know people always say that healthy foods are cheaper, but I have really not found that to be the case! Here are some of the ways I try to make sure we eat healthy on a tiny budget.
One way I ensure we eat healthy food, is I only buy seasonal produce. In Summer I buy a lot of tomatoes, zucchini, melons, mangoes and corn, in Fall I buy apples, pumpkins and cabbage, in Winter I buy citrus, root vegetables and winter squash and in Spring I buy lettuce, berries and peas! If I want other fruits and vegetables that aren't in season, I buy frozen (with a coupon of course!:P)
Another way to eat healthy for cheap, is to eat a lot of beans and lentils! Everyone needs protein, but meat is an expensive and fatty way to get it. Beans have no fat, lots of protein and fiber AND best of all, they cost less than a dollar a pound! Eggs are also a good source of inexpensive protein and they cost about $.79 per dozen. We eat a lot of eggs at chez Frugal Liz! Here is a great bean soup recipe:
1lb beans, rinsed and soaked for at least 4 hours
1 onion, diced
1Tbsp paprika
1Tbsp dried thyme
1Tbsp dried rosemary
1C diced ham (optional)
1tsp salt
Drain the soaking water from the beans in a colander. Meanwhile, saute the onion in some oil or butter, in a large soup kettle for about 5 minutes. Add the beans and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Add the herbs, but NOT the salt. Add the optional ham, if using. Bring the beans to a boil, reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pot. Let the beans simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed. Add the salt after the beans have cooked for an hour. Re-cover the pot and let the beans simmer for another hour. Dish the bean soup up into bowls and serve with hot bread, slathered with butter and honey! I like to serve bean soup with homemade beer bread rolls.
One way that I really try to ensure that all of my $40 a week are spent wisely, is I never buy soda or chips, or other totally empty junk. Junk food can be a real budget drainer and all it does is harm you! I'm not saying I never buy less than perfectly nutritious items, but I always make sure I have all of the real food FIRST. If I have any money left over, I might buy some fruit snacks, or brownie mix.(Always with a coupon!) I look on those foods as an extra treat, though, not as a guaranteed part of my shopping trip. At least the brownies contain chocolate, which is good for you...Right?:P
One way I ensure we eat healthy food, is I only buy seasonal produce. In Summer I buy a lot of tomatoes, zucchini, melons, mangoes and corn, in Fall I buy apples, pumpkins and cabbage, in Winter I buy citrus, root vegetables and winter squash and in Spring I buy lettuce, berries and peas! If I want other fruits and vegetables that aren't in season, I buy frozen (with a coupon of course!:P)
Another way to eat healthy for cheap, is to eat a lot of beans and lentils! Everyone needs protein, but meat is an expensive and fatty way to get it. Beans have no fat, lots of protein and fiber AND best of all, they cost less than a dollar a pound! Eggs are also a good source of inexpensive protein and they cost about $.79 per dozen. We eat a lot of eggs at chez Frugal Liz! Here is a great bean soup recipe:
1lb beans, rinsed and soaked for at least 4 hours
1 onion, diced
1Tbsp paprika
1Tbsp dried thyme
1Tbsp dried rosemary
1C diced ham (optional)
1tsp salt
Drain the soaking water from the beans in a colander. Meanwhile, saute the onion in some oil or butter, in a large soup kettle for about 5 minutes. Add the beans and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Add the herbs, but NOT the salt. Add the optional ham, if using. Bring the beans to a boil, reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pot. Let the beans simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed. Add the salt after the beans have cooked for an hour. Re-cover the pot and let the beans simmer for another hour. Dish the bean soup up into bowls and serve with hot bread, slathered with butter and honey! I like to serve bean soup with homemade beer bread rolls.
One way that I really try to ensure that all of my $40 a week are spent wisely, is I never buy soda or chips, or other totally empty junk. Junk food can be a real budget drainer and all it does is harm you! I'm not saying I never buy less than perfectly nutritious items, but I always make sure I have all of the real food FIRST. If I have any money left over, I might buy some fruit snacks, or brownie mix.(Always with a coupon!) I look on those foods as an extra treat, though, not as a guaranteed part of my shopping trip. At least the brownies contain chocolate, which is good for you...Right?:P
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Weekly Grocery and Menu Plan
This week I spent $41.38 on groceries, which is $1.38 over budget, but I'm not freaking out over it! I saved $14 this week with coupons and I stocked up on: juice, cereal and yogurt! Here is what we're eating this week.
