August Frugals!

[Meezer_Mom]

I'm still in recovery mode but - though I've found a terrific lunch place - I wan to start winding that down as I feel better.

Am off to Target for some Lean Cuisines and yogurts. I have a LC coupon and have added the Cartwheel deals to my app. I'm looking to get through Thursday and Friday together at under the average cost of just one delivered lunch.

[rosarugosa]

I'm glad you are feeling better, MM!
I had a craving for lobster yesterday and we talked about going out, but instead we took advantage of Market Basket's $4.99/lb lobster sale and got 2 small lobsters to cook at home for $10. I made a beet/arugula/strawberry/walnut/goat cheese salad which we ate with some of Herbgeek's maple balsamic vinaigrette, so it was a really nice dinner at home for cheap $$. Not to mention that a glass of wine at a restaurant would cost the price of a whole bottle from my own "wine cellar."

[Meezer_Mom]

Just one word, Rosa: YUM!

[printslicker]

Hi, as a mom, I always think to be frugal. I always have a food and grocery budget lists to consider. I do cooking a lot a home but I always ensure that left overs can be used for other meals like for breakfast or snacks the following day.

[Gardnr]

Roasted a bag of potatoes last night along with a big tray of zucchini. Pan sauted garlic green beans. Dinner last night and hubby has lunches for 3d.

Tonight: grilled salmon from the freezer. Greek salad with tomato and cucumber from our CSA and added our first 4 picked tomatoes from the garden.
OMG yum:cool: Have enough leftover for snacks and/or dinner tomorrow night with grilled burgers.

Friday night: grilled chicken and more roasted squash-probably do that tomorrow night as time will be short Friday.

Boiled eggs for snacks.

So far this month I've spent $16 and some change on food.

[rosarugosa]

That is truly amazing on the groceries, Gardnr, and you're eating great stuff! We didn't even attempt a vegetable garden this year due to the resident groundhog family, so we've been actually spending a bit more this month on tomatoes from the Farmer's Market. Well worth it, I should add. A well-grown local tomato is one of life's simple pleasures!
I redeemed E-Rewards points for a $25 Macy's gift card. I don't need anything just now, but will tuck it away for when I do.
This is turning into a very expensive month with some unexpected medical costs, a plumbing repair, etc. My end-of-month bottom line is - $715, so my challenge will be to see how much I can whittle this number down and shift as little deficit as possible to September's budget, and hopefully avoid shifting anything from savings (perish the thought!)

[rosarugosa]

I had posted previously about how 3 of us supervisors in my department had collaborated and pitched the idea of expanding our work from home to weekly from twice a month. We had gotten the OK to pilot for the summer. We had a follow-up meeting last week and pilot was deemed a success and we can continue! So this saves me commuting costs for two additional days per month, not to mention time and aggravation of commuting (significant in Boston at rush hour). I also usually can fit in a nice walk with DH in the AM of my WFH days, so there are increased mental and physical health benefits. I'm very pleased, to say the least!

[Lainey]

I had posted previously about how 3 of us supervisors in my department had collaborated and pitched the idea of expanding our work from home to weekly from twice a month. We had gotten the OK to pilot for the summer. We had a follow-up meeting last week and pilot was deemed a success and we can continue!

That's great news. Seems like management should not be afraid of employees working from home, especially with software where you clock in and out. I'd also think the city transportation departments would be touting that to companies to help with rush hour traffic, as you'd said. Benefits all the way around!

[Selah]

Picked up a fun side gig as an online English teacher. Doesn't pay much, but I'm putting the money towards paying for the little fun things that aren't 100% necessary, but make daily life just that little bit sweeter. It's nice to have "spending money" again, just like when I was a kid!

[rosarugosa]

Free garden-grown tomatoes from one of my employees! :)

[Gardnr]

I bought a flat of blackberries this week for $30. I have just simmered them down with 1c of honey. I then thickened with cornstarch to a blackberry "sauce". Primarily used for pancakes. I'll freeze it off and then vac-seal. I hope to buy another flat this week if they're still on!

