I sure have gotten away from any attempt at real meal planning in July, well mae for the summer. With DD2 bringin home assorted produce tems, the excessive heat, and work schedules that crept well past proper meal time prepping, I've just sort of flied by the seat of my pants. I had been tracking groceries, and think I've stayed well within my budget (combined Household stuff, grocery, and H&B) of $500, but I'd like August to be an opportunity to make better meal choices and enjoy what summer has readily available. With two full weeks off this month, plus us being back to a two person household after the 21st, my goal will be to both spend less and eat better thought out meals. Most of July was top off shops-nothing really planned. At some point this week, I'll do a real shop but likely not today, though we need fresh fruit. Here's a list of potential meals that I can make regardless of if I do a big shop or not.
Stuffed pasta shells and sauce
Homemade sausage pizza with assorted vegetables
Stuffed peppers (though likely with something else. This is a favorite of mine, but not so much others)
Goulash
Apple Sausage Cheddar meatballs and rice pilaf
Grilled cheese with tomatoes, roasted potatoes
Toasty dogs and au gratin potatoes
Tacos with rice and beans
Spinach, onion, and cheddar quiche
DD2 will take leftovers for lunch, and prefers over a sandwich, so I'll put a serving aside each day for her. I've plenty of deli meat for the week, but cheese is running low. I'll add that to the short list with fruit for a needed top off. I plan to get corn and have with at least two meals, and what isn't eaten, I'll strip the kernels and freeze for fall corn chowder. While the excessive heat has lessened (Still hot though), I am not happy that so much of these meals will need my oven. I'll try and do some baking at the same time and make a dent in the supply of frozen bananas and clear out a few lingering pantry items.Baked goods will be a nice breakfast change and add items for packed lunches.
I needed a spray bottle and a few other odds and ends and just popped into the Dollar Tree yesterday. I grabbed soft butter (probably overpaid per ounce, but kept me from making another stop) a loaf of wheat bread, and hot dog buns. The cashier mentioned likely this will be the last of the bread products they will have. The ingredients have gotten so high, the seller increased their prices to where it was no longer cost effective for DT to carry. I'm seeing stories and blog posts everywhere on how the cost of basics are going up and up. One of my favorite YouTube Channels, Frugal Fit Mom, posted on June 25th comparing several staples now to a year ago. She deduced that while there is some inflation, overall, not the severity of which people are lamenting. This might already be dated though as things have seemed to change even in the last few weeks. I guess my strategy will be to keep doing as much cooking for scratch, using what I have, and trying to avoid waste. Feel free to comment on this, or what you are cooking this week.
I haven't purchased any clothing for myself yet this year. I thought of that last night as I was trying to mate socks, and struggling to ind the opposite one of about three airs. Socks in my house are more disposable commodity. I do not have a clue where they go. Granted with each wash, I find at least one pair of DH's of DD2's that need to be pitched or ragged. Underwear as well seems more disposable than actual articles of clothing, though with my bust (and DD2 for her size will have this issue as well) my bras tend to be a bit spendy. Even though I haven't bought new socks or under garments for myself, I know I will need to. However, since I have gone five weeks already without purchasing any new clothes, I'm wondering how far into the year I can go without buying anything new, or new to me? Weight loss goals aside, I'm sure I could turn my closet over to a capsule wardrobe expert and they could weed it down to about twenty pieces or less that should stay in my closet, and the rest pack up and donate.
No stocking up on cheap sweaters!
In the winter, I rotate among just a couple pairs of pants and skirts. I love chunky sweaters, but with my internal temperature being on the fritz, I find I have to dress in layers, so at least wear a t-shirt under for when I feel like a combustion engine. My favorite sweater is just a plain gray Ann Taylor button up cardigan that I think I've had at least six years.I actually use it year round because of the over the top inside air conditioning in our office. When I find things I like, I'll buy in twos and I have the same sweater in Black, but it has disappeared. I keep hoping it turns up, but I bet I left it behind on a business trip at some point.
