This Month's 2025 Grocery Spending – January

 

I was pretty happy to have a little more wiggle room in the grocery budget this month.  Knowing my budget was going to double for 2025 I’d been working on my shopping list for quite some time, but don’t worry, I didn’t go crazy or anything.  It was just nice to be able to have a few extras here and there.

 

Fortunately for me quite a few items on my list appeared in sales ads the latter half of December so I went ahead and did a little bit of grocery shopping ahead of time so I could take advantage of those low prices.  In addition to those items I was also able to restock the butter I had used for cooking and baking during the holidays which made be pretty happy too.

 

My 2 freebie items - the salad dressing was donated

By the time January rolled around the refrigerator was in pretty good shape.  I started out with a fair bit of dairy and fresh produce as well as plenty of condiments (still working to pare that down a bit) so not a bad start.  The freezer compartment in the refrigerator was moderately stocked with open and full bags of frozen berries and vegetables, some packages of rotisserie chicken and cheese.

 

The cute little upright freezer in my garage however, is fully stocked along with the shelves in my LTFS.  I still had plenty of really good home canned options to choose from.  This allowed me to focus more of my budget on filling gaps in my pantry and LTFS as well as expanding my overall inventory.

 

I spent the first two weeks of January using up items I already had on hand and had squirreled away in my fridge and freezer so there was no need to go to the grocery store during that time.  Instead I decided to go through and take an inventory of my deep freezer, refrigerator and pantry to determine anything I might be low on and make a list based off of that.  I went to Cash & Carry for the first time in a very long time to pick up cream for my coffee, a can of whipped cream and some frozen vegetables all on special as well as some fresh produce.

 

A couple of times I popped into Trader Joes on the way home from work and picked up a few produce items to add to my salads.  I must admit, now that I have the larger grocery budget, I really do enjoy having the luxury of purchasing something just because it sounds good.

 

My final food expenses came in at $89.92 for the month with a rollover amount of $11.08.  Total non food expenses was $10.97 for a pair of toilet brushes to replace the well worn ones I had in the bathrooms and a four pack of facial tissues on sale.  I think I’m off to a pretty good start. 😀

 

Pantry Challenge In February

 

Even though I just started the year with a newly expanded grocery budget I like to do a pantry challenge every now and then to make sure I’m using my resources wisely and ensure that I’m not wasting food.  I like to choose February to do this because it happens to be the month when I get the highest heating bill of the year, January typically being our coldest month.  Having a little extra money to put toward that bill makes me feel better when it comes due and helps to ease any financial stress.

 

This time I hope to use up odds and ends of things in the refrigerator, freezer and pantry, pare down the extra condiments I’ve collected and eat up any leftovers I’ve accumulated.  A good pantry challenge will go a long way to help me accomplish this goal.  I may need to get creative and think a bit outside the box in the process.

 

With pantry challenges I will often set some rules to follow and try not to spend anything, or as little as possible, in the process.  This time I’m going to try it without any rules.  Just to see what happens.  In truth, I don’t expect it to be any different from any other time really, but I may surprise myself.  We shall see.

 

Stick around and at the end of the month I’ll let you know how it all went.  Anyone else have any pantry challenges planned?  What kind of rules do you set?  What is your favorite “go-to” meal during a pantry challenge?

 

Vintage Cookery – Cooked Pudding

 

Made from scratch cooked puddings are so much tastier and healthier than those little packages of pudding mix you buy at the store.  With the rise in grocery prices making your own puddings from scratch are also much less expensive.  I’m not entirely sure where these recipes come from as they were on a card in my mom’s recipe box when I was a young teen.  I copied them onto an index card and have since replaced that worn out card by typing it out and adding it to my recipe book.  Well worn recipe cards can only mean this is a well loved dessert.

 

Vanilla Pudding 

3 Tbs. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 

In a saucepan whisk together cornstarch, salt and sugar.  Continue whisking as you add milk.  Over medium heat continue whisking until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Pour into four custard dishes and chill until set.

