Weekly Spending Report 01/14-20/2013

This week I tried REALLY hard to stay out of the stores.  Here's how I did...

• Wednesday's CVS Trip: $1.97 oop

• Wednesday's ALDI Trip: $8.01 oop

• Wednesday's Rite-Aid Trip: $5.70, Earned $8 UP+Rewards

• Thursday's Shopper's Trip (Honey Crisp Apples): $2.96 oop
• Saturday's Amish Market Trip: $2.30 + $2.49 + $3.13 = $7.92 oop

• Saturday's Shopper's Trip (6 honey crisp apples and 2 newspapers): $10.16 oop

Total OOP: $36.72 - Earned $8 Rewards = Net OOP: $28.72

Linking up to Couponaholic. 

Frugal Finds Friday: Re-using Glass Bottles!

 

 A little spray paint can go a L-O-N-G way in making your pantry look more cohesive, and can make all of your reused glass bottles from spaghetti sauce, salsa, fruit, etc coordinate.  Once I started reading about all the bad things about plastic storage containers, I knew I wanted to start using glass for pantry items.  But who has the money to go out and buy all new glass containers for your pantry, certainly not this gal.  So I started saving glass bottles from items we regularly use, like salsa, pasta sauces, artichokes, and the like. 

1.) I wash them with dish soap and water, 

2.)let them air dry,

3.)and then spray paint the lids so they all coordinate, and make my OCD side very happy!  

I still have a few Ziploc Twist and Lock containers that I use in the freezer, but all my snacks, baking items, beans, extra pastas, are all in my nice reused glass containers.  Not only is it green, but frugal too!

How about you; what are some of your frugal finds for the week?

Linked to Works for Me Wednesday!

Linking up to Homemade Mondays.

ALDI Deals, Starting 01/16/2013

Here are some of the deals at ALDI this week...

• Vanderwall Shower Caddy Assortment Satin Nickel or Bronze $9.99 ea
• St. Cloud PEVA Shower Curtain Liner 70x72" $5.99 ea
• Vanderwall Toilet Tissue Holder $7.99 ea
• Crane 36' Jogging Trampoline $24.99 ea
• Kitchen Living Panini Grill $19.99 ea
• Kirkwood Garlic and Herb Chicken Breasts 40 oz $6.99 ea
• Sistema Lunch Cube or Soup Mug To Go $3.99 ea
• Source Skincare Liquid Hand Soap Pure Protection, or Aloe Vera 7.5 oz $0.85 ea
• Yellow Onions 3 lb bag $0.79 ea
• Carrots 2 lb bag $0.79 ea
• Red Potatoes 5 lb bag $0.99 ea
• Navel Oranges 4 lb bag $1.89 ea
• Fuji Apples 3 lb bag $2.19 ea
• Pineapples $1.89 ea
• Season's Choice Frozen Strawberries 16 oz $1.99 ea
• Season's Choice Frozen Blueberries 12 oz $2.49 ea
• L'oven Fresh Sandwich Skinnys Multigrain, or 100% Whole Wheat 12 oz $1.99 ea

For more AWESOME Deals at ALDI, visit their homepage!

Frugal Finds Friday: Cereal Box Magazine Holders!

Spray Paint and Sealer

+ 

Used Cereal Boxes

=

Magazine Holders!

To make these, you simply cut the cereal box into the shape of a magazine holder.  Then you go outside, or cover the area you are going to spray paint on with newspaper, and open some windows, and then spray paint the entire cereal box (I usually focus on the outside, but you can do the whole inside too if you like).  Allow the cereal box(es) to dry overnight.  In the morning spray them well and evenly with sealer.  Allow the boxes to completely dry, I usually let them set a couple of days for good measure.  Then add a label and fill the holders with your magazines!  I love being able to use old things to make new more useful items!

Easy, green, and frugal organization!

Linking up to Works for Me Wednesday!

Pantry Challenge Update #2: 01/06-12/2013

This week has been crazy.  With the holidays being over and things so quiet here at the museum, I keep thinking about my mom, and how much I miss her.  It's hard.  I'm trying to keep myself busy, but I think that the flu has finally entered the Roger's house.  Joe and I have both been feeling pretty rough the past few days, and then Thursday we went to Joe's grandfather's house and worked our little tushies off there.  Here's how the pantry challenge has been going...