My summer wardrobe is mostly dresses, or skirts and short sleeve top, always though with a sweater nearby. I'm not very fashion conscious, but hope I at least look neat and professional. I'd say my peers and colleagues dress in similar standards, so I'm in place. At my last job, I and a male colleague who pretty much wore shirt and tie each day, were jokingly made fun of for our "corporate attire". It was very much a casual Friday job, Monday-Friday, but leaning towards Saturday too casual for my taste. While I occasionally will wear jeans and do not wear full on suits unless that kind of a meeting day, I just don't like the look at work like I'm heading out for a day to my kids soccer games. Maybe it's all the years I taught preschool, and if I survived the day without paint, food, or worse things on me, I considered myself well dressed. Being able to wear real clothes and feel like a professional was important to me when I took my first office job. I've just stayed in that mode.
Yoga pants need to stay on the yoga mat.
With I eye and mind to save some funds this year, use what I have so I am not being wasteful or frivolous, I'm going to see how well I can dress without needing to shop outside of my own closet. At the same time, I'll challenge myself to weed out the items that do not fit well or that I do not enjoy wearing. It will be time to pull out accessories and learn to mix and match items to create new to me looks. Wile I won't say I 'm not buying any clothing, I'll post for accountability what I do buy and how much I spend. No, this blog will not turn into fashion, but I might be fishing for some feedback from you all.
DD2 and I finally got to Kohl's to look at and buy a couple swim suits. Their selection was not great, and particularly not that great for a 16 year old that while isn't that fashion conscious, has very particular preferences in swim wear. For a tiny girl, she , like her mother, is well endowed on top, so finding petite suits, but with adequate coverage, comfort, and moveability is essential. In our family, swim suits are meant to, well, be used when swimming, not just as summer fashion. Some styles ridiculously forgot that is the chief purpose behind. The one good thing about shopping for suits with her as that as she always gets a two piece, she can buy separates, finding good fitting bottoms in different sizes, and looks than the top. She manged to find two of both, but oh, could they have been expensive. Everyone knows no one ever pays retail price at Kohl's. Everything is always on Sale, but just for amusement sake, here is my receipt that shows the original pre-sale prices.
Did you gasp, laugh, or fall over? Her suits would have been $80 for one, and $64 for the other. We spent $36.44, and $24.72, by the time the proportionate amount of savings was applied, a 54% savings. I'm in Sluggy status here!
Besides her trip, as soon as the the weather is warm, DD2 spends days upon days in swim wear at the cabin, boating with friends, at a friends house who has a pool, vacations and weekend trips. Even with a delicate wash and line dry, they don't make it in good condition beyond a year, though she holds on to the ones from the year before as back-up. I generally am a little less rough on my suits, but due to size, quality of support, I have to invest good money in my annual swim wear purchase, though only buy one per year, and pretty much can't get by, even with sales for under $50. We get by cheap for DH, usually finding pretty basic swim trunks at end of year clearance in decent brands. Still, even if bought prime time in the spring, his one trunk is half what DD2's little suits will cost. I'm hard pressed to think of what DD2 purchased for new school clothes last fall. Perhaps new under garment's, socks, shoes, and perhaps a sweatshirt. Last night she picked out four graphic t-shirts, another pair of shorts, and some Capri khaki's. By layering Kohl's cash from DH's last work shoe purchase, a $10 anniversary coupon for him, a $5.00 points card, and 20% off, two swim suits, four t-shirts, one pair of shorts, and the Capris came to $121.55, with another $20 in Kohl's cash returned to me. Sometimes, it is o.k. to spend money. While the swimsuits were a need, the rest was not, but sometimes it feels good to treat my daughter to something new before she heads out on an adventure.