Monday
Chicken tenders
Oven fries
Garlic green beans
Tuesday
Beef stew
Rice
Wednesday
Dinner at Applebees to celebrate my daughter, Bella's, piano recital!
Thursday
Waffles
Eggs
Friday
Chicken stir fry
Rice
Saturday
Frugal pizza!
Sunday
Leftovers!
For breakfast and lunch we will have: Granola bars, waffles, smoothies, leftovers and eggs. For dessert, I plan to make a batch of brownies that will hopefully last all week!
Monday
Chicken tenders
Oven fries
Garlic green beans
Tuesday
Beef stew
Rice
Wednesday
Dinner at Applebees to celebrate my daughter, Bella's, piano recital!
Thursday
Waffles
Eggs
Friday
Chicken stir fry
Rice
Saturday
Frugal pizza!
Sunday
Leftovers!
For breakfast and lunch we will have: Granola bars, waffles, smoothies, leftovers and eggs. For dessert, I plan to make a batch of brownies that will hopefully last all week!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Investing in a Thermos!
Now that the weather has turned cold, I'm tempted every day to buy coffee on my way to school. Now one cup of coffee might not seem like a big deal, but at $1.20 a day, it adds up to $6 a week, or $24 a month! To avoid this budget pitfall, I started making hot tea in my thermos and taking that to school instead of buying coffee every day. I make tea, because I don't have a coffee maker...Yet. Tea is relatively inexpensive and soothing on a cold morning. I drink it during my first class of the day and it fortifies me for my second class.:P
A thermos can be useful in other ways, as well. You could heat up some soup to take to work, or pack some chicken salad for a sandwich. A thermos could also be used to bring a refreshing cold drink to work, or school during the Summer.
I find that a thermos really helps me stay on track as far as going out for lunch, or coffee. I really just can't afford to spend money on those kinds of things, but if I were hungry or cold, it would be only too easy to rationalize making a pit stop at dunkin doughnuts!
A thermos can be useful in other ways, as well. You could heat up some soup to take to work, or pack some chicken salad for a sandwich. A thermos could also be used to bring a refreshing cold drink to work, or school during the Summer.
I find that a thermos really helps me stay on track as far as going out for lunch, or coffee. I really just can't afford to spend money on those kinds of things, but if I were hungry or cold, it would be only too easy to rationalize making a pit stop at dunkin doughnuts!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
How Not to be TOO Frugal
Sometimes, I can cross over the line between frugal and the dreaded CHEAP. My budget is so tiny, that I get all panicked and think I can't afford things that I really can. One way I combat this, is I pay for all my weekly expenses in cash. Every Friday I go to the bank and I take out $150. That money breaks down into: $40 for gas, $40 for groceries, $40 for miscellaneous expenses and $30 for my sitter. When the money is gone...That's it, but if I manage to not spend it all, well that's a little extra in that envelope for next week. On the other hand, I can always spend all the money that's in an envelope.
Another way I stave off cheapness is to shop at Goodwill. If I try to shop for clothes or movies at a regular store, all around me is a sea of prices I can't afford. $10 for a kids shirt, $20 for a pair of jeans, $19.95 for a movie! It gets pretty discouraging, so I end up not getting anything...Even if I really should. Goodwill on the other hand, is filled with items that fall within my budget! I can buy really cute kids jeans for $3.75 and shirts for $2.75. Movies cost $1.01 for some and $4.04 for Disney movies that come in the plastic case. I can go into Goodwill with $20 and leave with complete outfits for each of my 3 kids! It's a great feeling to go into a store and know I can probably afford almost everything in there.
At the grocery store, it's easy to think about getting an item my kids would really like, but then not get it, because we don't really NEED it. When you only have $40 for groceries, it's hard NOT to be cheap! The way I beat that particular brand of cheapness: Coupons coupons coupons! I know I talk about coupons a lot, but it's because I really can't stress how useful they can be. Coupons allow me to get a lot of items I could never afford AND to stock up on items I CAN afford, so that I save some grocery money one week and have more to spend the next week! I use coupons to stock up on: Frozen vegetables, yogurt, dish soap, pasta, canned beans, frozen fries (Because they are free with the coupons!), sugar (for holiday baking!), canned tuna, canned tomatoes, canned "cream of" Campbell's condensed soups (for casseroles), juice, and ground turkey. Once I've stocked up on all of those staple items, it really frees up money in my budget to buy "extra" items, like refrigerated cookie dough, brownie mix and fruit snacks. In the past, I would've made my own cookie dough and brownies from scratch, but I get $1 off coupons for these items, so it's actually cheaper to buy them instead of making them myself! I make a batch of cookies or brownies on our pizza and movie night, so that's pretty much just a junk food day!:P We eat the fruit snacks at my daughter, Bella's piano lesson every week. It keeps my younger two quiet and I admit...I love fruit snacks too!
