This Month's 2024 Extreme Budget Grocery Spending – October

 

At the beginning of the month my refrigerator looked pretty slim inside, but this was actually a very good thing.  What it told me is that I had done a really good job using up and eating the fresh food I had on hand and didn’t allow it to go to waste.  I even dwindled down some of the condiments.  I had a few corn tortillas and a dozen flour tortillas in the bread drawer.  I also had half a pound of butter, a pint of cream, a pint of homemade vanilla yogurt, two blocks of cream cheese, half a jar of grated parmesan, a little bit of sour cream and a dozen eggs.  My chickens have stopped laying now so I’ll likely need to start buying eggs at the store pretty soon.

 

Slim pickings means zero food waste! 👏

A few eggs & some dairy on the top shelf
I keep leftovers on the middle shelf - all eaten! 😋
Potatoes and my bread baking supplies on the bottom

Steadily making my way through the condiments
Progress is progress!

In the produce drawer I didn’t have much left after all of the cooking, baking and canning I had done.  However, I did have a fully loaded apple tree and a bucket of pears in the pantry as well as a container of tomatoes ripening so a good amount of fresh produce to start this month off with.  I also had an abundance of frozen and canned fruits and vegetables in the freezer and pantry, not to mention all that I had canned and put up in the LTFS.

 

A great deal on a quart of cream plus a pint
of pickled asparagus from one of the ladies at the senior center

I did not do any shopping the last two weeks of September and I didn’t really need to go the first week of this month either, however Albertsons offered me a deal I couldn’t refuse.  A digital coupon for a quart of heavy whipping cream (I use this in my coffee for my 10:00 coffee break each day) for $5.39 plus a $5 OFF a $5 Purchase digital coupon, made this purchase only 39¢!  Yes please and thank you very much!

 

My big grocery shop this month at Winco
plus a 3# package of peppered bacon from Fred Meyer

That same week I had a short list of pantry staples to get for my LTFS so I stopped at Winco on the way home from work one day and picked up those items.  I also picked up a half gallon of organic milk and a tub of sour cream.  I plan to make another batch of homemade yogurt with the milk.  On the way home from Winco I stopped into Fred Meyer to pick up a loss leader item which was a 3# package of peppered bacon.  I ended up dividing the bacon up and vacuum sealing it in portions before tucking it away in the freezer.

 

Two pound bag of cheese for $1.99!

The next week when the ads changed Albertson’s offered me another $5 OFF a $5 Purchase digital coupon so I used that to pick up a two pound package of Monterey Jack cheese.  It was on sale for $6.99 but after using the digital coupon I only paid $1.99.

 

Five pound bag of potatoes for just under a dollar!

When the Albertson’s ads changed again I redeemed the rewards points I’d accumulated for a $1 OFF Any Purchase digital coupon.  I stopped on my way home from work once again to pick up five pound bag of red potatoes on sale for 1.99.  After the digital coupon I spent 99¢ out of pocket for the potatoes.

 

Lots of fresh homegrown produce helps a lot!

Although I made quite a few trips in and out of the grocery stores over the period of a couple weeks I didn’t really do a lot of shopping this month.  I do feel the extra trips to use certain digital coupon offers and rewards points paid off and was well worth it just to go in and get one single item each time.  I netted three pounds of bacon, a quart of cream, two pounds of cheese and a 5# bag of red potatoes for the rock bottom price of only $12.34.  Those were some really good deals!  Too good to pass up in my opinion, not to mention very helpful in managing to work within an extreme grocery budget.

 

I am pretty happy with this month's tally! 😍

My final total for food this month came in at $48.32 and I still have a little bit leftover to roll into next month’s budget!  Whoo hooo!  What do you think?

 

Planting Garlic

 

Last Fall was the first time I had ever planted garlic.  I purchased organic garlic at the grocery store and planted the cloves in a section of one of my raised garden beds.  I added bunny litter on top and hoped for the best.  It came up in the spring and I harvested it in late June.  Let me tell you something.  There is nothing better than your own homegrown garlic.

 

This year's yield - not bad for my first try!

I used the majority of what I harvested in several of my canning projects this year including some very delicious black bean corn salsa.  In fact, it was the only garlic I used in the canning projects I did that required garlic.  Fresh garlic tastes so much better, minces so much better and I couldn’t have been happier about my first attempt at garlic farming.  The only complaint I had was that I would’ve liked a bit more.  It was that good.

 

Two large garlic bulbs set me back over $10
I hope they grow!

This year I picked up garlic cloves at the feed store and they were expensive.  But I wanted to go legit and try it out to see how it compares to what I did last year.  I’m sure I’ll bet a better yield and some bigger bulbs, at least that is what I’ve been led to believe.  We shall see.

