Sunday Savings and Bloopers

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.

Life in the frugal lane musters on.In efforts to keep my spending in check and maximize savings, I'm attempting to hold myself accountable yet celebrate the successes. I missed Frugal Friday, so how about Sunday Savings instead.

1. Sunday Soup Swap: I met four other music mama's for a day of making soup, and then swapping them out. I made my pasta fagiole, which is embarrassingly simple and frugal to make. Well, not embarrassing, but humbling. Mine is just the basic onion, carrot, celery, in a vegetable broth variety base, about 8 cups. Then I add a 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes, 15 oz. can of chili beans, two medium diced red potatoes, and loads of chili pepper. Once all vegetables are soft, I add 8 oz. of pasta, for a spicy and hearty vegetarian soup. I came home with the following; chicken wild rice, red pepper, chili, and lemon chicken orzo. There's about three cups of each so enough for the three of us, with a grilled or cold sandwich on the side.

We took over J's kitchen and filled 25 containers with soup.

2. Dollar Tree freezer containers: Estimating that the 5 of us would each need 4-5 containers, I splurged for the group since I didn't host the soup swap, nor the cookie making the girls were doing simultaneously. Eight three packs of 3 1/2 cups size containers only set me back $8.63 including tax. Equivalent glad ware or Ziploc would have been 2-3X more, and I find plastic gets brittle once frozen anyway, so likely these will be used just the one time. 

3. Our last Cobornes haul had many of the in store brand that give extra gas points. I saved a whopping $3.00 of a tank of gas after my misstep Thursday morning over paying because I didn't plan well on Thursday. Filling the tank for under $25 is a huge win.

4. A work friend is trying to teach me to crochet. I was going to buy a hook, but she has lots of extras she gets when she buys skeins of yarn at Goodwill.  Apparently frustrated "hookers" leave their hooks behind when they donate their cast offs. It might not be my thing, but at least I am getting to try for free. Maybe I'll even get a few dish rags made for frugal Christmas gifts?

5. I didn't renew Real Simple or Country Living.  These were staples in my younger mom years, looking and planning, and dreaming. Now, they often sit unread until I finally get around to the stock pile. Most content is on-line, and I can get circulation copies of older magazines whenever I want for the library. Savings money and in garbage, even if recycled. 

And for Bloopers, I've had a few.

1. Medical co pays and non-covered prescriptions. The extra visits each come with a $35 copay. Plus, the mineral supplements added to my regime were non prescription, so instead of $4.00, I got spend the lovely price of $16.97. Had they been prescription strength, they would have been covered. Had I known they were going to just be the same that could be bought at Target or Walmart for 1/2 price, I also would have saved a bundle. 

2. Badly in need of a cup of coffee in between appointments, I went through the T-Bell drive through and splurged on a cup for $1.49, requesting two creams. When I went for my first sip, it was undrinkable for me as they must have put the flavored, sweet creamers in, which I cannot stand. Money wasted, and no coffee pick me up. 

3. Forgot to fill up my gas tank before work Thursday morning, and needed it before getting to work. I paid $2.05 per gallon when in town the price was $1.99, plus I have loads of cents off gallons coupons and points for the stations in town as opposed to those in the cities. I didn't fill my tank, just put in 1/3 because it was the principle of the thing. See #3 above. 

4. Overspent on leggings-that do not fit: Both pairs of leggings/tights I picked up do not fit me properly. I overspent on them, despite a buy two get a third item free (gloves for DD2 for Christmas). This wasn't a total fail as I'll give to DD1 who will get use out of them, but dang, now I still need to buy some for myself. 

5. Managed to pull myself together for a couple hours to meet a few friends on Saturday. I just drank sprite/cranberry, but DH had a long week and enjoyed a few premium ciders. Dinner, drinks,and tips pretty much ate the balance of the November entertainment budget.

I enjoy reading your success and commiserating with you on your fails.  Any great wins on your end this week?