My Frugal Just Got a Whole Lot More Frugal!

Well our home has now been hit by this economic downturn. It looks like our income might become 1/2 of what it was. Fortunately I am blessed with a wonderful husband who put every extra penny we have had over the last 7-10 years into getting the house and cars paid off, so thankfully no huge dept for us. It still is going to be tight! I don't know how those with dept will make it? I just don't know?...my prayers and love go out to those families.

Well My grocery budget was to be around $75-$100 a week, that IS going to change. I still get $100 but now it has to cover groceries(which has always included toiletries), clothing, and school supplies (we homeschool). So I am now going to have to try and keep my grocery spending around $50.00 every week. This will be such a feat because up until a few weeks ago I was probably spending $125-$150 a week...ahem or more. And that did not include eating out-which is out of the question now.

To make sure I am going to be able to stay within my $50.00 I hit my freezers hard. I went through them and wrote down everything I had. This gave me a great idea on how much meat I had and that I do not need to buy any unless it's dirt cheap. Because I wrote it all down I now know at a glance what is in the freezer...just so long as I remember to mark it off once we have eaten it.lol!

My new candida diet. Well it seems that for the last 4 years I have suffered from a server bout with Candida. I now have no choice but to do this candida diet. It sucks! I mean really really sucks! But I did get a cookbook to help me. And get this my husband is going to go on it with me! Is he not the sweetest or what! It will be hard to do candida sweets on $50.00 a week, but if I am careful I might get some homemade candida free brownies and muffins in once a week!

So here are my meals this week, plus my shopping trip!

Meals: Keep in mind I get almost all my recipes from America's Test Kitchen and I will be substituting anything not healthy or apart of my candida diet with healthy candida free ingredients.

Breakfast:
Omelet-bell pepper
oatmeal-cinnamon vanilla-homemade
organic cereal
organic pop tarts
french toast homemade candida free syrup
grits and eggs

Dinners:
pork chops, stir fry broccoli, spicy home fries
pizza-mozzarella and sausage, salad
BBQ Chicken, french onion soup, beans
Spaghetti skillet (homemade noodles), braised cabbage, salad
enchiladas
chicken pot pie, mashed potato casserole, rice casserole
leftovers

Snacks:
Bananas
Oranges
yogurt (homemade)
muffins (homemade)
baby carrots

Here is how my shopping trip went:



It is so neat to look at that picture and see all those fruit's and vegetables, especially considering my small budget. So here is what I got:

Dishwasher liquid sale 3.27-1.00 coupon 2.27
Vinegar 2.29
7lb bananas 5.00
9 oranges 3.29
4 green bell peppers 2.00
3 3lb bags of onions 4.50
1 green cabbage 1.85
1 red cabbage 1.73
1 bunch green onions .59
garlic bulb .50
cilantro .99
organic baby carrots 1.89
lettuce 1.19
8oz Monterrey jack cheese 2.99
8oz Mozzarella cheese 2.99
1lb butter 2.13
2lb frozen broccoli 4.38

Grand Total: 44.23

I think I still need to get milk which will take my total to 47.73 but that is still pretty good aye?

To see how others did check out the grocery cart challenge or orgjunkie

Using your frugalness to help others!

I say if you love to shop at CVS or Walgreens, when you get free items you don't want or need, wouldn't it be nice to give them away to a local charity?

I so don't understand why other blogger post their receipts the way they do them so I am going to do them my way...please let me know if they are easier or harder to read. Keep in mind when it says "on your next purchase" I still have those coupons left to purchase other items, and if I only purchase items that give you "on your next purchase" coupons on my next shopping trip it will never end! So basically you spend your money the first time, but after that, if you watch what you buy you will never spend more, over and over and over! Is that not a hoot!

Total Spent per item for CVS= 1.18 each or if you don't count the free stuff I spent 1.66 each

Purchases:


6 Speed Stick Deodorant's
sale 2/$5.00
buy $15 worth get $5.00 for next purchase (Extra Bucks=EB)
paid= $15.00-5=$10/6=$1.66 each!

