Monday: English Muffin Pizzas/Mac and Cheese
Tuesday: French Toast
Wednesday:Steak Fajitas
Thursday:Chicken Stir Fry
Friday:Just me, something easy.
Saturday: Cheese bread, salad, steak
Sunday: Mashed Potatoes, Chicken wings, not sure.
It's a crazy week, just want to have a blue print.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Menu Plan
Going to try to stay out of the food stores until next Friday.
Thursday: Buffalo chicken rice.
Friday: Should be only me, so leftovers or something light.
Saturday: Chicken for the lazy, roasted veggies.
Sunday: Leftover chicken, mashed potatoes.
Monday: Steak Fajitas with rice.
Tuesday: Beef and Broccoli
Wednesday: Spaghetti with Alfredo sauce, side salad.
Thursday: Steak/Mashed Potatoes
Friday: Food shopping so have to see.
I pretty much always serve some kind of salad on the side, and Rainman always has Mac and Cheese.
Credit Card Debt: $14,952.
Thursday: Buffalo chicken rice.
Friday: Should be only me, so leftovers or something light.
Saturday: Chicken for the lazy, roasted veggies.
Sunday: Leftover chicken, mashed potatoes.
Monday: Steak Fajitas with rice.
Tuesday: Beef and Broccoli
Wednesday: Spaghetti with Alfredo sauce, side salad.
Thursday: Steak/Mashed Potatoes
Friday: Food shopping so have to see.
I pretty much always serve some kind of salad on the side, and Rainman always has Mac and Cheese.
Credit Card Debt: $14,952.
Frugal Kitchen Tools
Penny has an interesting post up about frugal kitchen tools.
I cook.
A lot.
Bake, stir fry, roast, whatever you want to call it, I do it.
I am not the most frugal food shopper, and it is something I am working on, but I suppose my costs would be even higher if I didn't have my frugal kitchen tools.
In no particular frugal order, here are my favorite frugal kitchen tools:
KitchenAid Mixer : Man, I love this thing. It makes mixing everything from potatoes to cakes to muffins to cheesecake so easy. I also use it to keep Rainman busy (loves to follow recipes), but this is definitely my toy.
Dutch Oven: I got mine at BJ's Wholesale for under $40, right around the time I became one of Dorie Greenspan's disciples (her chicken for the lazy is amazing), and I use it constantly. Stick in a chicken, vegetables, on a bread bed, forget it, and your kitchen smells mouth watering. The finished product is even better. ;)
I have a few kept out of the way sharp knives, and I agree they are indispensable, but I picked mine up at Marshall's, TJ Maxx, or BJ's.
And I won one at Eat At Home Cooks.
There are two things I am keeping an eye out for, when I see a good sale/price.
One is a pressure cooker.
Not sure where my fear of pressure cooker comes from (almost as irrational as my fear of clowns), but I've always shied away from them.
Ice Cream Maker: This is something I really would like to get before summer. This is a want, not a need obviously, but I see this as fractionally money saving but definitely better nutritionally (I can control what goes in, as well as what doesn't).
I love to get a glimpse into others kitchens, so please comment :)
I cook.
A lot.
Bake, stir fry, roast, whatever you want to call it, I do it.
I am not the most frugal food shopper, and it is something I am working on, but I suppose my costs would be even higher if I didn't have my frugal kitchen tools.
In no particular frugal order, here are my favorite frugal kitchen tools:
KitchenAid Mixer : Man, I love this thing. It makes mixing everything from potatoes to cakes to muffins to cheesecake so easy. I also use it to keep Rainman busy (loves to follow recipes), but this is definitely my toy.
Dutch Oven: I got mine at BJ's Wholesale for under $40, right around the time I became one of Dorie Greenspan's disciples (her chicken for the lazy is amazing), and I use it constantly. Stick in a chicken, vegetables, on a bread bed, forget it, and your kitchen smells mouth watering. The finished product is even better. ;)
I have a few kept out of the way sharp knives, and I agree they are indispensable, but I picked mine up at Marshall's, TJ Maxx, or BJ's.
