What Frugal Thing .....- Part II

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Had black eyed peas with bits of carrot for supper last night. I guess I'm lucky to really like all kinds of beans and peas.

Marvholly, if you don't keep your house too cold, it sounds like it's time to start growing your own sprouts. Having to buy 2 pounds is ridiculous unless you are running a restaurant. I bet they don't sell any.

[marvholly]

today was planned as a see my Dad & ahop/run errands day. However, it has been snowing since before dawn-abut 3" so far and it is not yet noon and still coming down at a pretty good rate. Thus, today will be another no spend/no gas day.

[Aleta]

We have been forced to stay at home. Have been sick with a bug, sinus,etc. which resulted in a $200. doctor bill for my husband and I. We were in the same room. Not to mention the $65.00 in meds. So that part wasn't thrifty but we have been eating all of the left overs and items in our pantry. I haven't been able to keep food in for very long until now.

Speaking about the sprouts that MaryHolly spoke of; I have the same problem. I used to be able to take out the amount I needed and place it in a bag. I did so when bean sprouts and other foods that I cook in Asian dishes. They lose business when they make these items into 2 lb sizes. I won't buy them.

[luvinmylife]

I cashed out my credit card pts and am getting $150 that will be applied to my mortgage. I pay our credit card off every month. I made homemade dog food since the food my dog requires is $27.00 for an 8lb bag. Got 3 free books today for volenteering. Making quesidillas tonight with leftover chicken.

Oh, my 6 mos emergency fund is fully funded as of yesterday

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

This thread spurred me to get up and go start a jar of broccoli sprouts before posting to the thread. I don't even know where I could buy them, so they are priceless, right?

DH is busy tending to a leak in the kitchen sink drain. I shudder to think how much a plumber would cost.

[marvholly]

Joan
I am going to try a couple other local independent/ethnic markets. IF I do find the bulk sprouts at a decent price I will buy but if not I will get some mung beans and sprout my own. Thanks for the reminder. Its just a bit of a PITA to have to plan so far in advance. I may just get some canned and freeze the leftovers. Not as crisp when defrosted but convienent.

Thur was a stay home, no drive so no spend day. Normally, today would be the same. However, I do want to watch all the playoff games Sat & Sun. So, I think I will go out, run errands and see my Dad again today.

[Aleta]

maryholly:
You mentioned Baileys as being expensive. I've recently tried a new refrigerated creamer called BAILEYS The original Irish cream coffee creamer. It's really pretty good. It tastes great in the coffee. I like to make a coffee drink called a Nutty Irishman that has Frangelico, Bailey's and dark or expresso coffee, with whipped cream and sprinkled with shaved chocolate and mutmeg. I also think that Bailey's is expensive, so I occassionally use O"Mara's Cream. I'm going to use this coffee cream with the Frangelico to see how it tastes. Alone with coffee and it's great.

[marvholly]

Aleta
I have not seen that creamer. I have bought the flavored ones (on sale w/coupon ONLY) and sometimes gotten the irish cream. It is ok but not nearly as good.

I did not get everything done I wanted to on Fri so today will be another drive/spend day.

[Aleta]

Aleta
I have not seen that creamer. I have bought the flavored ones (on sale w/coupon ONLY) and sometimes gotten the irish cream. It is ok but not nearly as good.

I did not get everything done I wanted to on Fri so today will be another drive/spend day.

maryholly: I went to their website to see if they had a location near you in Chicago. I don't see one yet. I was up in Maryland over the holidays and didn't find it in a Safeway. I didn't try other stores. I think that you will really like it. It taste's like Bailey's plus they have other flavors.

[marvholly]

When I did my shopping this week I bought a pkg of chicken leg quarters. Did not really NEED them, but I have not bought any meat in the past week. Local market had them on special for $0.49/lb and I actually found a pkg that had only 3 and was reasonable weight (2.4 lb). Later I stopped at another store on my way to see my Dad and there was a ½ rack of backribs on clearance for $0.99/lb. I could not resist.

Today will be spent (no spending or driving) cooking it all up. I will do the chicken 3 ways – teriyaki, BBQ and lemon/garlic. Everything will go into the oven at the same temp for about the same amount of time. One cooking session and my entrées for 4/more meals is done. By the time I add a couple cottage cheese + veg lunches, a pasta meal, a fish meal and several egg based meals (bought for 0.88/carton) I have a pretty full weekly meal plan.

I did stop at 2 ethnic markets over the last 2 days. Neither had the mung bean sprouts in bulk or small pkg at a reasonable (to me) price. Still have at least 1 to check.

I have been SICK about the price of gasoline in metro Chicago. EVERY taxing body (feds, state, county & town) taxes gasoline so we are quite high (rival CA). I have not bought any since Christmas when I paid $3.26/gal. Friday I paid $3.34. I just put in enough to cover me for the week. However, I seem to have cut WAAAY back on the driving I do. Drove just 105 mi in 2 weeks BUT w/the cold, never on highway and the stop/go driving I am doing my mileage is the pits.

[marvholly]

Accomplished my Sunday cooking goals & watched football (Go Bears-playing Green Bay does scare me). Turns out that the meat on 1 chicken thigh is a meal portion so I will get an additional meal out of the 3 drumsticks. I saved the bones in a freezer container for soup. Prob will use drumsticks in soup, on a salad or in a Mexican or stir fry dish.

Meal plan for the week was written down. Sat I hit up the discount card place and got bday cards for the 5 bdays until July for a total out of pocket of 2.95 + tax.

[Aleta]

Yesterday, I bought bottom round and used my crockpot to cook it in a swiss steak recipe. Ther was enough for yesterday and today for my hubby. Bought it on sale and just had mashed pototes and a garden salad.

[Ima saver]

I had a no use gas day yesterday and also spent no money!

[marvholly]

Tue was a visit my Dad and do some shopping. Picked up some fresh salad stuff and veggies at a local market. Did a Walgreens stop to roll my current register reward.

Drove a total of about 15 miles.
Spent <$3.

[marvholly]

Forgot this:

I did not NEED gasoline on Tue but I noticed most stations had raised prices again and the temps are going to hit around zero on Thur/Fri. There is a station on my route to see my Dad that has been a few cents lower than the others in my area. I got the LAST of the $3.29 gas because the attendant came out to change the sign while I was filling up.

By driving as little as possible (doing all my shopping and errands when out to visit my Dad) I have only spent $45 on gas since Christmas even though I have had to turn on the car to warm it up while clearing snow at least 5 times and all my driving has been VERY stop & go.