2 Dove Deodorant's
sale 2.29 each
coupon 1.50 off two
buy dove product get $2.00 for next purchase EB
paid= 4.58-1.50-2.00= $1.08/2=.54 each


CVS recycled paper Towels 3pk
Reg 2.49
When I walked into store and scanned my card I got a $1.00 off coupon for this item
Paid 1.49

CVS Lotion (actually smells really good)
Reg:2.99
Get: 1.00 for next purchase EB
When I walked into store and scanned my card I got a $1.00 off coupon for this item
Paid 2.99-1.00coupon-1.00 EB =.99

No rub solution in wrong picture, should be with the Walgreen's rebate picture!lol

2 Ear Rinse
Sale $7.99
Get $7.99 for next purchase EB
Paid$15.98-15.98=FREE

CVS Asprin
Reg: 1.99
Get: 1.99 for next purchase EB
Paid $1.99-1.99=FREE


Instant Energy Drink
Reg: 4.99
Get: 4.99 on next purchase EB
Paid: 4.99-4.99= FREE

Okay lets also put it another way I walked into that store and after manufacturing coupons, store coupons, I spent:

47.57 however I have $30.96 in EB coupons left for next week (coupons expire in a month)

So it's really like I spent:
16.61 just so long as when I spend these EB's I also get EB coupons back and don't spend any cash. Then all future purchases will be free!!!! I am sure that won't happen every time, but it will still be some great deals!

Total Spent per item for Walgreens= .87 each or if you don't count the free stuff I spent
1.75 each

Now for Walgreens Purchases:


2 SunSilk Mouse
Clearance 1.19 each
had a MFG coupon $2 off 2
Paid 2.38-2=.38



Revlon Lipstick
Sale 9.99
9.99Mail Rebate
Paid 9.99-9.99 Rebate=FREE

Revlon Foundation
Sale 9.99
9.99 Mail Rebate
Paid 9.99-9.99= FREE

Zucol Cold Stuff
Sale 7.99
Rebate 7.99
Paid 7.99-7.99=FREE

Garnier Fructis
Reg 3.99
Rebate 3.99
Paid 3.99-3.99=FREE

Contact Solution
Sale 1.99
Rebate 1.99
Paid 1.99-1.99=FREE



Secret Deodorant
Reg 3.29
Walgreens coupon 1.30
MFG coupon .25
Paid 3.29-1.30-.25= 1.74



Tom's Of Maine Toothpaste (strawberry)
Sale 2.99
Paid 2.99

Bubbles
Reg .79
Paid .79

Total Spent: 42.73-Rebates 29.96 = 8.78

Grand total: 8.78+16.61=25.39/24items= 1.05 each and if you don't count free items=1.70 each

Do you have a CVS and Walgreens shopping trip you want to share? Please put just that post into Mr. Linky blow.

Menu Plan Day and Shopping day Adventures

Well, I am learning so much about how our family shops. This week I am not putting some food items on my list because they were for the Super Bowl Game, and we have a separate budget for that, it's called 'entertainment'. I will admit, for 4 people...we spent a lot on 'entertainment' this Sunday...but it sure was fun!

Don't forget most of my recipes come from the great books of America's Test Kitchen!


Okay my meals for this week are:


Breakfast:

Eggs and grits x's 3
organic pop tarts
oatmeal with honey vanilla and cinnamon (and a touch black strap molasses) x's 2
organic cereal

Snacks:

leftover guacamole and chips
celery and peanut butter
grapefruits
bananas

Dinners:

Brats
Garlic Shrimp
Pulled Pork
BBQ chicken legs
Deer stew
Chili
leftovers

Okay now how my shopping week went:


Dillons:
Brats 6.00
2-2 lb Shrimp 9.98

Subtotal: 16.20

Woods:
2 Hot dog Buns .89 (forgot to make homemade ones and had to go back to store for last week)

Subtotal: 1.86

Millers Country Store:

Raw Honey x's 2 16.55
1lb Xylotol 6.99
Flax Seed Oil 9.99
Organic Tea for making shampoo 4.99
Natural Soda 1.99
yeast 3.18

Subtotal: 47.71

Dutch Store:

Black Pepper corns 1.92
Carob powder 1.70
Sea Salt 2.70
Black Strap Molasses 2.25

Subtotal: 8.85

Dutch Market: receipt does not say what I purchased...winging it.

4 organic pop tarts .70 each
4 organic cereal 1.20 each
Amish butter cheese
5 dozen free range eggs 2.50 each
3 candy bars .30
2 pretzels .10 each
4 toms natural mouth wash (lemon lime) 5.60
1 toms natural toothpaste (spearmint) 1.20
hamster food 1.50
other stuff

Subtotal: 42.66


Grand Total: 117. 31

This total is a tad high because I hit markets that are 30 miles away-and I only go to the once a month or less, so if they have many good deals, I get more...like with the toms natural mouth wash and eggs.

For more ideas, recipes, and tips on being organized you can go to:
The Grocery Cart Challenge or Orgjunkie