This Month's 2024 Extreme Budget Grocery Spending – May

 

After taking a three week hiatus from grocery shopping last month (I honestly did not need a single thing during that time) I was ready to get back into the store and get myself some fresh produce for the fridge.  I began the month with only a few carrots, a couple stalks of celery as well as about six pounds of red and russet potatoes left in the crisper drawer.  All of my other vegetables and fruits were either frozen, canned or dehydrated so I still had plenty of solid options, but I was definitely craving a fresh green salad.

 

To begin this month I had $36.59 plus my $50 May budget and a carefully crafted shopping list.  My current list is set up to cover both the months of May as well as June so I was in no rush to get everything in one fell swoop.  Up to that point the sales flyers at the grocery stores closest to my home had nothing going that would bring me in to do any shopping so I stopped into Winco after work one day and picked up the bulk of the items I wanted from my list.  Winco sits furthest away from my home, but closest to where I work so I just walk or drive over there and do my shopping.  Although they don’t do weekly sales or much advertising their overall prices are pretty hard to beat and they often have in-store unadvertised sales on certain items.

 

On May 1^st I stopped at Winco on my way home from work for some shopping.  I picked up quite a few canned goods to add to the LTFS, a five pound bag of whole wheat flower so I can start baking my own breads again, a package of flour tortillas and one of corn tortillas (I’m not quite in that phase of life yet to make my own tortillas), a one pound bag of frozen peas and carrots, a fair bit of fresh produce, a carton of sour cream and, of course, a quart of cream for my coffee.  While I was there they had five pound bags of russet potatoes on sale for 98¢!  Although I didn’t really need potatoes I went ahead and grabbed one anyway.  If I don’t end up using them in the next couple of months I will likely just can them into pint jars.

 

Mid month I stopped into Fred Meyer to pick up a # block of cheese and a FREE bottle of salad dressing. A week later I stopped into Trader Joes to pick up some romaine lettuce, two roma tomatoes and some feta cheese to bulk up my salad makings.  The next day I popped into Albertson’s on the way home to grab asparagus on sale for 99¢ a pound.  It was more than enough veggies to hold me through the remainder of the month, in fact well into the start of June.

 

A sale on lean ground beef at Fred Meyer plus a $1.25 OFF digital coupon plus another customer appreciation coupon allowed me to pick up a 3# package of 80% lean.  I used half of it to make a batch of taco soup to can and add to my pantry for easy, quick meals.  The rest of the ground beef will be used to make a meatloaf for the freezer with a small package leftover to use in a recipe later on in the future.  The final price on the ground beef after all was said and done was $0!  I am quite pleased with that.

 

I had one small nonfood item to purchase which was to replace the hydrocortisone cream in the first aid kit as the one that was in there was getting low.  Since we are heading into bug bite and rash season I thought it was a good idea to grab a new tube.  I spent $1.25 of my nonfood budgeted amount leaving me with $38.27 still left to spend this year.

 

Once I had entered in my final purchases I had spent my entire $50 budget as well as $14.34 of the rollover amount.  Moving forward into June I plan to finish buying the last of the items on my May/June shopping list.  I still have $22.25 in rollover funds to add to my $50 budgeted amount for June for a total amount of $72.25 to start off with.  Overall, I think my extreme grocery budget for 2024 seems to be working out fairly well and I’m maintaining my LTFS too.  Yay!!

 

Doing Things Alone

 

In retirement many of us are on our own and going it alone, whether it was planned that way or not.  Even those that are coupled will find themselves going in different directions at times and just wanting to do their own thing.  Not every moment needs to be spent together, nor do we need to only go out and do things with our friends.  It is completely okay to head out solo.  In fact, I think it is healthy.

 

One of the things I enjoy about doing things on my own is that I don’t have to worry about someone else having a good time.  I can go to the movies or attend a performance or event and thoroughly enjoy myself without any concern.  I can go at my own pace without a thought of holding someone up because I’m going too slow and likewise that I’m rushing someone because I am moving too fast.

 

Doing things and going places by myself is also quite empowering.  I can make my own plans and pretty much do as I please without judgment or feeling like I might not be living up to another’s expectations.  I’m only living up to my own.  The more I do on my own I find I not only enjoy what I am doing, but it propels me forward and makes me want to do even more.  As time goes on I just find I prefer my own company in most cases.  Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy spending time with my family and friends and eagerly look forward to doing so.  But, I’m also quite fine doing things on my own as well.  