I think I'll get 8 servings? Fresh blackberry sauce in winter? Priceless!

[Gardenarian]

We have a local Buy Nothing group on Facebook (I do wish it were in some other format, but FB is ubiquitous.)

Anyhow, I've given away about 2 large boxes of clothes. In a few days I'm trading someone a big bag of apples for a haircut. We'll see how that goes!

I've got at least 1000 pounds of apples to barter with - it's been an excellent year for fruit.

[Gardenarian]

A lot of those apples are going to the local food bank.

[Meezer_Mom]

My project concluded a couple weeks ago so I'm pounding the pavement again. On the positive side, my sciatica and friends are better. I've gone to the gym a couple times.

I have been out of commission for several months while recovering, except for work, and am making my way through what is in my cabinet to see what I need to add. I had found a few new-to-me recipes for lentil and tuna salads. Think I'll make the lentil one today. It's lentils, chopped parsley, onion, carrot, bell pepper, celery, a few herbs, lemon juice and olive oil. Have everything.

[awakenedsoul]

Great to read everyone's frugals. Amazing harvest, Gardenarian! Yum! This month I had have my cottage re piped, so it hasn't been the most frugal month. But, I was able to pay the $6,000. out of savings, so that's a relief. It feels good to have it done. My pipes were the old galvanized ones from the 1940's.

I opened an etsy shop and have been selling my soaps and hand knits. It's going well. (PinkCottageSoaps) I also have been selling locally to my neighbors, the ladies in my knitting group, and at the gym. It's fun to have a home based business. I live just a few miles from the post office, so it works out well. I print out the labels at the library, which saves me money. They are beautiful, vintage style, and colorful.

Last night I made a roast chicken with lemon juice, soy sauce, and dijon mustard marinade. I cooked a large pot of artichokes, too. It seems like all I had been eating the past few months were quesadillas. (with a few variations...sauteed onions and serrano chiles, homemade salsa, homemade guacamole, or pepperoni.) For some reason I haven't had the energy or motivation to cook much in this heat. Now I'm getting back into it. The weather is turning. Such a relief!

[rosarugosa]

Awakened Soul: I know what you mean. It seems like we've been living on sandwiches and salads all summer. Good luck with your Etsy store.
We've managed to avoid tapping savings for our August budget shortfall. We're carrying a shortfall into September, but I want us to continue to challenge ourselves to make ends meet rather than bailing ourselves out. I think I mentioned that we finally caved in and bought 2 air conditioners, so I'm anxious to see the impact on the electric bill. We're doing some major landscape work and we were going to hire someone to cart away our huge pile of branches and brush. Neighbor said DH can use her pickup truck and we'll buy a $25 sticker to get access to the town composting center, so that will save us a fair bit. DH has cut her grass several times, so it will be a nice trading of favors.

[freshstart]

August was a bad month, $1500 toward first eye surgery, $1200 for second then I've reached the in-network out of pocket for surgeries and procedures, thank God. Plus, $175 on temporary eyeglass lenses and $600 on the final pair. And I only bring in $1974 a month so I will be hitting the emergency fund. I made a decision to live on rice, fruits and veggies and a slim fast a day for the protein. Not healthy but cheap. I did not spend a single penny on anything but medical, routine bills and food and parking at the hospital to visit my dad. For me to not eat any food out in a month is a big change.

[nswef]

Freshstart what a brave way to spend your income. I hope it makes things so much better for you! Then you will look back at the one or two months of eating rice and fruits and veggies as an investment in your future health.

[awakenedsoul]

Thanks rosarugosa. The trading with your neighbor sounds like a win win.

Sorry to hear you've had to have surgeries and procedures, freshstart. Not eating out saves a lot of money. Sometimes I eat eggs in place of meat. I buy them from my neighbor. I hope you're getting enough protein and that everything works out for you.

