This Month's 2026 Grocery Spending – February

 

Often, at this time of year, I find myself still cleaning up leftovers from all of the holiday cooking, baking and entertaining so it is easy to do a pantry challenge, even if I’m not intending to.  This month I was busy clearing out readymade meals I had squirreled away in the freezer in my kitchen before anything languished in there long enough to become frost bitten.

 

This month I shopped only twice, once at Fred Meyer to restock the donation shelf in my LTFS, and picked up a few items on my list and then second to pick up items on my list at Costco.  Super easy!

 

Items for donating

While I was shopping at Costco I took some time to wander through the meat department and take a really good look at the varieties and prices to compare to my Butcher Box subscription. 

My latest Butcher Box delivery

My meat subscription for organic grass fed beef and wild caught salmon comes in much less than if I had purchased those very same items at Costco and most Costco meat is not grass fed or organic.

 

My latest meat delivery fully filled up my freezer.  I was easily able to fill in a few gaps with my other purchases this month too so my fridge and pantry are well stocked too.  A good sale on Crest toothpaste at Costco netted me a year plus supply of toothpaste for $10.99 which I added to the linen closet.

 

I put the donation items in italics

Total spent on groceries this month came in at $83.97, well below my 2025 monthly grocery budget and definitely a lot lower than the USDA Thrifty Budget Plan.  Yes!

 

 

Let's Get Happy!!

 

I want to encourage you if you happen to be one of those that suffers with Seasonal Effective Disorder (SAD) or is greatly affected by all the ugliness going on in America to seek out joy and get happy.  We need to enjoy ourselves and find reasons to laugh, even when it might feel overwhelming and hopeless at times.

I’ve been putting a lot of focus on really enjoying each day to the best of my ability and, while I am not affected by SAD myself, I do know people who are.  Plus, regardless of which way your politics lean or even if you aren’t all that political the things going on in our country do weigh on anyone who cares and has empathy for their fellow man.  I’m finding that by connecting with my circle as well as plenty of downtime to rest, relax and enjoy my own solo activities I feel rejuvenated and content.

 

Staying connected and spending time with people we love is one of the best ways to recharge our batteries.  I recommend a lot of laughing.  Doing things we enjoy, even if it is something simple like working a crossword puzzle or reading a good book allow us to concentrate on something else, giving a much needed break from all that is going on in the world around us.  Being grateful helps a lot too.  It is difficult to be sad when you are taking inventory of all your blessings.

 

Are you making sure you are taking time out to seek joy and happiness?  What are some of the things you enjoy doing?

 

 

Healthy & Delicious Meals From My Pantry #2

 

I don’t have a whole lot to share with you this month because I literally spent February clearing out the readymade meals from the freezer so I didn’t end up with a bunch of freezer burned food.  As it turned out it was the best time for me to do this because I was super busy with work and other commitments.

 

I had squirreled away a nice variety of different meals from burritos to chicken fried rice, as well as some Thanksgiving leftovers and some pizza pasta.  A couple frozen pizzas were baked in the oven for quick and easy meals too.

 

I had picked up a rotisserie chicken last month when I went to Costco and some of that meat was used as entrees with sides and to make sandwiches with my Hero bread.  Salads and frozen vegetables I steamed and then seasoned with garlic, spices and butter were my go-to sides.

 

Now that my freezer is cleared out I plan go back to making two entrees about every five or six days placing one or two meals into the freezer each week to have on hand for days or weeks or even months that get busy like my month of February has been.  Funny enough, I really enjoyed simply eating out of the freezer like that and seeing everything I had put away from meals past.

 

BTW - Those pizzas got used up over a two month period 😁

Time to get cooking again!

 

My Tireless Retirement - Week 203

Hello everyone!  I started off with a full and busy week at the senior center then I rushed home to welcome guests into my home for a Galentines party.  We laughed, we ate, we laughed, we drank, we laughed, we played games, we laughed, we commiserated and then we laughed some more.  It was so much fun and the next day my phone blew up with happy texts messages with my gal pals still smiling after such a fun night.  I’d say Galentines 2026 was a whopping success!