Do you do many things on your own?  If so, what are some of your favorite activities?

 

My Tireless Retirement – Week 112

 

Hello my friends!  My week started off with a bang.  I got a $2 an hour pay raise – whoo hoooo!  That was totally unexpected but very much appreciated.  I also completed a public transportation challenge and earned a $20 gift card.  Can life get any better?!

 

On the way home from work on Friday I stopped into Trader Joes and picked up some lettuce, tomatoes and feta in order to make myself some more fresh green salads.  I also treated myself to a bottle of wine to celebrate my pay raise.  A lovely little Malbec from Argentina.  It was delightful.

 

"Old Mike"

The next day I rode the bus to Taco Time to pick up some lunch and then walked to the Boise Depot to have myself a little picnic lunch.  I have absolutely no idea how long it has been since I’ve been to a Taco Time but it wasn’t as good as I remembered it being.  Well, now that this itch has been scratched I’m probably good for another ten years or forever.  After walking around the depot I walked over to the liquor store to pick up a bottle of vodka.  I’m having friends over soon and we’re going make some adult beverages.

 

My Dollar Tree haul & some vodka in the background😁

Then I headed into Dollar Tree to stock up on stickers to use with my daily journaling before their prices increase again to $1.75.  I doubt I’ll be doing too much shopping there, if any, once that happens because I don’t feel the value for the price is going to be there.  Next I walked up to Albertson’s and popped inside to pick up some asparagus that was on sale for 99¢ a pound before hopping onto the bus and heading back home.  It sure made for a nice little outing.  The weather was perfect too.

 

I still have to pinch myself that this is 
what I get to come home to each day

Sunday I was all about yard work.  I headed outside to trim my boxwoods and the euonymus bush, which I cut back a fair amount.  Once that was all done and cleaned up I got out the leaf blower and did the entire yard, the front porch, blew out the interior of the garage and the driveway.  After a break I went back outside and got all of the trees and the newly trimmed shrubs sprayed for the second time.

 

My dwarf Japanese lilac in full bloom

I harvested some cilantro from the garden
This plant is a volunteer

Things I Did To Save $$: 

I did some “unshopping” by returning a handful of purchases I realized I did not need.  While at the bank I disputed a service charge and got a full refund after calmly stating why I felt it was incorrect to have been charged that particular fee in the first place.

 

I used a sales price, a digital coupon plus a paper coupon to get a three pound package of lean ground beef for FREE!  My favorite price!  I also redeemed all of my accumulated store rewards points to get a 10¢ per gallon discount on fuel and topped up the gas tank on my truck.  It is only the second time I’ve bought gasoline this year! 

Last week I grouped the errands I needed to run according to location.  I spread it out over two days and drove to work on both those days, then I ran my errands on the way home which worked out particularly well as on one of those days it was very stormy and cold.  The remainder of the week I used the bus to get where I needed to go and to hit my walking goals.

 

Meals I Prepared: 

After a week of clearing out leftovers from the freezer it was time to cook again.  I began the week with three strips of leftover bacon so of course I had to have myself a BLT sandwich and a little green salad for supper.  Oh my goodness was it ever yummy.  Why is it that the simplest meals are so satisfying?  This one was my favorite last week.  I also had one bowl of soup leftover so I finished that up as well. 

Sunday I made a delicious salmon, pesto orzo and grilled asparagus dinner that was absolutely delicious.  I made enough for two meals plus I had an extra serving of orzo to put away in the freezer for a later date.  The next day I made myself a big green salad with olives, sliced egg, feta cheese and sunflower seeds for extra protein.  It was fantastic! 

I pulled the gallon size Ziploc bag where I’d been squirreling away my veggie scraps out of the freezer and put it in the slow cooker with water to cook all day and made a lovely vegetable stock.  Once cooled and strained, I placed the broth into a container and put it away in the freezer to use in a future soup or recipe.  The spent veggies then went outside to the compost bin.

 

There was a little bit of broth left that wouldn’t fit in the container as well as a small container in the freezer from a previous batch that I wanted to use up.  It happened to be the perfect amount to use in place of water for a batch of rice I made.  I added a pint jar of home canned chicken breast and the remainder of a package of broccoli florets I had in the freezer that I chopped up to make a simple, yet delicious all-in-one-pan meal.  There were four servings in total so I placed them into individual containers and used these meals instead of soup meals on this particular week as part of my meal plan.  Using broth, in place of the water, really amped up the flavor of the rice.