[freshstart]

thank you, I've been eating eggs, as well

[Geila]

freshstart - do you like beans? They are super cheap if you cook from scratch and go great with rice. When it's hot I like having a lunch of cold pinto beans (cooked in a pot and served with a bit of the cooking liquid so that's it's a bit soupy), a bit of Mexican cotija cheese, and a couple of corn tortillas. Plus salsa if I have it. Super easy and economical lunch; it's a staple in Mexican homes and I find it very tasty when I don't feel like cooking.

I also really like Peruvian beans - they are very creamy and velvety.

[Gardnr]

I spent 2h cooking after work! We have a ton of produce from our CSA and we were verging on compost (and i did have to compost 1 bunch of kale and 1 bunch of beet greens:( But I rescued the rest.

1. Roasted a dozen pati-pan squash with garlic salt and rosemary.
2 Roasted 4 zucchini with a bunch of carrots.
3. 3 small heads of red cabbage with this recipe. OMG it is fabulous!!!!!! http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/braised-red-cabbage-with-bacon-10712
I didn't use near the vinegar or chicken broth and it's fine (like maybe 25% of what it called for).
4. A bag of sweet bell peppers (purple/green/yellow) sauted with red onions, garlic scapes followed by 2 large handfuls of kale from our garden.
5. 3 cucumbers marinated with a little EVOO/balsamic vinegar and topped with Feta cheese.

We're set for the week for lunch and dinner. Just add a little protein! We hosted a patio party Thursday night and we're still eating the leftover grilled chicken. 1 tonight for dinner and the last one tomorrow night.

I know I paid for the CSA share but since I wrote the check back in November it's kinda feeling free this summer:D

So it's meals in this week for us!

[freshstart]

freshstart - do you like beans?

I had a bad start as a kid with kidney and lima beans. I would have a Mexican standoff with my dad and have to sit there til they were gone and as they got colder, the more I hated them. He would then serve them to me at every meal until I cracked and ate them. So I have avoided beans after that fun trip down memory lane. but you've got me re-thinking them. it would make a complete protein with the rice. I'll just have to experiment. thanks for the suggestion. My dad was such a jerk back then. And my beloved dog, who would help me out of these scenarios, was like, "Even I ain't eating cold 3 day old lima beans, you're on your own," lol.

[rosarugosa]

And my beloved dog, who would help me out of these scenarios, was like, "Even I ain't eating cold 3 day old lima beans, you're on your own," lol.
This cracks me up :) I'm so glad you've managed to keep your sense of humor despite all the adversity!

[Tybee]

Took back unneeded plumbing part to Home Depot, got 2.50 dollars in credit, so that new electric part only cost 83 cents.
For dinner we split a sandwich from Panera, using up rest of my credit card rewards gift card, so dinner cost 47 cents.
Used saved up change to splurge and buy a bundt pan, but bought the nicer Nordic one for 19 dollars.
Electric bill this summer only about 80 dollars as we hang all laundry on the line; 80 includes a window unit in one bedroom so I can sleep at night in the heat.

[Geila]

I had a bad start as a kid with kidney and lima beans. I would have a Mexican standoff with my dad and have to sit there til they were gone and as they got colder, the more I hated them. He would then serve them to me at every meal until I cracked and ate them. So I have avoided beans after that fun trip down memory lane. but you've got me re-thinking them. it would make a complete protein with the rice. I'll just have to experiment. thanks for the suggestion. My dad was such a jerk back then. And my beloved dog, who would help me out of these scenarios, was like, "Even I ain't eating cold 3 day old lima beans, you're on your own," lol.

Haha! You're so funny :).

This passage reminded me of one from the book The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. I think you might like it.

I don't like lima beans either. Rick Bayless has a recipe for drunken pinto beans that turns them into a very tasty soup - uses bacon :) - maybe that would help?

[SiouzQ.]