Finally, Friday evening was spent in the grocery store (we're exciting
that way), doing a proper big shop for the month. I added up,starting
with DH's run last Sunday, to all my little stops last and this week and the February grocery tally is at $168,
leaving a targeted balance of $132. For household/personal, I've bought
nothing but necessities as I was fairly well supplied going into the
month. I anticipate needing dog food, dishwasher detergent,
toothpaste,and toilet paper, before months end. I said I was doing well, but then DH went to the store on my behalf, and $40 later, I'm now within $2 of my target, without the things we need purchased yet. Well, make that $11, as $9.00 of his was spent on a massive bag of Hershey's treasure chocolates. DH is a candy fiend some weeks and his wild chocolate spending isn't going to be counted.To be fair, I had forgotten we needed glass stove top cleaner and the specific Dove soap he uses, which also is his shaving cream, and he picked up toothpaste. I could nickle and dime the household and grocery lines, but that would be more expensive in the long run. I don't have a stock pile of items. I'm neither a savvy enough shopper nor have the storage space-yet, but I hate running out of essentials and paying more than I should if I had just bought a larger quality to begin with. I ran into Walgreen's for a prescription and passed the small section of outer wear and hosiery. On sale were leggings at $3.99 a pair, over half off. I can't buy cheapo tights for that so thought I would give them a try, bought two pairs. I was actually quite impressed. I worried they wouldn't be long enough and stretchy enough in the waste, but fit perfectly. We have a lot of winter cold left, plus are good for keeping in my lake bag when it gets colder at night to switch into to with a sweat shirt. I'm constantly misplacing leggings, then they turn up, so having a few extras is helpful, I wear with very long sweaters and under dresses with boots or flats. In a rare twist, all they had left was my size, not smaller sizes for my daughters or I would go back and grab some for them. I might still for me, and just tuck away for future use.
This is my version of stockpiling, keeping enough on hand so I don't have to do an overly expensive dash to the store for an essential. I don't always plan so well, but most of the time I do. I like to have no less than a weeks extra supply of t.p. beyond the spare roll in the bathrooms, an extra shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, spare tooth brushes and toothpaste, but I don't have shelves of these things. In my underclothes drawer, I almost always have a few new items, just in case, but for the most part, I replace clothing as it is needed. While I'd like to do better at scoring items at ridiculously low prices, I need a storage system that can better accommodate, so for now, my little bit extra plan works well for us. Perhaps this spring when I take a week off, just to work around the
house, I'll complete my projects, including the office, turning the
closet into my gift and stockpile storage. How do you stock up ahead for your family or personal use? Do you have any unconventional storage tips to help those of us that would like to do better, but don't have the space. How do you manage your use?
I am on fire this weekend on the frugality department. If this was baseball, and I was at bat, I'd say I hit that frugal all to the upper bleachers. Let me start first with the CVS finds. I noticed on their sign 90% off seasonal when running DD to a friends house. I popped in on my way home, and hit the mother load of buys on flip flops. Now I usually try and find this staple of cabin wear for every member of my family each fall, so expected at some point to find some deals to tuck away, but not like this. In all I bought nine sets of flip flops and spent $6.50, an average of $0.72 per pair. High quality they are not, but something to throw on your feet on hot sand, public showers at pools, and not care if they get left behind, I'll take it. They were out of extra large womens for DD1, and I found a neutral blue two set in the equivalent men's size, but once home, I think they were mismarked as they look huge. I'll pass on to my 6'7" nephew, for the grand sum of $1.50 for two pairs. I am a generous aunt.
I scored this adorable beach pillow and a sign that said "This Way to the Beach" probably as little gifts for my MIL for Mother's Day next year for the new lake cabin. Again, showing my frugality, together the two came to $1.60. then there were fun little trinkets for the summer, including these glasses that I could not pass by! Added to the glow stick necklaces I bought at 90% off, cheap fun for 4th of July 2017. I bought a gift for DD1 for her birthday-something novel I think she will like, and some summer glass charms I'll throw in my SIL's birthday gifts later this fall. I don't need glass charms as my glasses are so mismatched it doesn't matter! On my next at bat, I clicked a link to a frugal blog I never read before and learned Walgreen's had a free 8"by10" promo, but it expired yesterday. Slightly bummed out as I wanted to get the photo DD1 cleaned up for me of our family in our nicer dinner wear on the cruise, printed in that size to replace the one from our last full family trip, nine years ago. I thought to Google Walgreen free photo, and what do you know, a new promo code FREE4FALL got me the same offer! After ordering that, I though I should have ordered a smaller version for MIL, my desk at work, and for each of the kids, and found a promo FORTY4FALL that gave me an additional 40% of that. You can only do one promo code per order, but placing two separate, I was able to use both, spending a whole $3.95 on what would have been $15.14, a $74% savings. (I'm picturing Sluggy beaming with pride at what she has taught me.) I went three for three when I turned my attention towards using up food, and preventing food waster. A batch of muffins that used a $0.40 jiffy corn bread mix, 1 egg, and two expired pots of strawberry banana yogurt turned into 12, "weird, but still good" according to DD2, muffins. Three free tomatoes about to go bad, too soft to slice well for sandwiches, worked great with a can of $ .59 three bean salad, 1/2 can of olives, two string cheese sticks cut in little discs, and the remaining couple ounces in a bottle of Italian dressing, for a tasty salad. I finished the remaining third of a box of elbow macaroni. The final cost had to be under $2,00, and we will have with sandwiches for lunch, plus I'll get at least two lunches out of it this week.