 

Chocolate Pudding 

3 Tbs. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 

In a saucepan whisk together cornstarch, salt, cocoa and sugar.  Continue whisking as you add milk.  Over medium heat continue whisking until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Pour into four custard dishes and chill until set. 

To use as pie fillings reduce milk to 1 ¾ cups.

 

If you like your vanilla pudding to look more yellow you can add a drop or two of yellow food coloring.  I use the vanilla pudding to fill cream puffs and eclairs as well as to make banana cream pie.  It is the perfect filling for a Boston Cream Pie too.  The chocolate pudding is great to use to make a chocolate cream pie as well.

 

My Tireless Retirement – Week 147

 

Well this past week turned out a bit different than anything I had planned for, that’s for sure.  It started on Friday when a dear sweet friend told me she was selling her niece’s car for her and did I know someone who might be interested?  She told me all about it and its history and the more she talked the more it piqued my interest.  I told her maybe I’d be interested in it so she went and got it and we took a test drive and looked it all over.  It is a beautiful car and is in really great shape with one mechanical issue that is known and a couple little dings in the front fenders where her niece hand bumped into something.  The headlights are foggy and it is absolutely filthy, which I’d been warned about before the test drive.  When I told her I thought I might like to purchase it she said “Good! $1000 and it’s yours”.  Huh?  No way!  Just, you wait and see what I did.  I can hardly wait to share the full story with you.  Stay tuned!

 

On Saturday I spent the day with another friend and we got started on giving her master bathroom a facelift.  I had gone over there before Christmas to take care of a drywall repair she needed done in there and then it was up to her to pick up some primer, choose a wall color and get some paint.  When I got there she decided she didn’t like the trim in there so we removed all of that and then got to painting.  We also removed the old dated 1970s light fixture and that required a bit more drywall repair so I got that done as well.  She took me out for an early dinner and then we headed over to Lowes where she had found a light fixture she really liked.  We got that along with a new rocker light switch and an outlet.  I got the little drywall repair sanded and primed and the painting finished.  Next was to install the new light fixture, switch and outlet.  It is really starting to look good.

 

Monday I ended up hopping on the bus and then walking over to my other friend’s house to pay for and pick up the item I mentioned at the beginning of this post.  I then drove it home and parked it, set an appointment up with the DMV to get it registered and then called my insurance agent to add it to my auto policy.  Then outside with a bucket of hot soapy water and my detailing supplies to give it the first of many baths to come despite it being only 32° outside.  To give you some perspective on the filthy aspect of this purchase think horse barn.  This vehicle was used as the previous owner’s barn car – mud, hay, dirt, debris…. horse poop?  And it smelled like a barn too.

 

Tuesday I ran a few errands and did all the DMV and insurance stuff, then I ran the car over to my mechanic to have it looked at and was thrilled when I found out that the “mechanical issue” was exactly what I had suspected and we got that taken care of in less than an hour.  And!  Because I have been a loyal customer over the years he didn’t even charge me.  I was thrilled!  More info on that little issue to come, along with the rest of the story.

 

I worked a few hours Wednesday and a few more hours on Thursday.  Thursday I led an activity where I took seniors out to dinner and to the theater for a live performance of Hallelujah Girls.  Everyone had a nice time as did I.  And that brought my busy little week to a close.

 

My Weekly Challenge – Plan A Vacation 

How Did I Do?  Plans are in the works and I am super excited about another solo travel trip this summer.  I can hardly wait.

 

FYI - My retirement week runs Friday through Thursday

 

Using Credit Wisely In My Retirement

 

In retirement I live a debt free life, but that doesn’t mean I don’t use credit because I do.  Fairly often, in fact.  I use my credit card to pay for practically everything I can and the reason I do that is so I can accrue rewards points whenever I make a purchase.  For every dollar spent I receive one reward point and after I’ve accumulated a good amount of points I can redeem them for gift cards to restaurants and stores which I use to extend my wealth and increase my buying power.  Throughout the month I regularly check my balance and keep tabs on how much I spend to make sure that I can pay off the balance in full and not accrue any interest charges.  If I have to pay interest in addition to my purchase then I’ve just negatively impacted my buying power and that adversely impacts my wealth.