Day #6: Sunday Joe was really suffering for a head cold, which I guess I gave him - whoops.  Luckily we had a lot of leftover food from Saturday, so I reheated some hamburger helper for lunch, and whipped up some taco salads for dinner using the leftover chili.  We ate good and still had plenty of both left for Monday.

B - Cold Cereal

L - Leftover Hamburger Helper

D - Leftover Chili Taco Salads

Day #7: Monday Joe was still feeling pretty rough, but I managed to get the house clean and do some laundry and a little paperwork as well, and Joe spent most of the day resting in the recliner.  It was a nice day.  We ate more leftovers...
B - Cream of Wheat
L - Leftover Hamburger Helper - the last of it!
D - Leftover Chili

Day #8: Tuesday Joe and I worked on some things around the house, and finally had a break from leftovers and I made a pasta bake creation using 2 cups of leftover pasta sauce (1 marinara, and 1 vodka) from the freezer, along with leftover frozen cooked pasta, and a little cheese.  Paired with some frozen garlic bread (our last loaf), and it was quite the meal.  We did some sandwiches for lunch.

B - Cold Cereal

L - Sandwiches

D - Pasta Bake with Garlic Bread

Day #9: Wednesday Joe and I continued to recuperate and worked on some organizing at the house.  I opened up some Christmas ham from the freezer for lunch, and we splurged on some 5 Guys for dinner.

B - Cold Cereal

L - Ham and Cheese Omelets with Toast

D - 5 Guys Burgers and Fries

Day #10: Thursday Joe and I went to his Grandfather's house.  We got some kindling cut up and stored for his wood stove, and I worked on flea market stuff in the basement to get ready for our first flea market this year, next month.  We ate out with Pap for lunch and dinner, and he treated, so that was nice!

B - Cold Cereal

L - Soft Pretzels from the Amish Market

D - Chili's Baby Back Ribs!  :-)

Day #11: Friday we slept in, and Joe went to the gun show near Cockeysville.  I stayed home and got caught up on laundry, and some organizing projects I wanted to get done.  Meals were simple.

B - None

L - None for Me, PB and J sandwiches for Joe

D - Ledo's Pizza (with enough leftover for lunch tomorrow!)

Day #12: Saturday Joe and I went into the world and ran some errands, and did some shopping!  We got some great deals on some things we were in need of like probiotics and Kleenex from CVS, and milk, fruit, and snacks from Giant.  I also got to visit with my sister a little, and we picked up a $5 Little Caesar's pizza for dinner; it was quite yummy!  We spent the afternoon resting, and watching movies, while I clipped coupons.

B - Cold Cereal/Waffles

L - Sandwiches

D - Pizza, Pizza!

For more challenge updates visit Good Cheap Eats!

Menu Plan Monday 01/14/2013

I hope that this week goes better than last.  Last week Joe and I were sick, we were working at and around the house, and tiredness got the best of us both, and we ate a few more takeout pizzas than I wanted to.  But we did eat a good bit from the freezer, which is the point of this freezer challenge.  This week we have a memorial service to attend near the ocean, and we can hopefully get some more organizing done around the house.  Here's what's on the menu for this week...

Breakfasts: Cold Cereal, Cream of Wheat, or Sausage Sandwiches/Waffles for Joe

Lunches: Leftovers, Sandwiches

Dinners:

Sunday -  Little Caesar's $5 Pizza

Monday - Baked Fresh-Take Chicken with Ranch Potato Wedges and a Vegetable

Tuesday - Baked Crunchy Fish with Baked French Fries and a Vegetable

Wednesday - Ham, Pepperoni, and Cheese Stromboli

Thursday - Crock Pot Pork Roast with Crock-Pot Baked Potatoes and a Vegetable

Friday - Leftover Pork Sandwiches with Baked Potato Wedges and a Vegetable

Saturday - Memorial Service on the Eastern Shore with Joe's Grandfather, we'll probably get treated to Holly's for driving him down.

Extras: Apple Cobbler, and later in the week Homemade Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

For more AWESOME Menu Plans, visit Org Junkie!

Weekly Spending Report 01/06-12/2012

This week I did do a little shopping.  Here's how it went down...