The last way that I ward off cheapness is: I try to remember that is IS only money. As long as I'm not going over budget or going into debt, if I have some extra money we SHOULD use it for something fun! My kids only get one childhood and I don't want them to remember it as a me constantly saying, "We can't afford it." My cheapness busting methods allow me to say, "Well we can't afford THAT, but how about we do THIS instead!" Maybe I'll even be able to teach them something about frugality and life along the way.
Another way I stave off cheapness is to shop at Goodwill. If I try to shop for clothes or movies at a regular store, all around me is a sea of prices I can't afford. $10 for a kids shirt, $20 for a pair of jeans, $19.95 for a movie! It gets pretty discouraging, so I end up not getting anything...Even if I really should. Goodwill on the other hand, is filled with items that fall within my budget! I can buy really cute kids jeans for $3.75 and shirts for $2.75. Movies cost $1.01 for some and $4.04 for Disney movies that come in the plastic case. I can go into Goodwill with $20 and leave with complete outfits for each of my 3 kids! It's a great feeling to go into a store and know I can probably afford almost everything in there.
At the grocery store, it's easy to think about getting an item my kids would really like, but then not get it, because we don't really NEED it. When you only have $40 for groceries, it's hard NOT to be cheap! The way I beat that particular brand of cheapness: Coupons coupons coupons! I know I talk about coupons a lot, but it's because I really can't stress how useful they can be. Coupons allow me to get a lot of items I could never afford AND to stock up on items I CAN afford, so that I save some grocery money one week and have more to spend the next week! I use coupons to stock up on: Frozen vegetables, yogurt, dish soap, pasta, canned beans, frozen fries (Because they are free with the coupons!), sugar (for holiday baking!), canned tuna, canned tomatoes, canned "cream of" Campbell's condensed soups (for casseroles), juice, and ground turkey. Once I've stocked up on all of those staple items, it really frees up money in my budget to buy "extra" items, like refrigerated cookie dough, brownie mix and fruit snacks. In the past, I would've made my own cookie dough and brownies from scratch, but I get $1 off coupons for these items, so it's actually cheaper to buy them instead of making them myself! I make a batch of cookies or brownies on our pizza and movie night, so that's pretty much just a junk food day!:P We eat the fruit snacks at my daughter, Bella's piano lesson every week. It keeps my younger two quiet and I admit...I love fruit snacks too!
The last way that I ward off cheapness is: I try to remember that is IS only money. As long as I'm not going over budget or going into debt, if I have some extra money we SHOULD use it for something fun! My kids only get one childhood and I don't want them to remember it as a me constantly saying, "We can't afford it." My cheapness busting methods allow me to say, "Well we can't afford THAT, but how about we do THIS instead!" Maybe I'll even be able to teach them something about frugality and life along the way.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
My Williamsburg Vacation!
This Thanksgiving, my kids and I are going to Colonial Williamsburg with my parents! We went to Williamsburg last April and it was really fun. Luckily, Williamsburg is a relatively frugal place to go on vacation, but there still are some costs involved. Here is a breakdown of the vacation costs and my plan to save up enough money for the trip!
Unfortunately, I found out that the economical hotel we stayed at last time is CLOSED, so we'll have to stay at a more expensive one. My total hotel cost for 5 nights will be: $609. This is kind of a blow, because I was anticipating it would be more like, $400!
Since we're staying in the hotel for 5 nights, admission into Williamsburg is free! We're going to be there for 4 days, so the savings is pretty significant. There's a lot of expensive and very tempting souvenirs to buy, but I have a certain budget and I'm going to stick to it.
Here is the money I've saved so far for the trip!
Pell Grant refund: $440
Friend paying me back what I loaned her: $100
So that's $540 saved so far for the hotel. I've got about $200 saved up for spending money, so I think I'm okay there. I plan to bring a cooler and a LOT of food from home, to minimize the cost of dining out! Here is how I plan to come up with the rest of the hotel money! I still need $70.
