We all are hearing and probably feeling the lamentations of things getting more expensive from food to utilities to fuel for our vehicles. With out goal of reducing our spending by $150 average per month, the higher costs make that more of a challenge. I still think it is possible while still living a good and scrupulous life. Part of that is looking at how and when I can make the best use of my time, resources, and money .Here's my summary for the week.
Time
- Spent time with both girls on Saturday doing simple things like a Trader Joe's run, a browse in Barnes and Noble, Whole Foods, and Target. We bought a few splurges to help my older daughter transition while her mouth heals, and fun items for the college kid to take back.
- I did last minute loads of clothes and sent her back to school with likely enough clean clothes, not including under garments, to almost get through to Thanksgiving break. We are not a wear it once and wash it family but use the sight and smell test!
- Enjoyed a quiet Sunday getting a few things done, making yummy food for my kids (pumpkin bread, curry, vegan mac and cheese) and getting the handful of Trick or Treaters. I'm glad we still participate and hand out treats. We had an especially nice group of kiddos this year.
- DH and I just went and got our booster for Covid today. I feel more positive about holiday and winter gatherings.
- Took DD2 and my MIL out for supper on Saturday. It was the really only chance that their schedules aligned as my MIL had company during the week.
- Yet more garbage pick up when walking pup and then separated recyclables
- My daughter gave items form her refrigerator and freezer she wouldn't be able to eat before they went bad to both DD2 and me.
- The rescheduled furnace tune up is today, so that should help ensure more efficiency with our heat this winter.
- As I thought, our water bill was higher than previous quarters, but not as much as I had feared. We are not a lawn watering family and try and be conscious of letting water run needlessly.
Money
- It feels like I didn't have any real savings this week, but just this morning I checked the Ibotta items for the free Thanksgiving meal rebates. I'll add the items to my shopping list.
- Gave my daughter the receipts from Saturday to upload into her Fetch. I'm still not fully on board with the apps yet.
- My daughter and I compared our pantry's/fridge before buying additional ingredients for the mac and cheese/squash dish and between us, we had everything we needed. It was a good way to try a new recipe without buying ingredients that might have limited use.
- While we really like the Aldi Gyro kit, I made sort of a homemade version with clearance pita bread, cooked then sliced thin chicken, and my own spices. I made my own Tzatziki with plain yogurt, cucumber, and lemon juice. I estimate my 6 (the chicken was still the expensive pack Dh bought) cost about $6.50. The kits at Aldi are now $7.99 for five. I'll play with spices to get the flavor more "Greek", but if I find clearance pita's again this will be on our menu.
- Edited to add-Bought a Sam's Club membership for one year trial at $19.99 after they launched the special again I'm going tonight to get the card, and we get a free rotisserie chicken and 8 free cupcakes. If we don't feel it is worth it, we'll cancel before renewing next year.
There's nothing better than making your own food. I used to buy quite a bit of prepared food, but realised that it costs much more and doesn't taste half as good as my own cooking.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with making gyros, but for the tzatziki, use
Plain yogurt
Sour cream
Lemon juice (preferably fresh)
Some dill
Garlic (fresh)
Cucumber of course :)
I got the recipe from a blogger friend years ago & always use it with my falafels. HTH
Mine was pretty close to that, but no sour cream, and my garlic was not fresh. We have a very Americanized definition of Gyro, so don't put too much on my version. It basically is what I call think sliced meat folded into a pita with tomato, onion, and cucumber and the sauce. I think in the UK they might call it kabob, or I've heard Shawarma used as well, bu tI think these all have specific real ways of making them-not my way.
DeleteWe do a similar recipe to the above, but no sour cream
DeleteDo you ever use the GasBuddy app? That might help. You can use it anywhere by entering the zip code.
ReplyDeleteGas prices are all pretty much the same in our community.
DeleteI think, other than circumstances requiring us to go to Costco yet again, we did pretty well. The requisite rotisserie chicken was eaten for dinner the day of the trip, and the leftovers made into a wonderful slow cooker chicken enchilada soup for yesterday's dinner. While it got great reviews, I didn't have any as I actually ate out yesterday--I went with neighbor to watch her daughter's ballet class, and they insisted I join them for their traditional dinner afterwards, and also insisted she pay for my meal. It was a nice treat. This neighbor is a very hard working essential worker, and I cherish the time I can spend with her, even if I have to sit in a restaurant to do it!
ReplyDeleteI have been avoiding browsing in stores, but our local thrift shop did have a Christmas event, and my daughter wanted me to go. We found some gorgeous, new in box, Gorham crystal Christmas mugs, $3/box, 2/box. Three boxes came home with us. Three boxes came home with me. We are an eggnog with rum, hot mulled cider family during the fall/early winter, and these are perfect! Kids were excited to see them. We also spied a new in box Hallmark Keepsake ornament which Daughter said would be perfect for Eldest's Advent gift. She was right, he will love it, and at $1, I couldn't argue. I put up homemade Advent calendars and stuff them with things like pens, combs, gum, hot sauce and socks. Feast of St. Nicholas sees each kid getting a new ornament, so this was quite a find.
