Snow Stock up - Spending Freeze Days 23-24

Burr...  it is really cold outside.  Now don't laugh, but here in the pacific Northwest, tiny snow flurries cause major havoc.  If we get any number of inches, we are pretty much stuck at home.  We live on a hill, and during the last snow storm, it took us over 3 hours to go 4 miles.  No joke.  So needless to say, this Mama wasn't messing around this time.  As the snow clouds rolled in, I rolled out to Albertsons to stock up on essentials we had run out of.  You know, like eggs, bread, milk, produce...  it was not my thriftiest trip to the store.  I spent $48.24, and saved $30.35.  Sometimes, even the craziest of us coupon gals, just have to skip the money saving prep work and get our butts in gear.  Now we are all set, let it snow all it wants, I can cook for days.


 Recap of Spending Freeze
Day 1 = $0
Day 2 = $10.45 (gas)
Day 3 = $0
Day 4 = $10.02 (groceries)
Day 5 = $0
Day 6 = $12.29 (gas and milk)
Day 7 = $0
Day 8 = $5.40 (meat and cat food)
Day 9 = $10.50 (gas for hubs to get to interview!)
Day 10 = $16.45 (gas for hubs to get to 2nd interview!)
Day 11 = $0
Day 12 = $0
Day 13 = $15 for gas, $37.12 on groceries (see why this is still awesome in my next post)
Day 14 = $0 (we all made handmade valentines for each other, enjoyed heart shaped rolls with dinner and  chocolate cake for desert)
Day 15 = $0
Day 16 = $0
Day 17 = $11 (gas)
Day 18 = $0
Day 19 = $1.19 (eggs)
Day 20 = $65.00 (gas, to go see my beautiful new niece, she is still at the Army Hospital 1 hour away, and dinner out)
Day 21 = $0.00
Day 22 = $0.00
Day 23 = $48.24 (groceries)
Day 24 = $0


So we have spent $242.66 this month

Kimberly 

Spending Freeze days 19-22 - OUCH!

Well, this week we slipped.  We went out to dinner.  I actually felt guilty about it, and was considering omitting it from our spending freeze tally.  But I want to be honest, and share what we learned.  Before the spending freeze, and before the job loss, we would routinely go out to eat as a family.  Even when we cut back, we still went out 2 times a month.  At the time, $45-60 didn't seem too bad.  When the bill came on this last dinner out though, Hubs and I were both a little stunned.  After really counting every penny, $45 for dinner stung.  Sure it was nice to go out, it had been a long day, taking the family down to see my new niece (who was still in NICU an hour away) and we wanted to celebrate Hubs getting a new job.  I think next time we want to celebrate something as a family, I may just splurge on some steaks or make a fancy desert at home, that way we can have a special treat, and not feel the sting afterward. 

 Recap of Spending Freeze
Day 1 = $0
Day 2 = $10.45 (gas)
Day 3 = $0
Day 4 = $10.02 (groceries)
Day 5 = $0
Day 6 = $12.29 (gas and milk)
Day 7 = $0
Day 8 = $5.40 (meat and cat food)
Day 9 = $10.50 (gas for hubs to get to interview!)
Day 10 = $16.45 (gas for hubs to get to 2nd interview!)
Day 11 = $0
Day 12 = $0
Day 13 = $15 for gas, $37.12 on groceries (see why this is still awesome in my next post)
Day 14 = $0 (we all made handmade valentines for each other, enjoyed heart shaped rolls with dinner and  chocolate cake for desert)
Day 15 = $0
Day 16 = $0
Day 17 = $11 (gas)
Day 18 = $0
Day 19 = $1.19 (eggs)
Day 20 = $65.00 (gas, to go see my beautiful new niece, she is still at the Army Hospital 1 hour away, and dinner out)
Day 21 = $0.00
Day 22 = $0.00

So we have spent $194.42 this month

Kimberly

Oh no! We ran out of napkins!

We ran out of paper napkins!  Now that we are counting every penny, what are we to do?  (ok, we ran out about 2 weeks ago, but I wanted to make sure we were successful before I told you about it.) 