 

When it comes to major purchases, such the refrigerator I bought last summer, I will often consider using financing options such as those that offer me 0% interest if I pay the balance off in full within six months.  I only do this when I already have the funds available to make the purchase.  I will happily use their money and allow mine to sit in the bank and earn interest while I make steady payments over the course of the six months.  Usually I pay it off in full within three to four months.  By using the finance company’s funds I am able to use this time, free of charge, to make my purchase, earn interest on my own money in the meantime and acquire what I need while making small weekly or monthly payments using the money I earn from my part time job and thus no impact to my overall wealth.

 

I am very careful to stick to my budget so I don’t risk over extending myself.  I always want to pay my credit card or any other finance option off in full before I’m assessed any interest charges.  I like the safety of using my credit card for purchases because if I’m ever compromised I know my bank will investigate and make sure I don’t pay for anything I didn’t actually purchase.  I also like to use my credit card over my debit card because if I’m compromised I have less of a financial impact as my bank accounts are not affected and my overall wealth is better protected.  As a result I rarely use my debit card.

 

I know not every financial transaction I make is a safe one, because we all know the risks with hackers, however by being diligent with my purchases and regularly checking my accounts I am limiting those risks the best that I can.  Making fewer purchases and limiting the number of those transactions helps a lot too.

 

Tips For Living Simply In 2025 & Beyond

 

Since retiring in 2022 there are things I have done and continue to do that have simplified my life and boosted my quality of life immensely.  Here are a handful of those things I’d like to share with you.

 

Declutter Your Space, Often 

Going through and decluttering every square inch of my home, inside and out, has been a real game changer.  I had no idea when I started just how impactful this would be for me.  Inside my home I only have items I want, use and love.  Everything else was sold, trashed, recycled or given away and I have no regrets.  In fact, I wish I had done it sooner.  My home feels so much lighter and more breathable.  It is so much more peaceful and less chaotic.  I can easily find what I need when I need it.  The bonus - I spend a lot less time cleaning and maintaining my home. 

I am much more mindful about what I bring into my home now.  I don’t shop for stuff very often.  Quite frequently I tell myself “I don’t need that” and I find I really don’t.  When I do make a purchase I put a lot of thought into it first and usually it is simply to replace something else.  Once that purchase is made I will remove the item I am replacing immediately from the house - one in, one out.  I sort my mail at the outdoor recycle bin.  Ninety percent of my mail never even makes it into the house.  Additionally, I make routine sweeps throughout my house and I’m still amazed at what I can find to get rid of.

 

Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do, Do Without 

Once I retired I was amazed at just how little I really need to live comfortably.  I don’t need as much clothing, linens, food, toiletries, etc.  I consume a whole lot less now than when I was working and raising a family.  After decluttering my home I kept certain items to use such as craft and sewing supplies, gift wrapping items, office supplies, housecleaning products, and so forth.  Things I knew would get used up eventually.  I make sure to use what I already have on hand first before acquiring something else. 

Since I retired I’ve taken up daily journaling and instead of buying an expensive journal I’ve been making my own out of a stack of leftover spiral notebooks that I kept from the school supply bin.  I use craft supplies to decorate the covers and I’m using up a stash of colored pens and mechanical pencils I had in my office supply drawer.  I make my own Christmas, birthday and other greeting cards.  I reuse the gift wrap and bags I already have in my organizer and I make my own gift tags.  I also make a lot of the gifts that I give to my friends and loved ones.

I mend and repair my clothing, patching any holes or stitching loose seams before they get too bad in order to make them last longer.  Old wash cloths and towels become rags.  I make my own cloth napkins using fabric from my stash so I don’t buy paper ones at the store.  I create my own home décor from my craft and sewing stash too.

