Don't throw that away!

Being on a budget (UGH!) you learn to look at things differently. And I am looking at things very differently.

Before we were on a budget, I could open the fridge and see container after container of leftover food. And on trash day, container after container would be dumped in the trash. No lie, one week there was 13 containers to be thrown away. Not good.

Now I look at how can this be used again viewpoint. We used to not eat the two pieces of bread at each end of the loaf. Chuck didn't care for the heel and the one next to it was too stale, so 4 slices got thrown away with every loaf. Not anymore. Those pieces work good for toast. No complaints either, hmm, makes me wonder.

Well, I made sauce the other day with sausage in it. Turns out a pound of Italian sausage was too much for the amount of sauce I had. Ok, cool it off, bag it up, freeze it for another meal.

I had made way too much meat sauce for dinner one night. Generally I would put it in the fridge, forget about it and end up throwing it out. Not this time, cool it off, bag it up and freeze it. And I needed it for dinner one night. Perfect

I made meatballs for dinner one night last week. I only had enough meat for about 1 meal of meatballs. Most likely with spaghetti or sub sandwiches. Well, Chuck and I headed out and went to Save-a-lot and found French Bread. That works, and for $1.29 it was cheaper than buying rolls that will sit in the cabinet and get moldy. So, we had dinner one night, and turns out that Chuck and PJ had dinner the next night. Eric and I were too sick to even think about eating. French bread, meatballs and whatever cheese they could find, and dinner.

I am learning as I am going along. I hate being on a budget, but I don't buy more than what we need. Eric gets about 6 slices of roast beef for lunch, I bought provolone for cheesesteaks the other day, 6 slices of that is so much cheaper than the 18 slices in the dairy. And I already had the cheese for the week, so why buy too much.

I find myself more at UGO (United Grocery Outlet) or Save-a-lot shopping. There are some things that are sacred and we have to buy name brand. But there are some things that store brand will work just fine. I compare prices everywhere and even buy the Sunday paper at the $1 store, I save .35 each week on that.

But more than anything I find myself looking at the dinners that I make. Making sure if there are leftovers that either the boys take it for their lunch or we have it for our lunch some time over the next few days. I notice that I don't over buy on things. Unless they are buy one get one free.

I make a list every week and stick to it like glue. So, in the long run groceries cost about $75 a week. Nothing gets thrown away anymore either.

Watching every penny is not easy, but it is worth it.

Making some more changes

My dad has written a book and I am proofing it for him. It is one of those healthy eating type books, you know, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat type book. It isn't too bad, very informative. Although I don't agree with all that it is in there, I don't have to, I did agree on one of the things he mentioned.

When we go shopping, it is best to stay around the perimeter of the store. You know, produce, meats, dairy. Stay away from the aisles of the rest of the foods. We all know that the boxed stuff has preservatives in them, and we all know, it isn't good for us.

So, this week shopping, I did just that. I stayed around the perimeter of the store. I only went down 2 aisles, bread and snacks. But the snacks I bought, a bag of peanuts in the shell.

I started out at the deli, as always, and got my lunch meat. Boar's Head, all natural lunch meat. No preservatives, no fillers, just lunch meat. Then I hit the produce, strawberries, grape tomatoes, cut up cantalope. So far, so good. Chicken was on the menu for dinner this week, picked up a whole chicken for .79/pound. On to the next area, dairy. Cheese, milk, sour cream, cream, yogurt (20 for $8.00). Picked up tortilla chips, only 3 ingredients and 2 loaves of bread. I was done.

Instead of hitting the aisles that have all the stuff in it. Instead of going up and down the aisles looking for stuff, I hit all around the store first. Before I knew it, I had everything I needed. Snacks as in strawberries, tomatoes, cantalope, peanuts and yogurt. I had all the dairy for breakfast and lunch. I had one dinner, that was all I needed for the week.

Check out and see what all this cost me this week. Well, it wasn't nearly as expensive as I thought it would be, $44.65 for everything. I did have to hit UGO for eggs, $1 a dozen, load up on them. Easter is coming you know! And a few more little things. All total for the week, $57 for my entire week. Without hitting the processed foods. Not bad, I think this is a change that we all can get used to!

Frittatahhahaha!

Oh my Sandra Lee Money Saving Meals is just wonderful. The 3 recipes I have tried, have been divine. Divine in the budget sense and divine that they were a hit with the family. And if anyone knows my family, they are picky!
As you know, I will post the recipe as is, and then I will post what I do to it and the cost, both ways.


1 cup precooked potatoes with herbs and garlic
1 cup chopped leftover ham, pork, turkey or shrimp
1 cup shredded Colby/Jack cheese blend
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tsp salt free all purpose seasoning (Mrs. Dash)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9 inch glass pie plate with spray.
Add potatoes, leftover meat and cheese to prepared pie plate. Set aside. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt free seasoning, salt and pepper. Pour into pie plate. Bake in preheated oven for 35 -40 minutes or until eggs are set in center. Let cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.