I go in waves when I feel like I am mastering my budget. This weekend is giving me a thrill. Its a reminder that anyone can whip out their credit card and throw good money at stuff they want, whether that is clothing, gifts, house decor, or meals, but creative people can achieve the same results, and not jeopardize their household budgets and future security. Any great success out there?
We finally got around to getting DD2's new desk and bookshelf from IKEA today. It is only partially put together, so hoping to complete and have her ready and in study mode within a day or so. We did another few bags of clothes purging, clothes outgrown, no longer her style, or hand me downs she was on the fence about keeping so we still had them stuffed in drawers. After IKEA, I was brave and ventured finally to get school supplies. Today was Target Run Day, and that meant 10% off the entire purchase with the mobile coupon or the one from the flyer. I also matched the flyer with the weekend coupons and am stocked up for months on toilet paper, paper towels, hair product, deodorant, and personal supplies, plus a big old 250 count ibuprofen. Because I bought my camera through Amazon, I put my gift card hoard towards this shop. Still, after $170 in gift cards, I still had to come up with $56! Yes, $226 spent at target after $8 in coupons and the 10%. I did earn $25 in new Target cards which I will safely tuck away for Christmas. To be honest with you, I don't even know how it got away from me so heavily. Granted, the paper and personal products weren't cheap, and I bought multiples, so that takes the pain away bit. DD needed a graphing calculator, which was another sorry chunk of change. The rest was i staplers, and specific folder types, and the dreaded three ring binders and a dozen other things that just make the back to school bill go up and up. I guess I shouldn't lament too much. We ran into an acquaintance at the register next to ours moving her daughter into her first college apartment later this week. Loaded with rugs, ottomans with built in storage, floor lamps and dish ware, their tally exceeded $300. I should have invited her over for a glass of white. She looked like she needed it as much as I do. Here's to a good end of August and smooth sailing into September.
As I suspected, we are in the negatives for July in making
efforts towards our December 31 savings targets, but not quite as bad as I had
first thought it was going to be, ending at -$633. On a more positive note, I am pleased to say we ended August in
groceries at $298.77. Not bad at all, and if I really wanted to play Mother
Hubbard, I think I could scrape together meals for another week, bizarre ones,
but meals all the same. So with knowledge of what we have in stock, I am aiming
for August again to be under $300. To add to the challenge, I want to keep household
(personal, cleaning, laundry etc.) at under $50, and meals out, not counting
the vacation meals, at under $100. I won’t count DH’s lunches-no control there
on my part, and I won’t count a few activities DD2 has with friends that will
need lunch money.
I’m not even going to try and figure out what we spent
beyond groceries this month on entertainment and meals out. Eating out was as
much as ever, and I can’t even remember where and what we might have eaten. I splurged
well beyond my per diem in New Orleans, and last night, we had planned and did
end the month with pizza because DH was going to be at the cabin most of the
day. But hey, August 1 is a fresh start.
I checked our suit cases and one of our large ones still has
some life in it, and we use the large so infrequently, it didn’t make sense to
splurge on a new one. However, I found a carry on size, largest that will pass,
with the 360 turning wheels, for $50 at Gordman’s with another 20% off. It
seems as good a quality as the one I purchased for DD2 before Spain at Kohl’s
for $100, plus 30% off and $10 Kohl’s cash, so I guess a better buy once all discounts and earnings are applied. All our carry on size have handles that won’t extend,
or are ripping in seams. I really abused them the yearsI traveled for work. I found
some light weight knit dresses, perfect for layering with tights and sweaters,
to refurbish my summer to fall, and cruise appropriate wardrobe. These were not
originally in my plan, but with some of my purging, I am realizing the sorry
state of my work wardrobe. I really have purchased very little in the last
year, and these seemed practical, not indulgent, except perhaps the black one,
as I already have two black dresses.