 

I reorganized my washi tape drawer

with these two organizers I got while at Dollar Tree
They fit perfectly in the drawer and I still have room for more!

Another busy, productive and satisfying week is in the books my friends.  I’ve been making plans for the summer months and I’m getting super excited for what is to come.  Have you made any summer plans yet?  Going anywhere on a vacation?  I’d love to hear about what you have on the docket.  Have a fabulous week everyone! 

 

FYI - My retirement week runs from Friday through Thursday.

Stretching My Food $$ - Bacon

 

Whenever I find bacon on sale I stock up and put it away in my freezer.  Whenever I find my bacon fat jar getting low I know it is time to thaw a package and cook it up.  With bacon nothing goes to waste.  I use it all.  I will fry up an entire package at one time and the rendered fat is saved in a mason jar I keep in my refrigerator to use as cooking fat when I make certain recipes.  The strips of bacon are then used to make meals, such as a brunch or breakfast recipe, a BLT sandwich or crumbled up into pieces to add flavor to a salad or top a baked potato.

 

There are so many ways to incorporate bacon or the rendered fat and take your meals up a notch.  I prefer to use bacon fat whenever I make pork fried rice and cooked bacon is also delicious in place of the diced ham or chicken in that recipe.  It is the perfect fat for frying potatoes especially for breakfast hash.  I use it whenever I make country gravy or sausage gravy to put over homemade biscuits.

 

I will often used crumbled bacon to dress up a chef salad or a couple strips as part of a Cobb salad.  Although it is very delicious, it doesn’t take a lot of bacon to add a flavorful punch to pretty much any meal so I do tend to get a lot of mileage out of just one package.  What is your favorite way to enjoy bacon?  Do you save and use the fat?

 

New Vintage Cookbooks For My Collection

 

Recently I stumbled upon not one, but two vintage World War II era cookbooks.  Both of them had been donated to the thrift store at the senior center where I work part time.  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to purchase them and add them to my vintage cookbook collection.  I don’t keep many books in my home, but I do have a shelf in my hall closet where I keep my treasured vintage cookbooks.

 

I’ve always been enamored by cookbooks from the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, the 30s and 40s being my most favorite.  I love the simplicity of the meals they prepared using pantry staples and their own creativity, especially during the war when ration books dictated what you could buy at the grocery stores.  They had to be resourceful and make those groceries stretch every way possible and that gave way to some pretty interesting recipes, to be sure.

 

The first vintage cookbook I purchased was Victory Recipes dated 1943.  It was published in the U.S. and is filled with tons of recipes geared toward rationing along with tips to get the most mileage out of your rationed groceries.  It is also filled with lots of advertisements of food and household products of the day.  I just love it!

 

The next day one of my co-workers showed me another cookbook, much, much larger and it literally has every recipe a person could ask for along with nutrition and cooking tips of the day.  It is three inches thick and in fantastic condition.  The color illustrations are what sold me on acquiring this book.  I have spent an entire weekend ready through it and I’m more than ready to put it into practice and incorporate it into my meal plans and preparations.  It even includes a hefty menu section from which I’m sure I’ll find a ton of inspiration.

 

I am super thrilled to have these gorgeous vintage cookbooks to add to my collection.  Let me know if you’d be interested in having me share the desserts, meals and menu plans I am inspired to make.

 

Writing Your Story – Start With You

 

In the classes I am teaching at the senior center I am helping people to write their stories and get them down on paper.  It is something they have the desire to do, but often find it difficult to get started.  The overall task, especially for someone that hasn’t done a lot of writing, can seem overwhelming to the point that they can’t even get that first word down on paper.  To get them started I tell them to “start with you”.

 

You are the one person in the world that you know the best.  You’ve been together 24/7 and have gone through good times and bad.  Of all the people in the world you are the one who truly knows your secrets, your desires, your hope and dreams, your aspirations.  You had a front row seat in your life all along.  Only you can tell your story and get it right.

 

There is no right or wrong way to tell your story because it’s your story.  However you choose to do it is completely fine.  Whether you write it down on paper in a composition book or a notebook or you choose to hammer it out on the computer and print it out it doesn’t matter.  What matters is that you do it.

