Meals and a H&G Final Tally

     I got in one more post before we are on the road this morning. I ended February at $350.55 which included all cleaning and personal and pet food, meals at home, most lunches at work, and most breakfasts. I slipped a few McDonalds coffee's and breakfast sandwiches in there (with a coupon), a coffee at the capitol before a meeting, plus a friend lunch. DH had an Arby's stop, but I believe that was the extent of his fast food. We still had sme high costs on spending on food, eating out and entertainment this month-mostly because of the wedding shower and bachelorette, which were one time events. We ate out with friends one time and I had book club, and three nights of Trivia. DH took his mom out for lunch one day, and a former coworker once. When I get a free moment, I'm going to go back over 2019 visa and tally up the fast food, get an average, and compare to December, January, and February averages. I'm going to guess we reduced by a minimum of 50 if not 70%. 

     I know we do not need to be on as tight of a budget as I am striving for. We both make good incomes and our general living expenses are low since we own our home. It's more that I don't want to waste money on things that one, are not healthy and two, do not add any positive value to our life. While there is still another week in February, other than Trivia, I think we are done with spending and on Thursday will know what we officially can put into savings. March, like February, has me getting my first paycheck after all our bills are due. This is why we deferred not putting any savings in the bank in January. April is close-I get paid on the 10th-still after some bills are due. By May we balance better, so whatever we stick away in  February, March, and April, divided by four, will most likely give us a better idea of what we might see as monthly savings average for the rest of the year. Where I am still off is that January was a 3 paycheck month, so we should have been ahead, but with DH basically not working in December, that third check just off set his loss of income. 

     This was only supposed to be a H&G tally post, but it all gets muddled when I think financially. Meal planning is just as muddled! I stopped on Friday on my way home and we had a Take and Bake pizza from Aldi. As I want to start fresh in March, I tried to buy just needed items for meals I have in mind. Some of this will be repeats from last week as we never got to some things. We finished off the pork, the soup, the peppers, and had spaghetti this week and managed not to waste food, which makes me smile.  

• Cottage Pie with loads of vegetables
• Crock pot pasta
• Tacos/Burritos or bowls
• Homemade chicken nuggets and tator tots
• Tuna hotdish
• leftovers at least one night

     No need to plan for any meals today, and I think Monday will be leftover night and a make ahead for Tuesday and Wednesday. I'll prepare the homemade chicken nuggets for DH to make in the air fryer, his new toy. I still have to figure a better storage place for it, but it has become a staple appliance, so a good decision to give him as a gift. DD2 is home sometime Friday night. I know she'll sleep in and I'll do a stock up shop Saturday morning. That's my plan to end February, a month of red hearts, in the black. How about you? What meals have you been eating? Have you mastered the use of leftovers?