So that was July. August has us going on vacation, with a
firm budget, and back to school expenses. As much as DD2 has clothes galore, it
just feels like a fresh start to a school year to let her get a couple new
things. Then there is school supplies and the list; I wish I had stock in three ring binders. I'm not sure how
to pack for the trip. It could get downright cold at night out on the Alaska
coast, but I’m thinking items that can be worn in layers and swapped and switched
out. I need to get DH’s suit to the dry cleaners-ouch that will eat 1/3 of the
household budget right there! Guess we’ll be using up the dribs and drabs of
our cleaning supplies, but the last of the laundry soap went in the washer this monring. How are you all gearing up for spending to close out
summer? Are splurging or cutting back, or like me, do you have a mix of both
going on?
For my fill in shopping list, I did better than I had anticipated, getting more for my money than I budgeted in my head. I still anticipate buying another 1/2 gallon, or a couple quarts of milk, but I have $4.39 left to spare, so every penny can go to milk and I will be spot on $300 for July. I spent $19.69 at Aldi's. My best buys were getting 5 pounds of potatoes for $1.89 instead of just buying a few loose ones, 2 pound bag of carrots for $1.29, and 3 pounds of onions for $1.69 -all twice as much as I thought I would buy. I even splurged on a bag of ranch flavored tortilla chips, not in my plan, but to go with hot dogs and salad if we go to the lake today. I'm not sure where I added wrong in my head, but happy for once I miscounted in the right direction. I made the cucumber and onion salad, and am trying not to make a pig out of myself with it, but I love it so much! Onions are such an underrated vegetable. They pack a punch cooked or raw. Are you an onion fan?
Saturday was stormy-hot and stormy, but I decided to bake anyway. About 12 years ago when we decided not to move, we upgraded all our kitchen appliances and I am still impressed with the insulation factor of my oven. I lose virtually no heat, so not worried that I'm going to tax the air conditioning. My results are four mini loaves of banana bread and instead of granola bars, I made three dozen oatmeal cookies. I popped 2 dozen, leaving us one dozen, in the freezer to pull out during the week so they stay nice and fresh as with only three of us, a full batch is too much to eat before they start losing their freshness. If we decide to go the lake today, I'll grab a bag from the freezer as swimming burns the calories on kids.I love a good oatmeal cookie; I use the Quaker Oats recipe, omitting raisins. I'm not tempted to eat the dough, and one cookie feels so much more substantial than a chocolate chip so I am satisfied with one. I did the tedious calculations and my cookies came to $2.31 for the batch, and bread came to $2.58, using my pantry food prices. I used the full cost of what bananas would be, though these were frozen past their prime bananas that might otherwise have been food waste.
To take us into the week, we are good with snacks and will over cook and set aside portions for lunches. We have sandwich meat and bread, and plenty of fruit as well. I have beef and chicken ready for mentioned meals,and will save time by doubling up prep sides such as rice and noodles when called for. The odd thing is, I used to always work my kitchen this way-it was a necessity for a family of five, with a baby/toddler and two active teenagers. I like the sense of order I feel, and the success over the budget is a great bonus. What does your week in meals look like?