 

After a very full and busy week I gave myself permission to take the entire three day weekend off and it was glorious to just relax and take it easy.  Recovery mode engaged!  I had a few leftover pepper steak sliders from the Galentines party to reheat so that made a couple meals super easy.  I had made them using a chuck roast and a big pan of homemade dinner rolls.  Not to brag, but they were so good.  I had served them with a cup of au jus for dipping.  OMG!!!!  So good!

 

We have been enduring a bumpy ride at work in the past few months as we are strategically dealing with a toxic co-worker issue.  If you have ever been involved in a situation like this you know that it is an unpleasant process and very stressful.  As a retired person myself, one might think, and it has been suggested, it would be better to just quit and enjoy my retirement or move onto something else, rather than have to be involved in any of this nonsense.  However, after a forty minute meeting with the HR department this past week, I do feel the potential exists for this issue to be remedied so at this time I am willing to ride it out and see what happens.  I have prayed a lot, and I do mean a lot about this.  I do appreciate that no one wants me to quit and that I am a valued employee and as long as this situation is resolved and doesn’t dramatically affect me personally I am willing to hang in there and see it through.

 

I worked all day on Tuesday and had Wednesday off so I decided to bite the bullet and get my Costco shopping done that morning as I’d already put it off a week.  I like Costco, but it isn’t located close to my home, although it really isn’t all that far either, and it is always crowded and busy which tends to overwhelm me.  Nonetheless, I got it done and now have crossed that task off my list.

 

Did I need this pretty shirt?  Um, nope, but I bought it anyway 😄

I finished off the week working Thursday afternoon making it out of there relatively unscathed which is my goal these days.  Thankfully the patrons I serve (as well as my other fellow co-workers) while I am at work keep me fulfilled and lifted.  That is what truly keeps me coming back.

 

Sunday dinner - porkchop, green beans & homemade dinner roll

My prayer for all of you is that you enjoyed a wonderful week and Valentine’s Day and that you feel loved and appreciated.  Please enjoy your week ahead and if possible do something nice for someone.  Take care of yourselves and do something nice for you too.

  

End Of Life Decluttering - What To Get Rid Of First

 

The thought of decluttering our homes can be daunting, but when we think about it as it pertains to the inevitable, when we leave this earth, it can be difficult to even know where to begin.  Here are some ideas to help you make a big impact in a short amount of time.

 

Remove & Dispose Of Anything Embarrassing 

If there is anything in your home you don’t want others to know about such as certain photos, a pornography collection, sex toys and paraphernalia, arrest records, divorce or litigation papers from your past, old love letters you don’t want your children to read, etc. it may be time to remove them from your home.  Be sure these items are disposed of properly to minimize risk of them getting into the wrong hands.

 

Old Paperwork & Sensitive Information 

If you are someone who sits on a mountain of paperwork, even if it is organized, labeled and filed away it is time to take a look at it with a set of realistic eyes.  We don’t have to keep everything.  Old tax returns, loan documents from paid off loans, old banking records, expired credit cards and insurance cards, old credit reports and applications, any expired warranty information, old insurance papers from prior years than are no longer applicable, I could go on and on.  In a nutshell, if it is no longer relevant to your current state in life, let it go.  Make sure you shred everything that contains personal sensitive information to protect your identity from fraud.

 

Expired & Old Food 

This is an easy one as you simply go through and bag up all the food that is freezer burnt, damaged, moldy, old, way past its best buy date or is anything you don’t like.  Get it out of the house and into the trash.  Don’t take the icky stuff to the food bank because they’ll just end up putting it in the trash for you.  It always amazes me how that kind of stuff ends up at the senior center on our FREE table.  No one wants food you aren’t willing to eat yourself.