Beyond that, I am going to avoid deliberately heading into any stores for the rest of the month, absent of loss leaders. (I *will* be running to a local grocery store for several bags of red potatoes, $1.99/5lb. today. Other than that, I have the supplies for a Thanksgiving dinner, and I feel set for Christmas. Kids have been warned it will be a modest Christmas again, and, of course, they scoffed, in light of the crystal mugs. I am trying not so much to curtail spending, but to halt the addition of items into our home with our move projected in February.
I just added an edit as I forgot to say, I bought a Sam's Club membership for one year trial at $19.99 after they launched the special again I'm going tonight to get the card, and we get a free rotisserie chicken and 8 free cupcakes. If we don't feel it is worth it, we'll cancel before renewing next year. I'm excited to fill my advent box-even if it only gets used for a week or so when my kids are around. I might use it for a Christmas eve game with the great nieces and nephews too.
DeleteHello Sam, Food prices tend to be much higher in Taiwan, although occasionally you can find a relative bargain. Recently I ran out of oatmeal, and bought instead some oat-and-rye flakes that were cheaper and I found I like better. I eat them uncooked, with coconut water on them--I never understood how anyone could cook oatmeal!
ReplyDelete--Jim
ooh-the cereal sounds tasty, but I'd probably eat hot. I hat the thought of refrigerator oats! Different tastes I guess.
DeleteActually, I put the cup, oats, and coconut water all in the freezer to get them extra icy! (Although I am not quite sure what you mean by "refrigerator oats.") --Jim
DeleteOvernight or refrigerator oats are the "new thing" it seems, in households, coffee shops, restaurants etc. where oatmeal, flavorings, and milk or other liquid of choice are layered, and then put in the refrigerator overnight-usually in a covered mason jar, for a grab and go portable breakfast. For example, the Chunky monkey oats have oatmeal, banana slices, peanut butter, and chocolate chips layered, then milk poured over. It's quite trendy, but I find it gross! I want a hot steaming bowl of oatmeal, a little brown sugar and cinnamon.
DeleteUncooked oatmeal can be really challenging on the digestive system. I do love baked oatmeal, & peanut butter/chocolate is one of my favorites! :-)
DeleteI agree with you, Sam, I think those overnight refrigerator oats are nasty. I won't be making them again.
DeleteI do like a hot bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar or apples and cinnamon. I'm not a fan of steel cut oats either.
I'd rather microwave a bowl of leftover rice with a bit of sugar an milk added. I would never serve, nor suggest anybody eat uncooked oats. Oh, the pain. These food trends are such jokes...remember salad in a jar?
DeleteYep prices are really going up here too. I saw on Tuesday that the price of gas (for the car) has gone up about 20c a litre in probably three months. Thankfully for me it doesn't make that much difference as I don't do much mileage but that has got to hurt those that have to commute. And I agree, cooking at home from scratch has always got to be better AND cheaper than buying ready made/take out!
ReplyDeleteI went back and looked at annual averages for gas in the US. As it was an annual average, I'll be curious to see how 2021 comes out as there were high average in multiple years. It does get people thinking about gas use doesn't it.
DeleteSounds like a good week! I'm glad you were able to spend time with family, and I know your daughter appreciates all the clean clothes. Hope you don't have any trouble with the booster shot.
ReplyDeletePrices are going up here too. I'm still trying to buy things on sale, and kroger finally had their canned tomatoes on sale for .50 each, so I stocked up. I like the redgold brand so should be set for a while. Your gyro sounds good. I need to try making my own too. Thanks for the tip. I did splurge on the cheese advent calendar at aldi. We love cheese, and it is fun to try a new cheese every day. :)
I heard the Advent calendars pretty much sold out the day released and people waited in line around here. I picked up a simple chocolate one at Trader Joes for 99 cents-I though that was an excellent buy
DeleteSmart move to compare the pantry before making a dish. I can't tell you how many times I have bought duplicates just because I did not check beforehand.
ReplyDeleteI sure didn't need 1/2 gallon of plant based milk or a full box of cornstarch. I ten dot use flour as thickener.
Delete65 is my go to temp also. Gas is 3.16 in the college town north of here and 3.27 in the little bitty town where I work. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteMy office is next to the laundry room so if I through a load of something in, I get residual heat. I might creep it down a degree or two and see if DH complains.
DeleteI really appreciate your professional approach.These are pieces of very useful information that will be of great use for me in future.
ReplyDeleteប្រដាល់តាមអនឡាញ_Thai Boxing