 

Last year's garlic on the left
This year it is planted on the right of that bed

Because garlic is a heavy feeder I wanted to give it the best chance I could so this year I planted in a section of the garden I didn’t use this year.  It was where I had attempted to grow cucumbers, but the grasshoppers made sure that didn’t happen.  Instead I dumped bunny litter in that area and tilled it in.  Then I laid down some fertilizer pellets and planted the cloves.  After a layer of mulch they were ready for their winter nap and hopefully in the spring they will pop up and get to growing.  Once that happens they will get some more fertilizer and a fresh layer of bunny love.

 

If you have never planted your own garlic I strongly recommend that you try it.  You can grow it in a flower pot if you don’t have a garden.  There is simply nothing like crushing open a freshly harvested clove of garlic to cook with.

My Tireless Retirement – Week 134

 

Our Fall weather has definitely arrived.  I awoke last Friday and it was 60° in the house and 36° outside.  There had been a frost advisory, however where I live it did not get that cold, however some friends that live closer to the Boise river did get frost.  I started up the fireplace to take the chill off the house in the morning and let the sunshine warm it up from there.  We are still having some warm weather afternoons.

 

Later that day I had the privilege of taking a group of seniors to the Stein Luminary at Boise State University.  It is an interactive educational exhibit that allows you to get up close and personal to works of art, photography as well as many other facets of computerized graphics and design.  The space photography was my favorite part.  You truly realize just how small we are in the grand scheme of things.  It was a super cool experience.

 

Jack helped me

I was still energized when I got home from work so I grabbed the ladder and a couple of boxes and finished picking the apples off of my tree.  I filled up both boxes and even started pruning the tree for a bit before it started to get dark.

 

The next morning I did some meal prepping projects I had on my list.  Baking some apple crisps was on the agenda.  I made three, kept out one and froze the other two for later.  I really needed a day spent in my kitchen doing all the things I love to do.

 

This week I started back to riding the bus to and from work again.  My broken toe has healed, the heat wave is no more and my knee injury (that I did not tell you about because it was stupid!  I stepped on a pear, it rolled and I hyper extended my knee in the process because I can’t do the splits – never could) is all good so I was out of excuses and, to be quite honest, ready to get back to it.  In the spirit of jumping back into it I redeem some of my rewards points I had earned by riding the bus so far this year for a $10 Kroger gift card and I have plans to use it next week for something very important.  Butter!

 

After work Thursday I walked over to city hall where they had set up early voting and voted.  I’m glad to have that over and done with, especially as my regular polling place is not near my house, for whatever reason, so now I don’t have to drive out of the way to go vote on November 5^th.  I walk past city hall every day on my way to and from the bus station so this was super convenient and I was able to get right in and out.  I’m just glad to be done and have it behind me.

 

I used the last of my birthday money to order the new raised garden bed I want to add to my backyard as well as a hoop tunnel system so I can hopefully keep the grasshoppers off my plants next year and slow down the squirrels from wreaking havoc.  The garden bed was on clearance for 35% OFF and the hoop tunnel was half price.

A couple of you asked for my Thai soup recipe so here you go!

 

This weekend I’m planning to continue with my work outside pruning the apple tree and getting all of the limbs cut up and ready for the weekly pick up.  What has been keeping you busy lately?

 

Getting The Hens & Coop Winter Ready

 

This is the time of year when I get busy making sure my backyard coop and the hens are set up for the upcoming winter.  I begin with a deep clean of the coop and inspection to see if anything needs to be repaired.  This year I will need to add a few new treads to the ramp so they can safely and easily enter and leave the coop.

 

I use the deep litter method, and have for years, meaning I only clean the coop twice a year.  By filling the base of the coop with a deep layer of pine shavings it controls the moisture in the coop reducing the humidity and keeping the inside of the coop dry and odor free year round.  Moisture is what causes a coop to smell and it also makes it difficult for your chickens to stay warm in the wintertime.  The deep litter method allows my girls to stay dry and warm.

 

The coop itself is made of cedar so it is durable and moisture resistant.  The deep litter method helps to make sure it stays that way and stave off any possible rot from too much moisture.  I will check for any loose boards or screws and make sure it is in good working order so my hens are not only well housed, but also secure from predators.  I also double check the pen area and make sure all of the chicken wire is secure and check the perimeter to make sure there are no areas skunks or raccoons can dig and burrow inside.

 

Feeders are also checked for wear and tear and replaced if necessary.  I do clean them at various times throughout the year.  For my flock I find that a simple one gallon ice cream bucket works well for their water and in the winter time I rotate two of them during freezing temperatures.  I can bring a frozen water bucket inside to thaw overnight while I set out a fresh one each morning.  During especially cold temperatures I will rotate them midday as well.

 

In the garage I have an area where I stock up on feed and supplies.  I know how much I need to keep on hand to get through the winter and well into spring so each fall I make sure that I have those items stocked and ready.  This way I am not trying to get out and get a 50# bag of feed during a snowstorm and wrestle it into the garage on a slippery driveway.