 

Get Outside 

I spend time outdoors on a regular basis.  I walk a lot.  It helps me to clear my mind, exercise my body and feel both mentally and physically stronger.  I do yard work on a regular basis, even in winter.  I find physical labor to be very cathartic - raking leaves, digging in the dirt, pruning my trees, tending my small garden or shoveling the snow.  I need to feel the heat of the sun in summer, the rain falling in spring, the crispness of fall and the cold in winter.  I embrace and enjoy all of the seasons. 

It is important to get out and enjoy a change of surroundings.  I love to hike a trail or walk along a river.  I’ll pack a picnic for myself and take a drive into the mountains.  Sometimes I just go to a park and enjoy the wildlife I encounter there.  Being outside makes me feel good.

 

Be Content 

I no longer want more things, in fact quite the opposite.  I want fewer physical items in my life.  I find I no longer need “big stuff” in my life.  I’m quite content with the little stuff.  I find quite a bit of joy just in my morning cup of coffee and a kitty in my lap while I drink it.  Coffee I make myself.  I definitely don’t need to drive through Starbucks or Dutch Bros. 

I have no desire or need for a bunch of fancy stuff.  I don’t need designer clothing, fancy appliances, new furniture, state of the art whatever, a nicer car or even a new car for that matter.  My one thousand plus square foot house is just perfect for me right now and has been for the past thirty years, even when I couldn’t see that was the case all of the time.  I’ve found a new appreciation for what I have.

 

Be Grateful 

It always amazes me how powerful the act of gratitude can be.  When I am grateful for what I have I no longer crave more.  When I am grateful for the day at hand I no longer feel anxious.  When I thank God for everything He has blessed me with I feel calm.  When I count my blessings, and I do this often, I know that I am rich beyond measure.  There is no tangible thing on this earth that can replace that.  When I am grateful I am happy.  When I am happy then I have NO Bad Days.

 

Gratitude and contentment is the ultimate wealth.  Simplifying our lives, appreciating what we have, getting outside and enjoying nature, it all has a very positive effect on me.  I choose to live simply because it gives me a better quality of life and allows me to really enjoy each and every day the Lord has chosen to bless me with.

 

Making My Meals & Meal Plans From The Pantry & Freezer In 2025

 

A few months ago I came up with the idea for a better way to make my meals using a lot of the tips and tricks I’ve used and been sharing on my blog for years and years.  To begin with I opened up a worksheet in Excel and I began to brainstorm a bunch of menus simply based on the foods I love to eat.  I made menus for six meals a day with a seventh day for flexibility, either to eat leftovers, go out to dinner with friends or simply have a change of mind.  Before I knew it I had a complete year’s worth of menus drafted.  Apparently I enjoy eating food!

 

I wanted to have a lot of variety in my menu plans, not only to stave off boredom, which is important, but also to allow myself to enjoy a lot of different tastes.  In doing this I’m also able to boost the nutrition in my meals because I’m better able to incorporate a lot of different foods into these meals.  I made Sunday meals more traditional American meals.  Monday – Asian, Tuesday – Mexican, Wednesday – Italian, Thursday – Soup & Salad, Friday – Diner Style (meals I’d like to order if I was going out) and Saturday – FREE (no plan in place so punt!).

 

Since retiring I’ve scaled back to typically making meals for at least two people so I’m going to continue doing this with the idea that I’ll always have a meal to share with someone and if not then I will use it to make a freezer meal.  Once I’ve done this for awhile I be able to fill up the freezer with a lot of different meals to pull out, thaw and reheat for quick and easy dinners when I’m busy or just don’t feel like cooking.

 

Once a week I cook all of my meals now for the week ahead, usually on Saturday or Sunday.  I’ve been practicing this for several weeks and so far it is working out very nicely.  I’m able to easily pull items from the deep freezer and pantry to make everything on the menu plan.  Fresh dairy and produce from the refrigerator completes the meals.  I’m able to easily stick to my shopping lists and budget too.