Let me emphasize how big of a deal this is by reminding you that I have 3 sons, and my youngest is one of the messiest eaters I have ever seen.  Now when we used the last paper napkin, Hubs suggested we just use the paper towels.. "WHAT?  OMG, do you know what paper towels cost?" may have been my reaction, I will neither confirm nor deny that fact.  Once I stopped hyper ventilating, I calmly suggested we take this opportunity to try using cloth napkins.  However, dinner was on the table, and we don't actually own any cloth napkins.  (I am all for saving the environment and all, but my experience with cloth napkins has been less than stellar, they tend to not be absorbent, and generally not the most effective at cleaning up a toddler).  So what is a gal to do?  Enter in the light bulb moment...  cloth wipes!  About 3 years ago, I bought a huge stack of cloth diaper wipes because I thought I was going to rock at cloth diapering my kid- that was a major FAIL, so I have had the large stack of flannel squares that we have never used.  Perfect!  Absorbent? Check, Soft? check, gets food off our face and hands? check. and as an added bonus- they fit in our napkin holder. 

So our house full of boys has been paper napkin free for 2 weeks.  We use the rule, if your napkin is still clean, leave it folded at your spot at the table, if it is dirty, put it in the basket in the laundry room.  So far so good.

Kimberly

Gas! Spending Freeze days 16-18

With Hubby being unemployed, and feeling like we have been staying home more, I am amazed at how much money we pour into our gas tanks.  I think we would have made our goal had it not been for adding gas into the budget.  Next time we do a spending freeze, I think I will keep it to being for food and shopping. 

We have been staying home more.  Not going to Target, just for something to do has helped.  And when when just one of us is running an errand, we have been taking Hubs' little car that gets about 40mpg.

So with that being said, I bet you can guess what we have has to spend more money on since my last post.  Gas.  On Thursday Hubs has another job interview, hence more gas needed.  But it was worth every penny for 2 reasons, 1- HE got the JOB!  we are so thrilled.  and 2 (and just as awesome) I used some of that gas today to go see my brand new niece!  She is needing a few prayers (having some breathing trouble) but she is a doll! So sweet, it was so hard not to scoop her up and cover her in kisses. 

If you are inclined, please send up a good thought or prayers for her.

Kimberly

Recap of Spending Freeze
Day 1 = $0
Day 2 = $10.45 (gas)
Day 3 = $0
Day 4 = $10.02 (groceries)
Day 5 = $0
Day 6 = $12.29 (gas and milk)
Day 7 = $0
Day 8 = $5.40 (meat and cat food)
Day 9 = $10.50 (gas for hubs to get to interview!)
Day 10 = $16.45 (gas for hubs to get to 2nd interview!)
Day 11 = $0
Day 12 = $0
Day 13 = $15 for gas, $37.12 on groceries (see why this is still awesome in my next post)
Day 14 = $0 (we all made handmade valentines for each other, enjoyed heart shaped rolls with dinner and  chocolate cake for desert)
Day 15 = $0
Day 16 = $0
Day 17 = $11 (gas)
Day 18 = $0

So we have spent $128.23 this month

Crazy great shopping at Albertsons

So this past weekend, Albertsons was having a sale on certain ConAgra products.  The deal was, spend $25 of participating products and get $10 off your next transaction.  Now the ad said that the $25 total was based on your total after manufacture coupons, however at a few stores (like the one in Woodinville) the $25 gets calculated from the shelf price rather than the sale price.  Well, normally this is how it works, I went thru the store and was able to do my deals as planned the 1st time, but the second time a different cashier woul'd give me the $10 catalina that printed.  So I spent more than I planned but I still came out with GREAT deals.

All in all, I did 5 transactions, used 7 coupons and paid just $37.12 out of pocket for $127.55 worth of groceries. Some of items we got, 18 boxes of sausage (my middle son's favorite), 8 boxes of hot chocolate (for my poor man mochas) 14 cans of diced tomatoes, fuji apples, cheese, 8 jars of peanut butter, honey...etc.  Not bad, if I do say so myself.

