Need to pinch pennies til they scream!

**justann** · 07-18-2013, 03:28 PM

Or I am going to scream, haha! Dh's checks this month have been about half of what they usually are. Our garden is a complete bust this year so far cause of all the rain we have had. So, we will be eating from what's left in the freezer and pantry and buying only what is necessary. Dh is diabetic so I must still fix low carb meals which can be expensive. I must stay at home as much as possible since gas prices have gone up again. I must meal plan instead of just winging it. I have got my work cut out for me! The Let the Games Begin thread will be read and re-read as well as many other threads. We have been doing ok paying off bills and have only one left to pay on for the 11-12-13 challenge. It was going to be tough getting that one paid off before but now it really will be. Thank you all for the inspiration I find here! Hope to post more and come out of lurking. I will be trying to feed 4 adults for as little as possible. Dh's check this week was $360 and I have to pay bills, gas and groceries. See my challenge?!

**Contrary Housewife** · 07-18-2013, 03:49 PM

My DH is diabetic and has to stay low glycemic as well, so I understand that part. Load him up on seasonal vegetables if you can, big salads for lunch with lowfat cheeses, hard boiled egg and home-made ranch dressing. Add a little sprinkle of bacon or ham if you can. Cottage cheese is great for snacks too, if you can find it on sale. Low carb doesn't *have* to be expensive, go for the vegetables and the dairy instead of the meat counter.

Come on over to the 30 day pantry and freezer challenge, where we're clearing our stockpiles too.

**mommy4ever** · 07-18-2013, 03:52 PM

Ouch, that is tight! Sorry to hear that. But... it can be done!!!

Are you paid weekly? If so, this is what we do. Dh is paid weekly, so it can make it tough when a bunch of bills have the same due date. SO, we decided we pay each bill weekly. We divide each bill by 4, and pay that weekly. Yes, some months have that extra week, we don't worry about it...it's budget planning for the higher months, or really tight months. Eventually we'll have a full month pre-paid, which can give a little relief.

now that won't help this minute, as you have bills due now, but consider doing that for the next pay period.

I get paid month, so things we can't pay weekly, I pay... bus pass, piano lessons.

making a good plan for meals will cut down costs immensely. Find what your cheapest protein is and go from there.

**cab54** · 07-18-2013, 04:42 PM

I was just thinking this today after going to the grocery store, and then coming home and bringing my bank book up to date. Yowza.

Ditto on the diabetic husband that has to avoid carbs and such. Really makes it hard to fill them up, when you can't poke potatoes, macaroni, cereal, or bread down them. Everything he needs to eat is very expensive.

Plus DS#2 came home for the summer. However I'm glad to have him home, of course. But he's 6'6" and can eat! I'm having trouble finding food that he will eat, dh CAN eat, and I myself have been trying to just eat up what is in the pantry and freezer.

**seattleLMP** · 07-18-2013, 06:10 PM

My DH is also diabetic. He can't do low carb because of his kidneys (too much protein) but he does well on moderate carbs (about 100 grams a day). We do lots of beans and lentils, salads with a few ounces of chicken per serving and homemade dressings, and tofu stir fries. We buy tofu at the Asian grocer for half the price or less of the regular grocery store.

**Giro** · 07-18-2013, 07:06 PM

Shocked at all of the diabetic husbands! Do they workout? Eat healthy foods? I've never known anyone personally to have it, so I'm curious.

**Ayanka** · 07-21-2013, 05:45 PM

My dad is a type one diabetic. He can eat potatoes, pasta and bread. I don't know if he could eat cereal, because I think there always is sucrose in there. He has been a diabetic for 25 years and I am raised with my dad's diet so Im honestly curious on why the diet is so different. Do they have type 2 (traditionally called old age diabetes)?

@ Giro: my dad used to swim a lot and still swims once or twice a week. He also works in the garden, so he isn't desactive or anything like that. Diabetes is a multifactorial desease meaning no exercise or being obese trigger the chances on getting diabetes. However it also has a genetical part. Because my dad has diabetes, I have a 1/5 chance on getting it myself. As Im hyperactive and underweight, that works in my favour, so it reduces chances again.