 

I am finding a lot of bonuses in doing this.  One - I always have a nutritionally complete meal at the ready so I’m less likely to eat poorly or skip a meal when I’m busy or tired from a long day.  That has been a bit of a problem for me at times.  Two – I’m able to eat a lot more of the meals I really enjoy eating and I don’t get stuck in a rut.  Three – I am able to incorporate better quality cuts of meat, more vegetables and far less processed foods.  Four – I am saving a lot of money and a ton of time.  I am spending less time in the kitchen cooking and cleaning up as well as about half the time I used to spend shopping for food.  Five – I’ll be putting away enough meals in my freezer that I’ll be able to take time off from all cooking duties multiple times a year.  My one year of menus may actually be a two year menu plan by the time all is said and done.

 

Boosting my health through good nutrition is very important to me.  Having a good solid plan outlined and easy to execute is going to pay off in volumes for me to achieve my goal.

 

My Tireless Retirement - Week 146

 

This past week seemed to fly by exceptionally fast.  I had all kinds of little projects on this month’s “To Do” list to keep me busy as I tackled a couple of them last week.  I must say, it did feel good to tick the box on the first projects of the year.

 

I worked all day on Friday riding the bus to and from.  It was a really good day and super busy which made it even better.  On the way to the bus station after work I picked up a bottle of wine at Trader Joes along with a bag of their San Marzano mini plum tomatoes to added to my salads.  They are so delicious.  Then over to the bus station to head for home.  As I was getting off the bus it was just beginning to snow after threatening to do so all day.  I absolutely loved my snowy walk home.

 

While getting ready for work on Friday I went through my earrings and pulled a pair I hadn’t worn in well over a year and knew I probably wouldn’t wear this year either.  I tucked them in my pocket to donate to the thrift store when I got to work, which I did.  I also noticed a pair of socks I had been given a year ago, still in their packaging, so I pulled those too and added them to my gift stash.  I plan to re-gift them at some point.

 

Saturday morning I awoke to stiff legs and sore feet.  I had seriously gotten my steps in the day before so I decided it would be in my best interest to take it easy.  I did a lot of writing that day, enjoyed some good food (reheated leftovers) and watched TV.  Of all things, I started watching the old TV series LA Law.  I loved it back then and surprisingly I find it is still quite enjoyable, except I had forgotten about all the sexism and racism that existed in the workplace back then.  Quite appalling, really.

 

Sunday I awoke feeling well rested and my feet felt a lot better so I hit the ground running to make up for lost time.  I quickly got caught up on my housekeeping, did the laundry and changed my sheets and then started working on a project I had been eager to get started on.  I pulled out my sanding block, putty knife and some spackle to repair a little kitty damage where the little buggers had clawed a couple of the walls.  I can’t blame it all on the kitties though as I had done a bit of damage myself gouging the walls as I hauled out my daughter’s old bedroom furniture and did my huge decluttering project in 2023.  After dinner the spackle had dried and I was able to sand it smooth and get it ready for paint.

 

I worked again on Monday, again taking the bus to and from.  Before heading home I stopped into Trader Joes again for mushrooms and feta to add to my salads.  I didn’t work Tuesday or Wednesday.  Tuesday I declared a pajama day, relaxed, finished reading Matthew Perry’s autobiography, watched a little TV and puttered about the house spending quite a bit of time with my animals.  As far as the book, all I can say is it was a hard read for me and I probably won’t be able to watch another episode of Friends quite the same way again.

 

Wednesday I spent a full day in my kitchen baking bread and rolls, preparing a salad bar, cooking up two pots of soup and making two pudding desserts.  I had a dinner party that evening with some of my coworkers and we had a great time visiting, eating and we laughed a lot.  At one point I was even in tears I laughed so hard.  Excellent evening!  Thursday I was back to work in the afternoon for a few hours and again I rode the bus to and from brining the week to a close.  It was a very good week!