And I won one at Eat At Home Cooks.
There are two things I am keeping an eye out for, when I see a good sale/price.
One is a pressure cooker.
Not sure where my fear of pressure cooker comes from (almost as irrational as my fear of clowns), but I've always shied away from them.
Ice Cream Maker: This is something I really would like to get before summer. This is a want, not a need obviously, but I see this as fractionally money saving but definitely better nutritionally (I can control what goes in, as well as what doesn't).
I love to get a glimpse into others kitchens, so please comment :)
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Back in the saddle.
Been missing in action, but had one of those periods where I put in a ton of effort and am only starting to see results now.
The past few months since my last post where filled with uncertainty, with me not adding debt, but no real income coming in from what had been my steady pay.
I worked on another source, and it helped immensely, but it's still not what I was bringing in.
That needs to change.
Also, between ER visits for two of the offspring (concussion, fractured ribs, deep cut to toe with ear infection) and the fact that everyone has a deep hacking cough that is viral as opposed to bacterial, it sucks to be me right now.
Tomorrow, at least three of the offspring will be home, including Rainman, which makes it next to impossible to get real work done.
And, I definitely see yet another doctor's visit tomorrow, looks like conjunctivitis is in the house.
But, new month and all, and here we go.
I need to get back to meal planning, but right now, it's eat what stays down.
The Saved Quarter Challenge:
Credit card debt: 14952.
Goal by June:13500.
Retirement: $650 (Random, but I have an account that is specifically earmarked, and that's what I made from it and will get a deposit within a week or so).
Goal to be made this month for June:$1000.
I also will attempt $45 toward Xmas, and $50 savings per week.
Feels good to have a goal again :)
The past few months since my last post where filled with uncertainty, with me not adding debt, but no real income coming in from what had been my steady pay.
I worked on another source, and it helped immensely, but it's still not what I was bringing in.
That needs to change.
Also, between ER visits for two of the offspring (concussion, fractured ribs, deep cut to toe with ear infection) and the fact that everyone has a deep hacking cough that is viral as opposed to bacterial, it sucks to be me right now.
Tomorrow, at least three of the offspring will be home, including Rainman, which makes it next to impossible to get real work done.
And, I definitely see yet another doctor's visit tomorrow, looks like conjunctivitis is in the house.
But, new month and all, and here we go.
I need to get back to meal planning, but right now, it's eat what stays down.
The Saved Quarter Challenge:
Credit card debt: 14952.
Goal by June:13500.
Retirement: $650 (Random, but I have an account that is specifically earmarked, and that's what I made from it and will get a deposit within a week or so).
Goal to be made this month for June:$1000.
I also will attempt $45 toward Xmas, and $50 savings per week.
Feels good to have a goal again :)
Friday, February 18, 2011
Money Musings
It's a marathon, not a race.
My mantra this month.
The one lesson I've learned in paying down credit card debt is that it is so much more than just paying the balance.
I throw money at it, and then interest kicks in, then it makes my payment halved, then I throw more at it, and it seems that the balance is getting smaller at less than a snail's pace.
Contrast this to how fast my money grows in savings (adding small amounts on auto-pilot equals a happy squeal when I do check the balance) and it makes me alternately mad at getting myself in debt, mixed with renewed determination to finally get it all paid off.
Add this to the uncertainty of payment from a formerly great source of revenue that has been slowly dying due to bad business decisions on the part of the owner, and the need to be debt free so that I am at no one's mercy (credit card lenders, student loan creditors, banks) is heavy on my mind.
On the upside, just got off the phone with the IRS, and will be getting a small check and a nice credit for overpayment.
Yes!
I know that I am making progress, if only because I'm not adding debt, and my credit card debt isn't my only debt, as I am making progress on my mortgage, student loans, car loan, etc.
And there's no way around it, four teenagers in a HCOL area equals big expenses.
Just keep swimming.
Credit Card: $15,535.
My mantra this month.
The one lesson I've learned in paying down credit card debt is that it is so much more than just paying the balance.