 

Talk about fond memories

I suggest they find a baby picture and write what they know about the day they were born – name, place of birth, time, weight and length, city they lived in, hospital information, anything they know or were told about.  Once they have that down they can expand from there.  Add in you earliest memories, favorite toys or activities.  Favorite books, your siblings, friends or cousins you played with, sports or activities you participated in.  First day of school.  By this time they are on a roll and ready to go.  Wherever that leads is completely up to them.  Talk about parents or grandparents or your first love.  College days or military service.  Did you get married and the details of the engagement, the wedding, where they went on their honeymoon, their first home.  Then perhaps move onto your children and how you chose to raise them.  Embellish with stories of their upbringing and their silly antics.  What did you love most about each child?  What made you proud?

 

Tell the stories behind all of those photos you have

While we may not think the details of our life are all that particularly interesting I can tell you they are and they will be.  Right now your family may not be seem interested (or maybe they are), but down the line your grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-greatchildren will be.  By reading your story they’ll be able to have those conversations with you that you are no longer around to have with them in person.  You will leave them a legacy.  Your story is important.  Write it down.

 

My Tireless Retirement – Week 111

 

On the Friday leading up to Mother’s Day we had a celebration at work.  I even received a couple of flowers, a rose and a carnation, to bring home along with a giant cranberry oatmeal cookie which was delicious.  It was the beginning of a gift shower that lasted throughout the weekend and I was feeling very loved and rather blessed, to be quite honest.  Plants and flowers were definitely the theme.

 

An unexpected surprise from some friends of mine
Just gorgeous!

After arriving home from the nursery with a huge load of perennials and a blueberry bush (to replace the one that didn’t make it through the winter) I spent the majority of the Mother’s Day weekend planting, cleaning up debris, pulling weeds, watering, flushing the pond, raking and digging.  It was absolutely perfect.  I enjoyed myself immensely.

 

It is a good thing I have myself a little part time job so I can go to work and get some rest.  Otherwise I’d be at home and just a go-go-going!  I do so love a project and keeping busy.  More importantly I love making progress in my yard and seeing all of my hard work coming to fruition.  It is so pretty, I can hardly believe it.  I sometimes feel like I need to pinch myself to make sure this is really my yard.  After all these years I finally have the yard I’d always imagined I’d have.  I just love it so much!

 

I still had plenty of kitty cuddle time

I did end up working all week, three short days and two full days, after one of our full time employees was in an accident and they needed some extra coverage.  I was very happy to be able to step up and work those extra hours to help out.  It is always nice to be needed, appreciated and to have a purpose.  Plus, I got to spend time with some great people and it was a lot of fun.

 

Ways I Saved Money: 

I rode the bus all week long to work and back home.  Right now gas where I live is hovering at $3.89 a gallon.  Every time I am walking to the bus stop I’m grateful that I have the option to use public transportation.  I’m even more grateful that it is paid for by my employer. 

As I’ve been cleaning out and using up things in my freezers and pantry I’ve washed out a nice stack of Ziploc and vacuum seal bags to reuse later for food storage.  I have accumulated so many that I won’t need to buy any at the store for a good long while. 

I’ve continued to pull up weeds and give them to the chickens which has slowed down there food consumption and given them some more variety in their diet.  I also think it may have boosted their egg production a bit.  They sure seem to love it when they see me coming with a pile of greens for them. 

I planted a vegetable garden with high hopes for a good harvest this summer.

 

Meals I Prepared: 

On Mother’s Day I prepared a rib eye steak, a baked potato with sour cream and a nice green salad.  It was just perfect after a busy day of gardening and working outside in the yard.  By the time dinner was ready I was absolutely ravenous and ate every bite.  It was delicious. 

I got off much easier the rest of the week.  I had squirreled away a lot of leftovers in the freezer, to the point that I was out of food storage containers, so I pulled a bunch of those out and placed them in the refrigerator to thaw.  All I had to do was reheat my dinner in the microwave and fix myself a salad while it was warming.  Then I rinsed and popped the dishes right into the dishwasher and ran it at the end of the week.  It doesn’t get much easier than that folks!

 

It was a fantastic week, very busy and very productive.  Before I knew it, it was Friday again!  Those Fridays just keep coming faster and faster, I tell you.  I’m super happy with all that I was able to accomplish.