Frugal challenge 11/23 - 11/29

[my4littlebuffaloes]

Let's try to stay frugal this Thanksgiving week! This weekend I did the following.

- cooked from scratch all weekend - huge pot of veggie soup tonight
- hiked for entertainment
- wrote several articles
- hung lots of laundry
- washed ziploc bags
- read a book on finances (Dollars & Sense, it was a good beginners book)
- used lots of coupons at the grocery store (combined with sales), but went way over grocery budget stocking up on stuff. I am hoping that i can get away with only milk and a little bit of produce for the next 2 weeks, that would make up for what I went over this weekend
- finished the Christmas shopping for my kids, got the gift for my sisters family ($9), and found 2 new games I had gotten years ago (b1g1 sale) that my BILs family will be getting.
- dh put down new flooring in our entry for under $30! it looks so much better.
- was given 3 shirts by the neighbor, will work for dd next year
- added some insulation in the garage attic, will hopefully help with the ice problem, which could cause major damage

[Mom23boys]

~dinner in the crockpot
~washed laundry in cold
~used coupons to grocery shop
~used ECB's at CVS to get free items and more ECB's!! I love CVS!

[kestrel91316]

Today I went to Smart & Final (restaurant/janitorial supply warehouse) and got a case of Red Bull for my assistant's birthday present (I don't drink the stuff but she has one daily). They had a gallon of nonfat milk for $2.99 so I got one. I normally use reconstituted nonfat dry milk for everyday use, but I want to make some yogurt or pudding and just went ahead and got it - they are a bit out of the way so I don't normally shop there but maybe every other month.

Came home and did a load of laundry. Put a batch of pinto beans in the crockpot, and made some posole (free-style, no recipe) from hominy I picked up on my WALK to the grocery store today, and leftover crockpotted pork shoulder meat and some onions and chiles and diced tomatoes and salsa remnant I had leftover. It made 6 servings so I will take that in for lunch at work all week. I MUST MUST MUST ease up on the lunch expenses - I go to Baja Fresh or Ameci's or El Pollo Loco or the takeout sushi place at least 3 days a week and usually more.

And while I was all busy in the kitchen I went ahead and premade up some oatmeal packets for this week's breakfasts so I don't succumb to ANOTHER of my vices: picking up a quick pastry at Peet's Coffee on the way to work because "there's nothing for breakfast" in my home with its fairly well-stocked pantry, lol (I don't do convenience foods - at home, that is - all bets are off when I wqalk out the door). Anyway, take 1 snack-sized ziploc baggie, put in 1/2 c. regular rolled oats, 1 tbsp chopped nuts, 1 tbsp raisins, and 2 packets Splenda. When it's time to eat, empty into microwave safe bowl, glug in about 1/2 c. milk (I never measure), and microwave 2 minutes. I don't like gloppy oatmeal so mine is probably more like hot muesli.

I've been inspired by the many wonderful threads by the younger FVers this weekend and decided I REALLY could do better than I have been with the food budget.

[acidcookie]

This weekend:
-made our week's dinner menu based on what we still have in the freezer and cupboards, and what I have to purchase is based on store circulars and coupons
-FH put the cover on the whole house fan
-washed ziploc bags


This coming week:
-no latte "treats" while I'm in my office/on campus!
-packing our own food for our drive to NYC
-keeping the upstairs doors closed to help keep the heat downstairs
-doing all my errands for the week tomorrow to keep driving down

Will have to think of more later...

[Starlight9803]

Sunday 11/23:

* heat on 63 even though I have my niece staying with me this weekend (she is very cold natured, but thankfully, hasn't complained)

* ate up all the leftovers in the house over the weekend, no real "cooking" for me, and no wasted, forgotten food, either

* divided large container of yogurt into smaller containers for the kids this week and made oatmeal bars as well

* got free kerosene heater from a friend (brand new - never been used), that will help take the chill off the house on those very cold days. Also helps in case the power is out, since we are all electric here

* went to a local store's going out of business sale (this was the last day) and got a case of generic shampoo and a case of generic body wash for $1/case

[Cricketlegs]

Took dd to school
stopped off at the grocery and spent $13 on the stockpile
staying home, cleaning house and watching Charmed with other dd
Will leave once more to pick dd from school

[AspiringToBeFrugal]

Sunday:
~ Ate a late breakfast so no lunch--hot cereal & milk
~ DH and I watched football for entertainment
~ Slept most of the afternoon.
~ Supper at home from freezer stash and pantry staples
~ Put leftovers away for lunch this week
~ Dessert was homemade cookies
~ Thermostat at 62 until DH's cold started to set in and then we upped it to 65-ish
~ Lights off til dusk

Monday:
~ Breakfast at home--hot cereal
~ Lunch was leftovers
~ Paycheck is going in savings account
~ Got coupons for local fast food place in the mail--will likely not use them but you never know...
~ Turned thermostat down again
~ Window blinds open for light and warmth
~ Pulled some frozen peaches out of the freezer to use for pies to take to my mom's for Thanksgiving
~ Need to work on December budget
~ Need to continue working on SIL's Christmas present and brother's steak rub for his present.