I won't have to pay my sitter for Thanksgiving week: $30
I plan to try really hard to not spend for the next 2 weeks! If I can pull this off and save grocery AND gas money, I think I can come up with the last $40. I'll have to be pretty disciplined, but I've already saved $20 in grocery money and $2 in gas money! Here's hoping my friend is actually going to pay me back...
Unfortunately, I found out that the economical hotel we stayed at last time is CLOSED, so we'll have to stay at a more expensive one. My total hotel cost for 5 nights will be: $609. This is kind of a blow, because I was anticipating it would be more like, $400!
Since we're staying in the hotel for 5 nights, admission into Williamsburg is free! We're going to be there for 4 days, so the savings is pretty significant. There's a lot of expensive and very tempting souvenirs to buy, but I have a certain budget and I'm going to stick to it.
Here is the money I've saved so far for the trip!
Pell Grant refund: $440
Friend paying me back what I loaned her: $100
So that's $540 saved so far for the hotel. I've got about $200 saved up for spending money, so I think I'm okay there. I plan to bring a cooler and a LOT of food from home, to minimize the cost of dining out! Here is how I plan to come up with the rest of the hotel money! I still need $70.
I won't have to pay my sitter for Thanksgiving week: $30
I plan to try really hard to not spend for the next 2 weeks! If I can pull this off and save grocery AND gas money, I think I can come up with the last $40. I'll have to be pretty disciplined, but I've already saved $20 in grocery money and $2 in gas money! Here's hoping my friend is actually going to pay me back...
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Triple Coupons!
So I went to Food Lion to take advantage of the triple coupon week and I only spent $20 for a whole weeks groceries! This means I only spent half of my $40 a week budget, so I'm pretty thrilled. My total coupon savings added up to $42.63, which is just...Amazing. The best part was, I got a beautiful pot roast that was originally $13.77, but had been marked down to $5.48. I'm going to cook that pot roast in my crock pot tomorrow with some carrots, turnips and onions. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! Here is my menu plan for the week.
Monday
Pot roast with vegetables
mashed potatoes
chocolate chip cookies
Tuesday
The kids are eating dinner with their dad, so I'm just having cold cereal with dates cut up in it!
Wednesday
Bean soup with ham
French bread
Thursday
Waffles with peanut butter
Soymilk smoothies
Friday
Leftover pot roast
French fries
Saturday
Spaghetti with meat sauce
Peas
Sunday
Eggs
grits
turkey bacon
Monday
Pot roast with vegetables
mashed potatoes
chocolate chip cookies
Tuesday
The kids are eating dinner with their dad, so I'm just having cold cereal with dates cut up in it!
Wednesday
Bean soup with ham
French bread
Thursday
Waffles with peanut butter
Soymilk smoothies
Friday
Leftover pot roast
French fries
Saturday
Spaghetti with meat sauce
Peas
Sunday
Eggs
grits
turkey bacon
My Frugal Day!
Today is November 1st, which means 1/2 priced Halloween merchandise! The kids and I are going to Target today with $20 I saved from last week. I plan to stock up on Halloween candy and decorations for next year. Three days from now, there will be 90% off Halloween clothes that I will look at for the kids.
This morning, I was once again able to get free Sunday paper coupons at Dunkin Doughnuts! Someone had bought a Sunday paper and then left all of the coupon inserts on the table when they left. Those coupons went straight into my purse.
Best of all, Food Lion is doing triple coupons up to $.99 until Tuesday! I clipped all possible coupons out of my free inserts and I plan to go there later today and cash in. There's a limit to how many coupons can be used per transaction, so I might have to leave and go back a few times. Luckily, the Food Lion is only 1/2 mile from my house!:P I will post later about what I was able to get and how much I saved!
This morning, I was once again able to get free Sunday paper coupons at Dunkin Doughnuts! Someone had bought a Sunday paper and then left all of the coupon inserts on the table when they left. Those coupons went straight into my purse.
Best of all, Food Lion is doing triple coupons up to $.99 until Tuesday! I clipped all possible coupons out of my free inserts and I plan to go there later today and cash in. There's a limit to how many coupons can be used per transaction, so I might have to leave and go back a few times. Luckily, the Food Lion is only 1/2 mile from my house!:P I will post later about what I was able to get and how much I saved!
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