Cost as listed:
precooked shredded potatoes $2 - $3 depending on store
leftover ham Depends on your leftovers
Shedded cheese $3.29 for 2 cup bag
Milk $2.50 a gallon, you figure that out
4 eggs .50
All purpose seasoning $2.50 for a 1.75 oz bottle
salt and pepper we all have this at home.
Total according to recipe Approx $6.00 for this as is


Now, how I make this and what I use

2 whole potatoes, washed and shredded through food processor. Keep in water until ready to use. Squeeze out all water when ready. I salt the potatoes before putting them in the 8 x 8 pan
6 cooked breakfast sausage patties, crumbled
1 cup shredded cheese, I buy the block cheese. Generally store brand
6 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk, add some cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

2 potatoes, shredded through processor approx. .31/lb
sausage 1.19
cheese (6.16 for 2lbs at Sam's0) .76
eggs ($1 doz at UGO) .50
milk and cream .30
My total cost for dinner 3.06
I get about 7 servings out of this, so it comes to .44 for each serving. That is with one leftover for Eric's breakfast.
I served this is Pillsbury Grands Biscuits. They cost me .59 cents due to the $1 coupon. So, it was 3.65 for our dinner.

So, until next time, my budget savvy friends and family, Les bonnes tables (good dining)

"Daddy, I want ride on the mower"

These are the words from PJ. "I want to drive the mower." Well, his feet won't reach the pedals, so the answer was no. "Daddy, I want to go for a ride on the mower." For the longest time he begged for a ride.

Now, the weather here has been iffy at best. We really have had a wet Spring, which is fine with me. I don't care either way. Actually, the more it rains, the better tips are in the delivery business. So, I don't really care.

Right after we got the mower, Chuck took it out to mow. He wanted to beat our neighbor in getting the yard cut first. So, he took it out, mowed the yard and found out that the bagger line was clogged, so out came the pressure washer to clean everything off.

I had to go over to the neighbor's to see a quilt that she made and when I got done, this is what I saw:


I guess PJ talked his Daddy into taking him for a ride. And several times around the yard was their plan. All I noticed was the smile on PJ's face. You could see it across the yard. He was so happy. He would fly by, "hi Mommy!I am going for my ride." Yes, I can see that son.






Chuck said the other day about how much he missed out on. How much he wanted to do with the boys, but just couldn't. He had to make labor at work, he had to fill in for someone, he had to go here and there for work. It was all work, all stress, no life, no family moments, no family fun. Now, he can pack the truck up and take the boys and my dad or his dad fishing. Three generations spending that time lost together. Me, I will be happy for a day at home, alone. But still, he realized that life was all work, no play. He missed out on basketball games, football games, soccer games, plays and practices. He was tired of missing out on life and not living it.

I know what is most important. It isn't making your employer richer. It it making your life richer. It is having a life with your family. Chuck realized that he missed so much and he doesn't want to miss anymore.

Our first major job

A few weeks ago, we got the bright idea to tape our fliers to mailboxes. So, we did 2 neighborhoods in one day. The next day the Post office called and said that we can't do that. It is Federal property and that is not allowed. Ok, I can understand that. But if it is Federal property, why do we have to buy the mailboxes, and upkeep them. Why don't they replace a faulty mailbox when needed? Funny, just like the government, I pay for something and they own it. So, we learned from that and didn't do it again.

We did get one phone call out of all the fliers we got out. A woman wanted her gutters and downspouts cleaned. Now, my first thought was, "ok, this is easy, clean the gutters out, wash out the downspouts." Boy was I ever wrong! HA! HA! HA!

Chuck went over to the house. Looked at the job, priced it out at $75 and came home to tell me all about this. Turns out I was VERY WRONG! She wanted the outside of the gutters washed, under the gutters washed and all around the downspouts washed. WOW! Chuck tells me that they aren't that high off the ground, we can get to the easily and it won't be that bad.

The Monday after we got the pressure washer we headed over there. Buckets, pressure washer, trailer with lawn mower, chemical and goggles. We get started and all of the sudden the hose blew right off the fitting. What the heck? What happened? Well, that put a damper on the job. We had to head to Home Depot and get another hose, gee whiz.

Get back to the house, try a different chemical, nope, didn't do the job, and then go back to the other chemical. The house cleaner was the best, but brown hands and nails are not what I prefer. We scrubbed the front of this out, and I mean scrubbed. Washed, scrubbed and rinsed, repeat.... Turns out the gutter paint in the front of the house was stained from not being cleaned for a few years. And you could see exactly where the water would run over. She wasn't happy with that, but the next step is bleach, bleach is white, gutters are cream. Do you see something wrong here?

Finally, we get one side done. Off to the smaller gutter on the side of the house. I looked at it and shook my head. It was literally brown with mold. I thought that it would never come clean. I was wrong, it was easier to clean than the ones up front. The downspout came out cleaner too.

At one point the owner came out and asked about how things were going, "Well, I want to make sure that the downspouts come out nice." She was more concerned about them and not that much about the gutters.