More later!

[Mamaw]

Monday
* cut coupons
*reviewed sale ads,made grocery list and matched coupons when possible
*went to 2 stores for holiday week shopping. Bought many extras as am hosting 8 people for the holiday week. Also got a few loss leaders and coupon deals for the stockpile and upcoming baking season
*laundry in cold
*only run full, full dishwasher
*received 2 free magazines in the mail
*reading library books and magazines for entertainment
*planned menu for the remainder of this week as well as the following week
*working on December budget - need to spend way, way less
*DH put plastic on some of the windows
*Did not turn up heat - used portable electric heater in my office to take chill off instead

*being grateful that I am still employed

[Yart]

Sunday-
Made homemade hamburger buns
Made hamburgers for dinner
Made 4 loaves of bread
Crocheted more on the for sale afghan
Helped with the plastic on bedroom window.

Monday-
Drove my MIL around and she filled up my tank
Made dinner from pantry
Learned that I need to find a better corn taco recipe
Cut coupons to use and to send to the military
Crocheted more
Pulled out the turkey to thaw
Sewed up last 3 window blankets

[Starlight9803]

Monday 11/24:

* stayed home, no spending
* used portable heater to warm the house for baths, only used for 2 hours, and it kept house warm and furnace off until well after we went to bed
* laundry in cold with 1/2 detergent
* heat on 60

Tuesday 11/25:

* stuck to list at grocery store, came in under budget, even though I had to get about $20 worth of stuff for my grandmother as well
* heat on 60 and wearing extra layers
* all meals at home
* all lights/electronics off (except computer right now lol) during day, using candles or 1 small lamp at night

[kestrel91316]

Made homemade cornbread to go with the crockpot full of beans. Gonna make a crockpot full of rice pudding this evening. And do some ironing.

Thanksgiving day I promise to do a load of laundry, dust and vacuum, spot clean the carpets prior to going to my friends' for dinner.

[Mom23boys]

~DH's friend gave us 3 packages of deer steaks
~Eating leftovers for dinner
~Decluttering....saves time in our lbusy schedules when cleaning
~Opted out of the Secret Santa at school....did not want to have to buy 3 gifts a week for a secret pal....could use that money for paying down debt

[Yart]

Tuesday-
Took lunch to work
Cooked out freezer for dinner
worked on afghan.

[AspiringToBeFrugal]

Holy cow...Time has gotten away from me!

Tuesday:
~ Thermostat on 58 during day and then upped to 62 last night.
~ Combined five errands on one trip
~ Checked out craft mags from library rather than buying new
~ Worked on grading papers before Thanksgiving Day vacation
~ Deposited money in savings
~ Leftovers for lunch
~ Got Christmas presents ready for DB and SIL and their kids--we're doing Christmas during Thanksgiving with them
~ Groceries for Thanksgiving baking/cooking
~ Watched tv for entertainment
~ Created December budget

Wednesday:
~ Finishing baking/prep before heading to mom's for Turkey Day
~ Laundry--in cold and will dry some of it in the dryer and some on the rack
~ Making pies from scratch--using peaches I put up this summer
~ Recorded prices of Christmas purchases made last weekend
~ Going through "gift box" for additional Christmas presents

[Telephus44]

I'm back!

Still having a hard time adjusting my schedule to keep up with the new house and FV, but I really need this thread to keep me accountable.

This week, so far:

*DH paid an extra $100 on his 401K loan (we discussed when we should be putting our extra money, and decided that in case of a layoff, the 401K loan would be the best to have paid off)
*All evening meals at home!! This has been a very big vice for us in the past, but I'm getting better. I've used the crockpot for a beef stew, and been getting better at expanding our "cheap and fast" meals at home selection.
*I have eaten out once at work, but brought my lunch the other two days.
*Went through the grocery store flyer, picked out the sale items, and found a lot of online printable coupons that match up. I really need to set up a regular day for this, maybe I'll pick Tuesdays.
*DH has a cold, but I went though the medicine chest and got all the old stuff out - we always use most of the box, then keep the last two or three doses, but when the next cold hits, we buy a new box. So none of the stuff we had was expired, and we're using it.
*Washing all of the laundry in cold water.
*DH set the programmable thermstats down from 68 to 65 when we're home, except upstairs in the morning (I hate getting out of a warm bed into the cold)
*DH replaced a window in the basement that was just leaking heat
*Got a free magazine subscription
*Cleaned my coats with a sponge and careful scrubbing, rather than the usual dry cleaning
*Used up a hair conditioner sample
*Had dinner at my aunt's house on Sunday, got sent home with enough leftovers for another meal
*Used three coupons at Bath & Body Works - free item with any purchase - and bought the $1 gift bag, and got three body creams for free. Good for me and Christmas presents.