I'm getting inspired by the savings plans of others that starts early and leads to a Christmas season that does not break the budget. First, let me start with the fact that I am trying to tone down Christmas on the gift front overall, and have been doing this the last few years with some success. While I love a good old fashion decorated house, specials treats, and all the trimmings, I've not strained the budget for these. I have loads of decorations that I use year to year and plan the special foods around what seems to be good buys, as I think the specialness come from the preparation and presentation more from the cost anyway. We've decreased whom we buy gifts for, and incorporate some "needs" into the gift giving for our immediate family. Still, I like to shop for special gifts that are just right, and needed, and spending a bit less, or getting more for my money will be appreciated. As DD#2 has another school trip, part of her gifts will be in trip form. My plan will be two fold. One, I'll continue to keep my eyes out for quality gifts and items that enhance the holiday year round. I am quite behind in that right now, and have nothing squirreled away. Wait, I just found an almost 1/2 price curling wand for DD#2 that she was saying she wanted during show choir season. One gift-check. Second, I will put little perks, refunds, and gift cards earned towards shopping later. This account has been started with a Target gift card earned, though not yet in hand. I'd love to accumulate $200 by December 1, or roughly 20% of what I am budgeting this year for all Christmas related spending. One point though, I need to be aware to not double count the savings and earnings. For example, Target is great at having buy X number of something, get a $5 gift card. I can count that $5.00 either as part of the initial savings on the household budget, or towards the Christmas fund-not both or it is artificial. There are some times when I'll need to do both, for example, I have $10 Kohl's cash to use now, when DD#1 used my card to purchase some needed work clothes so I could get the rewards, and she could get my discount, but it has short time window. I'll put it towards a few clearance items for the girls like socks or tights. I generally set a budget per person, but depending on how I am able to shop, like the Kohl's cash, I may spend less on one than another and just don't worry about being equal financially, but rather focus on the quality of the gift and if it is right for the recipient. I've decreased my budget for $1,200,as on paper we put $100 per month away for Christmas, to $1,000, and hope to have $200 of that in alternative cash. If successful, the $400 can either stay in regular savings, or be applied towards another goal area such as travel or home improvement. Any secret's out there for building your Christmas fund?
I dropped DD#2 off at the high school this morning. She has three days of choreography practice for show choir. Her school letter jacket, taken in to get updated at the end of the cross country season is done, so being that it is close to the school, I was going to swing in and pick it up at the specialty shop that does mostly school and sports team athletic wear. I was dumbfounded to see that it was closed. Here is the summary of the sign posted on their door. Regular Hours Mon - Wed9:00 am - 5:30 pm Thu9:00 am - 7:00 pm Fri9:00 am - 5:30 pm Sat-Sun Closed For the first minute after pulling out of the parking lot, I was annoyed. How can a business that relies on local business, knowing many people work out of town during the week, not be open on a Saturday? How inconvenient! Then my annoyance got a touch snarky. Must be nice to have bankers hours, except even the bank is open on Saturday mornings. Then my annoyance turned on myself. Why should the owners have to give up their weekends so that twits like me, that didn't bother to check their hours when they dropped off the jacket, plan for the pick up to fit their hours? They are open late one night, so it was easy enough that I could have swung by on my way home Thursday. Why should they stay open an extra day a week, when they clearly are dong a business that is thriving enough to stay in business for over 30 years? This is exactly the kind of plan I am hoping to build for my own life. I want to work in a job, or a business of my own that I enjoy, but I want to be able to have the time and flexibility to enjoy the rest of the time with family and friends, volunteer work, and doing other things that make me happy. This business owner found that balance, and here my first impulse was to be annoyed. No doubt they are also spending countless hours outside of the store open hours managing stock, coordinating embroidery work, and marketing their business. The more limited store though allows them to enjoy a cup of coffee or a nice morning walk. If they have children or grandchildren, they can get to school or other activities on evenings and weekends. They can take a weekend away, almost unheard of for small business retailers. They can sit down for dinner.
Cheapolife is tracking the stores that are not going to open on Thanksgiving. As retailers are now marketing the fact that they are not going to be open on Thanksgiving, they might have taken a lesson out of this stores playbook.
I had a very lovely Thanksgiving all in all, starting Wednesday night learning my kids who recently moved out west and have been living in in some precarious short term housing, have found and had application accepted for a sweet apartment in their desired area, and they can move in today. They're going to be roomies, with a couple friends of my son's. DD#1's angst seems to have dissipated a bit, and she wants to give the move a good year before making any permanent decision.
We started our day with an annual charity run/walk. It was lower turnout because temperature at the start of the race was 1 degree; yes you read correctly,1 degree. Pup still did well, though I held him most of the pre-walk time so his little paws wouldn't get too cold. We've tried the little boot things, but he's not having them. DD#2 ran the full 8K where I and my niece just did the 2K family walk. DD#2 has become a better runner, but she was disappointed in her time. For being only 13, new to this type of run, and running a distance twice as far as her cross country meets, in the bitter cold, with icy patches all over, I think she rocked it! Hubby lingered around with the other spectators, possibly dodging into one of the bar and grill's that opened early and just for the duration of the run, to serve coffee and hot chocolate drinks. I hope the run raised the money they were hoping for. Historically this run generates between 1/4 and 1/ 3 of the annual operating budget of our town's family services agency, and last year topped $100,000. Hunger and homelessness abound even in a Lake Wobegon community like ours.