 

Medication 

Safely dispose of any medications you no longer use on a regular basis by taking them to your pharmacy or any specified drop off point.  Our city offers drug disposal events where you can turn in all pharmaceuticals and over the counter medications you no longer need.

 

Clothes That Don’t Fit Or Are Worn Out 

At this age I have accepted that I am not likely to lose weight and fit into anything that doesn’t currently fit me now.  If you have clothes in your closet or drawers that you are saving for someday when you lose weight do yourself a favor and get rid of them.  Otherwise they just sit there and mock you.  Likewise, get rid of any faded, worn out, ripped and torn clothes or shoes you happen to be hanging onto as well.  You don’t need them and no one else does either.

 

Start with this short and basic list to get the ball rolling and hopefully you will be able to easily start your decluttering journey to thin down your belongings.  The best thing we can do for our loved ones is to not leave this kind of stuff for them to have to deal with.

 

I'm Just Too Great For Hate!

 

The world outside is looking pretty ugly these days with our nation in a constant uproar.  It hurts my heart to see all that is happening and it often feels like we are powerless to do anything about it.  How can one person like me make things better?  The mere idea that I can somehow affect a change seems overwhelming and impossible.  But, I really can do something.  I really can make a difference.

 

A couple weeks ago I told you how I am tightening my circle.  Ironically, right after I wrote that post and was still deciding whether or not I was actually going to publish it a friend of mine I have known for well over thirty years posted the most disgusting and hateful post on Facebook I have ever read.  It was a picture of Renee Goode and a very long diatribe of hateful, spiteful things about her and her lifestyle.  I thought my friend’s account must’ve been hacked so I called her only to find out that she had actually written it.  Why?  She didn’t know this person personally and the things she was saying were so far out there and not based on any facts.  It was just horrible.  My friend stated she was standing behind every word.  I was stunned.

 

I hung up and sat there for a while processing the conversation and then I quietly removed this person from my Friends list because I don’t want to read things like that in the future.  It made me feel like I never really knew her.  I feel really sorry for my friend to have so much hatred for someone she didn’t even know.  It was really bad.  Will I call this woman again?  Probably not.  Will I try to continue to have a relationship with her?  Not likely.  Will I ever feel comfortable being around her again?  No.  I won’t.

 

I haven’t heard from her since that day.  And, it’s okay.  Not okay about what she said, but okay not to accept her hatefulness into my life.  Sad to lose a friend, but even sadder that she was willing to choose her Facebook post over friendship.  I don’t feel bad about my decision to keep her outside of my circle.  I made the right decision.  I’m just too great for hate.  It’s simply not welcome in my life.

 

 

My Pantry List

 

One of the things I try to do at the end of each year and the beginning of the next is to go through my pantry list and make sure that I have at least one of each item on that list in my pantry, freezer or refrigerator maintaining that throughout the year.  I know that as long as I have these items in my home I can pretty much prepare anything I want to eat.  It also reaffirms that my grocery shopping strategies are working.

 

Twenty years ago (it’s hard to believe it has been that long) I started using this pantry list, which I created in Excel, in order to give me a workable guide for more efficient grocery shopping.  Not having what I need to create a meal is not only frustrating, but also a huge waste of time and money.  By being better prepared I am able to save money by taking advantage of sales as well as time by not having to make unscheduled trips to the store to pick up what I need.  I am one who doesn’t like to waste my time and I sure don’t care to waste my money.

 

As time has gone along I’ve made changes and tweaked my list to suit the changes in my life and the improvements I’ve made to boost my health especially as I age.  Additionally, I’ve been able to trim down the number of items I shop for and the quantities of those items I stock now that I’m on my own.  This has made my grocery shopping even more efficient and affordable despite the consistent rise in prices we’ve been experiencing.

 

If you would like a copy of my workable Excel pantry list that you can modify and change up to fit your needs email me and I will be happy to share it with you.  I can tell you that this is one of the best tools I’ve ever had to keep myself well stocked with food and save a lot of money in the process.