• Thursday's Amish Market Trip (14.04 lbs Raw Sugar): $20.93 oop
• Saturday's CVS Trip: $1.31, Earned $11 ECB's

• Saturday's Rite-Aid Trip (1-80 ct Advil PM and 3-12 pks Coke, all for Joe): $21.56 oop, Earned $5 UP+Rewards
• Saturday's Giant Trip: $40.36 oop

• Saturday's Lowe's Trip (2 bags cat litter pellets): $8.68

Total OOP: $92.84, well, more than I wanted to spend.  However, the sugar and litter are expenses that should get us through/into February as well.  Hopefully I can curb our spending a little more this week, but at the same time, it feels good to be stocking back up on things we needed, like the probiotics and kleenex at CVS.

ALDI Deals, Starting 01/09/2013

Even though we are doing a pantry challenge at the Roger's house, I might just have to go into ALDI this week for some of these AWESOME Deals, especially on organics!

• Navel Oranges 4 lb bag $1.89 ea
• Pears 4 pk $1.89 ea
• Grapefruits $0.39 ea
• Fuji Apples 3 lb bag $2.19 ea
• Cantaloupe $1.39 ea
• Mangoes $0.89 ea
• Simply Nature Crispy Crust Pizza Uncured Pepperoni or 4 cheese $3.49 ea
• Simply Nature Organic Toasted Oats Honey or Original 9-10 oz $1.99 ea
• Simply Nature Organic Strawberries 12 oz $2.39 ea
• Simply Nature Organic Blueberries 12 oz $3.49 ea
• Simply Nature Organic Vanilla Yogurt 32 oz $2.99 ea
• Simply Nature Organic String Cheese $2.99 ea
• Simply Nature Organic Spaghetti or Linguine 16 oz $1.29 ea
• Simply Nature Organic Pasta Sauce Marinara or Tomato Basil 25 oz $1.99 ea
• Simply Nature Organic Apple Juice 64 oz $2.49 ea
• Simply Nature Organic Apple Juice Boxes 3-6.75 oz boxes $0.99 ea
• Nature's Nectar not from concentrate Mini Orange Juice Boxes 6-6.75 oz $2.99 ea
• Green and Black's Organic Chocolate Bars Dark 70% or Almond 3.5 oz $2.49 ea

For more AWESOME deals at ALDI, visit their homepage!

Menu Plan Monday - 01/07/2013

This is the second week in our pantry challenge, and things are going great.  We are using up lots of little bits out of the freezers, and the pantry, plus eating some good meals!  Here's what's on the menu this week...

Breakfasts: Cold or Hot Cereals, or Sausage Patty Sandwiches

Lunches: Leftovers, Sandwiches, or Canned Soup with Crackers and Cheese

Dinners:

Sunday - Taco Salad made with Leftover Chili

Monday - Leftover Hamburger Helper

Tuesday - Pasta Bake with Leftover Frozen Pasta and Garlic Bread with a Vegetable

Wednesday - Ham and Cheese Omelets with Toast

Thursday - Fresh Take Chicken Breasts with Rice and a Vegetable

Friday - Homemade Foccacia Pizza

Saturday - Beef and Broccoli Freezer Meal with Rice

Extras: Homemade White Chocolate Chip Cookies

For more AWESOME Menu Plans, visit Org Junkie!

Weekly Spending Report January 1-5, 2012

With the pantry challenge in full swing, I tried really hard to stay out of the stores, and when I did go, it was only for the 'essentials' (= things I needed to make the items in the freezer into meals, and things I needed to keep my husband from having a fit).  Here's what I ended up with...

• Wednesday's ALDI Trip (1 doz eggs, 2 tubs Sour Cream, 1 bag Limes): $4.76 oop
• Saturday's Giant Trip: $55.38 oop

• Saturday's Rite Aid Trip: $19.58 oop (includes some Christmas presents, not pictured), Earned $2 UP+Rewards

Total OOP: $79.72, definitely a little high, but since I haven't really been to the store in couple weeks, not too shabby.  What I purchased should last us a little while, even though we have already almost knocked out an entire 1/2 gallon of milk, yikes!  But I am using up a lot of things from the freezer, which is the real goal!