Love DD#1's Yoda hat, stolen from her sister, but kept her little ears toasty.
We had two family gatherings. We spent noon lunch with DH's family, and I brought two delicious sides of a roasted yam and carrot dish and a broccoli salad. I made up the vegetable one, but the broccoli was a standard recipe all over the internet, modified a bit, as usual, by me based on my own preferences. Later, we joined my extended family, who had a 2:00 lunch, along with other split shifters that either worked earlier in the day, or who were trying to fit in more than one family stop. I brought a taco dip and some chips to add to the leftover sandwich making spread for those sticking around a while. It was a hit, and polished off quite quickly. I'll post the recipes separately and also link on my recipe page.
Well that was more of a recap than I had intended. I still have three days of my five day weekend left. I am going to organize my lists and calendar this morning-preparing for Christmas celebrations, so that I can enjoy without any pressure put on myself. Today will be spent with some more housekeeping things, and perhaps popping into a store or two once the crazy shoppers are done trying to get that extra 25% off. DD#2 wants to do this, but we won't be out long. I'm liking the idea of more internet shopping, and taking advantage of delivery specials this weekend. My gift list is lower this year-more combined gifts with my DH's siblings for my in-laws on useful things, and more streamlined for others. Tomorrow will be decorating the tree and house, and Sunday a start on my baking and candy making. I'm trying Rosettes this year, in honor of my Norwegian heritage, and with a recipe my mother's cousin in Norway sent me. Advent starts Monday, so that will be day one of my advent challenge, starting with my change from my loose change cup being put in a kettle. I'll add to the donations as the month goes on.
Another Thanksgiving is done. The holidays have still not normed since losing my mom four years ago right at Thanksgiving, my dad two years ago, and then my sister last November. My siblings and I are trying to keep our extended family connected, and realize it will be harder as the years go by, and nieces, nephews, and our own children start and add to their own families. I'm grateful for my sisters who are willing to host big family events that could have as few as 30 or as many as 70, often without a lot of notice as to the final count. I appreciate my DH's family, who I have long had an awkward relationship with, but do not want that interfering with my own children building their bonds. They get that we are trying to spend time with both families, and were gracious in us having an early departure. Here's wishing you all have a joyous start to the holiday season.
I love a good bargain as much as the next person. Dollar stores or pound shops have a little bit of everything, and for the amazing price of a single unit of currency. There are hit and misses though. A couple hits from my local Dollar Tree include seasonal potholders, dish towels, and other fun little things to help usher in the change of season, Fiddle Faddle popcorn, and the dry duster cloths with 25 in a package, and great for computer screens. In the UK, we stocked up on bags of Jelly Babies to bring back for our Doctor Who fan friends and family. Greeting cards, wrapping paper, and sandwich baggies while fairly generic, are a steal compared to other stores.
The misses include shampoo-most kinds just seem watered down, and need to use 3-4 times more for same lather. You can do better at Target for value, not even on sale. Batteries are worthless-providing minutes if that of power to a camera or other device. Toys-hunks of plastic crap that I'm betting would break within minutes of play. Spare your pooch or kitty any tummy trouble, and yourself extra cleanup, and skip the pet food and treats. Trust me.
The weirdest thing though I saw in line tonight, stopping to get some tape and legal pads (fair deal), were pregnancy tests. Here they were, hanging right in the impulse shop area surrounding the registers. I'm trying to picture why someone would go to a dollar store to buy such a personal and high stakes medical supply. How would you really trust the results-either way? Part of me thinks they are there for joke value; buy a few and leave laying out to get people wondering. Another part of me finds this very sad, and that young girls, or financially strapped women looking for that quick answer, will buy and be left with false results, and make decisions with bad information. Is it me, but do you think that finding out whether or not you are to become a parent, probably should rank higher in spending than dollar size movie theater candy?
What weird or misplaced items have you seen in budget shops? What things do you trust and what would you pass on?