NOTHING about this past month has been frugal with the move and all that (though I have to remember I got a lot of money from selling my stuff, and people donating $$$ for the moving cause. I also got $1000 from my new bosses for moving expenses. But it seems like I am just bleeding money getting my new life set up and I am constantly going to Santa Fe to get X, Y and Z to make this new lifestyle work. It's not like I am broke, it's just that constant pulling out the credit card and cash paying for stuff that I am not used to after being so frugal for so long. None of it is optional purchases at this point, either!

My one frugal yesterday turned out to be something I can use as a bedside table. I'd looked at Target (don't want to spend that much on a piece of Chinese crud), I've looked at Restore, I've looked at Savers (a large thrift store), and some big store that had a lot of cool Mexican furniture but WAY more than I want to spend. Since this little table is not a super-high priority, I kept putting it off. I almost bought something at Restore for $35 yesterday but I just didn't want to spend even that much. I am finding very little in the way of used furniture out here in Santa Fe; Ann Arbor always had an over abundance of places that sold used stuff. I kind of miss that! But I digress. When I got home last night I needed to look in the backyard shed for something and I found one of those cheap white melamine narrow three shelf things (probably from Target, as I used to have some back home in Michigan that stored shoes in the closet). Anyway it fits in the spot I needed it to and I can put my lamp and clock on it, plus books and a box of Kleenex on the lower shelves. It's not in the greatest condition, but it'll work. I did have to wash all the cobwebs and mud off of it (dirt floor shed). I found some contact paper in the gallery closet so I could decorate it and cover up the stains. Viola! Free stuff! My wallet stayed closed!

[iris lilies]

SiouxQ, good job woth the bedside table. I too am accustomed to a lot of easy-to -access used furniture in my area and I know that I could go out and get 3 tables you could use, today, from the alleyways?

hey, I have a question--where do you do,geocery shopping?Is that a trek to Santa Fe,as well?

[SiouzQ.]

Yes, I have been doing my grocery shopping in Santa Fe. Mostly at Trader Joe's, but I did find a Smith's (Kroger) and the Wholefoods (but now that I don't have a discount card I don't think I am going to be buying much there anymore). There is also a Sprouts Farmer's Market that is pretty good, and I can fill up my water jugs there for 25 cents a gallon.

Everything about shopping and cooking is a 360 degree change from what I am used to! It behooves me to keep a running list to get things every time I end up in Santa Fe. I've been stocking up on non-perishables so I always have something, and then filling in on fresh things every time I go to town. I am going to go purchase an electric frying pan tomorrow, after doing a lot of research on those two burner cook tops. From what I gather, I think it is going to be a waste of money for me, since many of the consumer reviews say it takes about 30 minutes to boil a pot of water! I have a rice cooker, so I think if I soak some pasta for a while and then finish it off in the rice cooker, I could have some sort of pasta dishes. I'll get a deep-sided electric pan and be able to make marinara sauces and such. It's kind of fun trying to figure out how to "make" do and get things done!

[iris lilies]

SIouzQ, why do you have to carry water?

I bet you are right about staying away from a two burner device. Sounds like you have a good selection of small appliances that will work for you. Your cooking situation is very interesting to me because I see so many airbnb places that have a microwave, sink, small fridge, and I think with a rice cooker and electric fryng pan, quite a lot can be cooked.

DH makes apple ceisp weekly, and he cooks it in a microwave.

[sweetana3]

An electric single burner Induction unit would do you well. Brings water to a boil in just a few minutes. Yet is totally safe when the pan is off the burner. I could do well with one burner and a combo microwave/oven small unit.

Some ideas: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=induction+coktop

[JaneV2.0]

Think about an electric pressure cooker like the Instant Pot, that can cook a lot of different things (rice, roasts, vegetables, yogurt, beans) quickly, with minimal energy output.

[Meezer_Mom]

I bought an electric skillet at a yard sale for $5. Zojirushi. My "Zo". I love my Zo. It treats me right.