After about 3 1/2 hours, we got done, cleaned up everything, put everything back where we found it, made sure the dirt and chemical was cleaned up. I loaded up the truck and the trailer, Chuck collected the pay. I was too tired to do anything else.

We stopped to get water and then off to the place where we bought the mower, a blade came loose, so we had to get that fixed.

I have to admit, I was never so happy to see a shower in my life! I was gross and sticky. I wanted to be cleaned up, scrubbed up and washed up. Chuck had Eric help him unload the trailer, and help him back it up. One word of advice, never let Eric give you direction in backing anything up!

Boys and their Toys

I think the saying is true, "Whoever dies with the most toys, WINS!"

Ok, since Chuck and I decided that we were gonna start our own little business, the 'toys' have been accumulating. We bought a trailer, mower, some window cleaning supplies, and buckets. We have looked at backpack leaf blowers and new weed eaters too. But we came home the other day with a pressure washer. We looked over and over at these things. Chuck did his research and finally found the one that he wanted.

So, Saturday we head down to Northern Tool and he looks at all of them, me, I wander around the store looking at everything. He looks at this, talks to someone about that and then finally decided on the one that he wants.

Now, pay for it (ugh!) and load it up (ugh!). Go home and unload it (UGH!).

Chuck was putting it together, so I stayed inside until further notice. I know better, I will stay out of the way completely until all the mess is cleaned up and put away.

He gets everything up and running and realized that he didn't buy the hose to attach the wand to. Ok, so, go out to Ace and get something, but not the one that he wants. He gets home and gets started on the walkway.



So, of course, I have to try this out too. I never used one, so I might as well learn what to do. It wasn't too hard, but I did get soaked when I worked with this thing. And it is a lot of pressure to be holding for a period of time.

Well, don't you know Eric had to pop his head around the corner and see what was going on. "Can I try?" Ok, sure why not, it is only the walkway. Well, you have to understand Eric and the way he thinks. He has ADD, and only takes his pills during school days. Or when really needed at school. So, he get out there and starts out nice and slow.

And he does just fine for a few minutes, then he starts getting in a hurry. "Son, slow down. You are missing spot." "Oh, ok" and then he slows down, then gets in a hurry. It was fine, it was our walkway and he just wanted to try it out.

Chuck goes out there again, shows him what to do, how to move and how fast to go.

And we go through the same thing all over again. But no harm, no foul. He was curious on how it work and wanted to see what he could do.

Now the funny thing was watching PJ use this thing. Ok, when I have taken PJ to the carwash, I have literally seen him pull the handle and get lifted off his feet. This time was about the same. He is so small that any kind of pressure knocks him over. Too bad I didn't get any pics of that.

So, now to practice on our house, becasue we had a job on Monday to use this thing on, and I sure didn't want to ruin anything on someone's house.

PJ's Pillow

This is the title to my story that I want to have published to a book. It is a cute little children's story. I am really happy with it and the way that it came out.

I have looked for a publishing company and found one that I thought I would be pleased with. I was hesitant for a while in sending it in. Rejection is not my strong point, so I don't take it well. But after much thought I sent it in to this one company.

I emailed it in, got an email stating that it would be two weeks before I would hear anything from them. Ok, I could wait, I waited this long, so what is another two weeks.

Well, while I was at work on Friday, I received a voicemail stating that they accepted my story, but I needed to get the illustrations in. And when I got home, I got the email stating the same thing. I did send in some of the pics that I had, and then they would give me a deadline on when the rest needed to be in.

Ok, now, I am beside myself over all of this. Number one, I was willing to wait the two weeks, number two, is this really that good for them to call me right away?

I made my calls and talked to everyone about it, I was thrilled. But then I got a message, a very wonderful message from a friend of mine. She was hesitant about sending this out to me, but I am so glad she did.

She took some time to research this publishing company and requested for me to do the same. So, I did. And it didn't take me an hour to realize that this company is a scam.

The Washington Post published an article about this one company. This company does things the old fashioned way, they don't feel that the author should pay for the publishing, they do it for you. They also pay you an advance. All sounds real nice, doesn't it? Nope, it doesn't go that way.

Their advance, after you sign a 7 year contract, is $1. Yes, you read that right, $1 that is all there is to that one. WOW! So,if Random House wants my book,they have to go through this publisher to get the rights. All for $1. If things like that happen, this publisher in the long run makes their money this way. WOW again!

They also don't have to sell your book to places like Amazon, Books-A-Million or Barnes and Noble. They choose which ones will go out in the public. The other books, they post in "their" store and you have to search, hunt and peck for the book you are looking for. Also, since they are a vanity company, libraries will not carry the books.

Gee, once I read all of this, I had seriously thought twice about this. And it didn't take all that long to realize that this is just a scam. They paint a picture that is amazingly welcome, of course that is how they drag you in. But it is sad that they do this to people that really think they have a chance to become something.

I spent the better part of yesterday morning researching publishers,from A - Z. I found 6 or 7 that I can send an unsolicited manuscript to. Ok, I can handle this. And then I will go from there.

If nothing happens, I can always make a few books, and give them away as gifts. It may work better that way anyways!