I throw money at it, and then interest kicks in, then it makes my payment halved, then I throw more at it, and it seems that the balance is getting smaller at less than a snail's pace.
Contrast this to how fast my money grows in savings (adding small amounts on auto-pilot equals a happy squeal when I do check the balance) and it makes me alternately mad at getting myself in debt, mixed with renewed determination to finally get it all paid off.
Add this to the uncertainty of payment from a formerly great source of revenue that has been slowly dying due to bad business decisions on the part of the owner, and the need to be debt free so that I am at no one's mercy (credit card lenders, student loan creditors, banks) is heavy on my mind.
On the upside, just got off the phone with the IRS, and will be getting a small check and a nice credit for overpayment.
Yes!
I know that I am making progress, if only because I'm not adding debt, and my credit card debt isn't my only debt, as I am making progress on my mortgage, student loans, car loan, etc.
And there's no way around it, four teenagers in a HCOL area equals big expenses.
Just keep swimming.
Credit Card: $15,535.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Food Hoarding
I was personal finance blog hopping, and came across an interesting personal finance blog "The Quest for $85,ooo".
On an older post, she wrote about overspending and food hoarding.
It never occurred to me that there was such a thing, but it really resonated.
There's a real problem in general society with food insecurity, and for those of us who've spent times without enough food, there's nothing like an overflowing pantry, fridge and cupboards filled to bursting with food.
And many personal finance bloggers recommend stockpiling groceries, but that's not in keeping with the way I'm shopping (fresh fruits and veggies).
But, I do end up throwing out a lot of spoiled food.
I always have fruits and veggies on hand, and I want that to continue, but I am definitely over buying.
With my small kitchen (which has a fridge and chest freezer), opening any kitchen door or cabinet pretty much guarantees food will jump out at you.
For the rest of February, I'm going to make a concerted effort to meal plan around what I already have.
Friday accountability:
Health Insurance paid today.
Still need to pay car ins, mortgage, and aiming for the $400.
Waiting for deposits to clear before I can pay the above.
Credit card debt: $15,465.
$100 to E*Trade.
Goal: $100 week for food.
On an older post, she wrote about overspending and food hoarding.
It never occurred to me that there was such a thing, but it really resonated.
There's a real problem in general society with food insecurity, and for those of us who've spent times without enough food, there's nothing like an overflowing pantry, fridge and cupboards filled to bursting with food.
And many personal finance bloggers recommend stockpiling groceries, but that's not in keeping with the way I'm shopping (fresh fruits and veggies).
But, I do end up throwing out a lot of spoiled food.
I always have fruits and veggies on hand, and I want that to continue, but I am definitely over buying.
With my small kitchen (which has a fridge and chest freezer), opening any kitchen door or cabinet pretty much guarantees food will jump out at you.
For the rest of February, I'm going to make a concerted effort to meal plan around what I already have.
Friday accountability:
Health Insurance paid today.
Still need to pay car ins, mortgage, and aiming for the $400.
Waiting for deposits to clear before I can pay the above.
Credit card debt: $15,465.
$100 to E*Trade.
Goal: $100 week for food.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Christmas 2011 Challenge
What can I say?
I love challenges!
Sharon posted that she's joining Penny from The Saved Quarter Challenge in making a goal for Christmas, as well as gifts through the year.
I was a little hesitant to join in, because Penny had a $100 goal, and that would set me up for failure (she has littles, I have older teens).
My goal is $1000 total.
I am hoping to shave my out of pocket cash by utilizing swagbucks, and deals.
And, to pick up gifts through the year, on sale.
This is fun, and so much better than going insane at the end of the year during Christmas madness.
I love challenges!
Sharon posted that she's joining Penny from The Saved Quarter Challenge in making a goal for Christmas, as well as gifts through the year.
I was a little hesitant to join in, because Penny had a $100 goal, and that would set me up for failure (she has littles, I have older teens).
My goal is $1000 total.
I am hoping to shave my out of pocket cash by utilizing swagbucks, and deals.
And, to pick up gifts through the year, on sale.
This is fun, and so much better than going insane at the end of the year during Christmas madness.
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