 

During the winter I up their feed and I also add more fats and protein to their diet so they stay warm and healthy.  I make them homemade suet cakes using rendered beef or pork fat that I’ve saved from cooking in my freezer.  I use a small plastic bowl as a mold and place a cup of scratch grains as well as some meal worms in it.  Then pour melted fat over it and allow it to set.  I personally don’t like the idea of putting meal worms into my fridge or freezer so I just set the bowls in the garage to chill.  Once they’ve set I can pop them out and they are ready to serve.

 

We miss our Edith, but the other girls are still doing well

Also during the winter I will purposely buy extra produce so I can give leafy greens and any other vegetable scraps I may have to the girls.  I also give them piles of leaves I’ve raked up and saved for them in a large trash can.  It gives them something peck and scratch at, but has the added benefit of controlling mud so they are not constantly walking around with wet feet.  The bonus is that in the spring I can rake out the composted material and add it to my garden beds.

 

That pretty much sums up how I care for my chickens and get them ready for those cold blustery days during the winter.  The goal is always to make sure they are well cared for and have a good quality of life.

 

Elder Care

 

Deciding and planning for what will happen to us as we get older can be a very daunting task.  When you look at elder care on the whole it can truly feel overwhelming making it difficult to even know where to begin, especially as none of us can predict the future.  We don’t truly know what might happen to us during the aging process.  Sometimes things happen just out of the blue – stroke, heart attack, illness, a cancer diagnosis, a fall, even dementia.  How do we adequately prepare for the “what ifs” that await us?

 

At some point in our lives we are going to need some assistance.  It may be simple things like help with yard work or housekeeping.  It may be on a grander scale requiring the sale of a house and moving into an assisted living environment or even a residential facility.  At some point we may need help in making our every day decisions for us.  Who will act on our behalf?

 

In Idaho we have the Idaho Commission On Aging which has a plethora of resources to guide and help people with a lot of these concerns.  Many senior centers, like the one I work at, offer workshops and assistance with resources as well.  There is a lot of information out there to help get you started.  But we have to take the steps and actually get started.

 

The time to begin working on this is now, before you need to, rather than waiting until you have to do it.  For many seniors, by the time they realize they need help, it is too late and their dementia has rendered them incapable of making the sound decisions they could’ve made for themselves a few years earlier.

 

The reason I bring this up is because exploitation of our aging population is rampant.  Many are bilked out of their life savings and even their homes and property and not just by some random scammer taking advantage of them.  Sadly, it often happens by “trusted” family members, even friends.  Unfortunately I have witnessed this firsthand and it sickens me to no end at how a person’s child or children will scour the house removing anything and everything of value and then leave their parent to sit in a nursing home until they die so they can inherit whatever is left.  And even sadder, those parents are left alone.  Their children and grandchildren rarely or never visit them.

 

Do you have a written plan in place for aging?  Do your research now.  Check into all resources available to you.  Consult with various experts.  Make a plan.  Write it down.  Do you have a will?  A living will?  A durable power of attorney?  Do you want to have someone you know appointed to make decisions or do you want to have a court appointed guardian in the event that you are no longer able?  It’s a lot to think about, but it is very important that you have something outlined and set up.

 

Meal Prepping From The Pantry #6

 

Sometimes I just need a day spent in my kitchen being creative so I set aside this past Saturday as my day to do just that.  I really wanted to do some baking because it has been quite a while since I’ve done some marathon baking and I had a list of items I wanted to bake and put up in the freezer.  With the holidays approaching I want lots of good stuff on hand to serve to guests and share with loved ones.

 

To begin I started some whole wheat bread dough in my bread machine and while that was doing its thing I pared some apples and put together three small apple crisps.  I set those aside and mixed up pumpkin muffin batter which I divided in half to make plain muffins and topped them with leftover streusel from making the crisps and then added some raisins to the rest of the batter to make a dozen pumpkin raisin muffins.

 

When the bread dough was done I shaped it into two loaves to rise.  Then I started up some more dough to make a batch of dinner rolls to have on hand to go with all of the delicious soups I am planning to make in the coming months.  Once the bread had risen I preheated the oven and began to rotate everything through oven finishing up with two pans of dinner rolls.

 

While everything was baking I placed a huge bone in chicken breast half into my medium slow cooker and let that cook until it was done.  I removed the bones and skin and shredded the chicken, added a block of cream cheese, the tail end of a bottle of cilantro lime salsa I had in the freezer and opened a new jar to add a bit more.  I let that go in the slow cooker while I cleaned up the kitchen and packaged the breads and got them into the freezer.

 

I made a large batch of rice, putting some of it into a container for the freezer and using the rest to go with the crack chicken I had made in the slow cooker.  It was the perfect way to end the day and fill me up.

 

The next day, Sunday, I put on a pot of Thai Curry soup in my slow cooker and let that go all day.  With yummy soup, dinner rolls, crack chicken and rice on hand I had plenty of good meals to see me through the majority of the week ahead.  Not to mention, also a delicious pumpkin muffin to go with my morning coffee.