 

My Weekly Challenge – Plan and execute a dinner party with my co-workers. 

How Did I Do?  Completed!  It went very well and we had a really nice time. 

 

FYI - My retirement week runs Friday through Thursday

Making Amazing Meals From The Pantry - #1

 

With all of the holiday baking, cooking and entertaining I had done throughout the holiday season I began the month of January with A LOT of leftovers.  Because people brought things over and didn’t take them back home with them plus what I had made there were loads of odds and ends of things I had squirreled away in the refrigerator and freezer compartment.  There was also still quite a bit of produce and dairy items nearing their end dates.  I knew that I wanted to concentrate on using these things up and get them out of here as soon as possible so nothing ended up getting wasted.  Fortunately the BFF was here to lend me a hand.

 

New Years Day was another holiday meal and we were left with plenty of leftover items to finish off the week.  First up was to make a batch of chocolate pudding on Saturday to use up milk that was nearing its best buy date along with a partial can of evaporated milk leftover from making fudge.  I also had a partial can of whipped cream to top these desserts with.  The two of us polished this deliciousness off in nothing flat and we didn’t feel guilty about it at all.  Done!

 

By Sunday I was ready to get really serious about tackling all of this extra food.  I went through the refrigerator and freezer compartment, took an inventory and pulled out some items I wanted to use up.  I pulled out the end of a loaf of homemade whole wheat bread, a couple eggs, some milk and an open jar of Costco peaches to make French toast for Sunday brunch.  The last of a jar of pear butter was used to top the French Toast.

 

I still had chicken and cranberry sauce left from Thanksgiving and a bunch of open partial bags of vegetables so I did a sheet pan meal.  A partial container of chicken stock in the refrigerator was used to make some gravy.  Since the oven was going I went ahead and added a frozen apple crisp I had put away in the freezer last Fall.  Sunday dinner was a hit and we also used some more of the whipped cream on the crisp.

 

In my ongoing endeavor to remove processed foods from my everyday diet I found four hotdogs and four store bought buns in the freezer.  We decided to eliminate them right away by having them for supper on Monday.  I made a salad with homemade dressing to go along with that meal so we could feel better about eating the hotdogs.  We finished the apple crisp that evening too.

 

Next I used up an open bottle of green salsa, an open container of sour cream beyond its best buy date, some leftover grated cheese  plus more I had pulled from the freeze, and some corn tortillas to make an enchilada casserole, of sorts.  The remainder of the week was spent eating up the leftovers that had accumulated in the refrigerator from the three meals I had made.

For quick brunch type items we polished off the last of the Christmas cinnamon rolls and pumpkin bread along with the citrus and the jar of Costco peaches.  Then I made a loaf of zucchini bread using a packet of grated zucchini and carrot I had put away in the freezer.  It was perfect.

 

The following week I was on my own once again and cooking for only one so I focused on what was in the freezer.  I pulled out a pasta dinner, some beef barley soup and biscuits and a couple beef and bean burritos.  I also ate some leftover enchilada casserole from the week before.

 

Food Waste – From the refrigerator I tossed two partial bottles of store bought salad dressing that had been hanging around way too long into the trash.  I also added a bunch of green onions that had gone slimy as well as a forgotten tomato with a mold spot on it and a few less than stellar mandarin oranges.  After that we really concentrated on eating the fresh produce before we lost anymore.  From the pantry I pulled out the last of the ultra processed food I had in there and although it pained me to get rid of it, it pained me even more to look at the ingredient lists and realize what utter crap I had been storing.  That made it much easier to pull out marinades, barbecue sauces and more salad dressings and a few cans of soup.  Since they were all past their best buy dates I couldn’t donate these items.  I should have done this sooner.

 

Without realizing it I had done an impromptu pantry challenge, but after those two weeks I feel like I have a really good handle on what is going on in my kitchen.  Once all was said and done, I did an inventory and made a solid list of items to buy at the grocery store moving forward.