**Brilly69** · 07-21-2013, 08:02 PM

This thread has got me inspired to cook healthier meals to keep me and my little family healthy. I have been so busy and stressed so I have been throwing fish and chips into the oven for dinner. Tonight we are going to have a meal from the slow cooker. Lots of vegetables, some beef and tomato. I find healthy meals cheaper too.

**Cricketlegs** · 07-21-2013, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by Brilly69

This thread has got me inspired to cook healthier meals to keep me and my little family healthy. I have been so busy and stressed so I have been throwing fish and chips into the oven for dinner. Tonight we are going to have a meal from the slow cooker. Lots of vegetables, some beef and tomato. I find healthy meals cheaper too.

They really are. The closer you get to base whole foods the better and further they go. You lose weight too.

**justann** · 07-22-2013, 11:28 AM

We actually got some green beans and some kind of beans/peas (dh can't remember what kind, but they are delicious) from the garden and a few cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. Grateful for that! We have had rain everyday for weeks so we were shocked to get that. We have been eating thru the stockpile and we won't be buying anymore mixes, boxed potatoes,etc. Whole foods and basics are cheaper and just takes some time to cook from scratch. I make a lot of food from scratch already and will be adding more to the list.

**Contrary Housewife** · 07-22-2013, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by Giro

Shocked at all of the diabetic husbands! Do they workout? Eat healthy foods? I've never known anyone personally to have it, so I'm curious.

I think DH's family is "predisposed" to have it. His parents and his brother had it. And yes, he's overweight and does not exercise. Several people I know were either told, or came to believe that playing sports or doing energetic activities or work outside "was for people who don't work with their brain". So they never learned to take enjoyment out of physical activity and now it's something they "have" to do. I'm constantly pushing to get DH moving, but it's only in the past few years he's accepted that he's getting old and he needs to move it or lose it.

His visit to the doctor last month revealed he has lost 10 lbs and is technically no longer diabetic, and was told he could stop his meds. However, I'm still feeding him on a no-sugar, low-fat, low-glycemic (low carb), no saturated fats diet plan. We eat a lot of chicken, fish, and turkey. I buy turkey sausage and chicken bratwurst, make turkey chili and chicken empanadas. Some of the unusual turkey and chicken products can be expensive right off the shelf, but I find they are also the most likely to get marked down if they don't sell well, and I keep an eye out and stock up when I see it.

**Giro** · 07-22-2013, 05:37 PM

After watching a few documentaries and doing some research, we have no excuse to die this much from heart disease, diabetes and cancers. Our lifestyles and nutritional choices are incredibly out of hand. And also, we should not be burdening our society and our healthcare industry the way we are.

People actually said playing sports or doing energetic activities or work outside "was for people who don't work with their brain"? That sounds like an extremely dumb thing to say for so-called smart people. The last time I checked, physical exercise stimulates brain and memory growth. It also gives you energy to focus and work harder. I like to be physically healthy and a lot of that is exercise and proper nutrition.

**LynnLC** · 07-23-2013, 11:18 AM

For the record- I am not obese, always work out (dance teacher), eat a balanced diet & I have severe heart disease with a side of 2 heart attacks before 40. Sometimes...you can inherit it. I am hoping not to die or be a burden to the healthcare field considering the amount of $$$ I pay.

http://asfunnyasaheartattack.wordpress.com/2012/06/

**Giro** · 07-23-2013, 11:27 AM

Of course I was referring to the preventative forms, where nutrition and lifestyle can prevent and reverse the disease....Which is a very large percentage of patients.

**Ayanka** · 07-23-2013, 12:21 PM

Problem is Giro, how can you say it is a preventative form? We have one person every 2 generations having type 1 diabetes. If someone with an increased chance on diabetes would be so unlucky to marry someone who also has a part of the genetic burden, you wouldn't know until they researched it. Don't get me wrong I think it is important to keep your weight balanced. And while I am on the skinny side, it doesn't mean I can't understand it would be very hard to do so. It is just really frustrating for me to see people increasing their chances on diabetes, because of poor life style choices. Occasionally people on FV say that budgetting should be thought in school, for me healthy cooking would be a good second one to add to the list.