So I am not really beating myself up for going over our $100 grocery/ gas/ shopping budget for the month- especially when I know most of it has gone to gas for some great job interviews.

Now to go make dinenr- I wonder if anyone wants peanut butter sausage for dinner?  (kidding, I swear)

Kimberly

Spending Freeze days 11-15, over budget but still going strong.

It appears I took a long weekend away from blogging.  A girl has to just tend to life sometimes. 

This weekend we went over our budget.  I was sad, and my tight fist on our cash was pried open.  But it had to be done.  The reason?  We had to go pick up our oldest son  (who was visiting bio dad for the weekend, an hour away).  I like the pretty partial to my little man, so I think it was worth it :).  Also, since we were making the drive aways, and we have some holes in the pantry stockpile, we used the opportunity to take advantage of a sale at Albertsons that only works in select stores (more on that in my next post).  


Hubs and I talked about it, and we are still going to try and stay as close to our $100 goal as we can.  We are learning quite a bit about where our money goes (we haven't been the spending type for years), and finding even more wasy to cut back (because compared to the Jones', we have already cut, or didn't spend in the 1st place the many areas financial gurus tell you to cut back on).  I will share more about those little cut backs as the month goes on. 

So here is where we are now on our spending for the month of February (our goal was only $100 for gas, groceries and shopping).

Recap of Spending Freeze
Day 1 = $0
Day 2 = $10.45 (gas)
Day 3 = $0
Day 4 = $10.02 (groceries)
Day 5 = $0
Day 6 = $12.29 (gas and milk)
Day 7 = $0
Day 8 = $5.40 (meat and cat food)
Day 9 = $10.50 (gas for hubs to get to interview!)
Day 10 = $16.45 (gas for hubs to get to 2nd interview!)
Day 11 = $0
Day 12 = $0
Day 13 = $15 for gas, $37.12 on groceries (see why this is still awesome in my next post)
Day 14 = $0 (we all made handmade valentines for each other, enjoyed heart shaped rolls with dinner and  chocolate cake for desert)
Day 15 = $0


So we have spent $117.23 this month

Kimberly

Pantry Surprise Snack Bars + Spending Freeze day 10

I was going to call these, Leftover Crap in the Pantry Bars, but Pantry Surprise sounded friendlier.  I made up this little recipe myself today, and as you can see from the picture, they have been taste tested (actually there is more missing from the pan already).  Everyone ages 3- 40 that has tasted them loves them.  So here it is-

My Motivation- 3 constantly hungry boys that need a snack between every meal
My inspiration - use only what I had in the pantry
 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups miniature marshmallows or 20 regular marshmallows
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup total of what ever else you have on hand (I used cheerios) ideas, raisins, chocolate chips, dried berries, nuts...

Directions

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until peanut butter melts.

2. Add Rice Krispies cereal , oats, and the other cup of whatnots. Stir until well coated.

3. Firmly press cereal mixture down into 8x8 pan. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until firm.Cut and enjoy!

---------------------------
As for our Spending Freeze for February- Hubs and I challenged ourselves to only spend $100 for out of pocket expenses like gas, groceries and shopping.  I will admit that I am getting a bit nervous about whether or not we are going to make it.  It's the gas that is killing it. But thankfully it is with good reason, as Hubby has had 2 interviews with the same place this week, and it is about 1 hour away- so it has been nessasary to fill up the car.  that said- here are the numbers:


Recap of Spending Freeze
Day 1 = $0
Day 2 = $10.45 (gas)
Day 3 = $0
Day 4 = $10.02 (groceries)
Day 5 = $0
Day 6 = $12.29 (gas and milk)
Day 7 = $0
Day 8 = $5.40 (meat and cat food)
Day 9 = $10.50 (gas for hubs to get to interview!)
Day 10 = $16.45 (gas for hubs to get to 2nd interview!)

So we have  $34.89 left for the month   Yikes!

Kimberly