January Update

So I did poorly on my goals in December.  I didn't want to stress over Christmas and my non-stress plan is usually to intentionally step back from the 'extras' so I don't beat myself up for failing. 

My first goal was to spend $50/week on groceries so I could cover Christmas costs more effectively.  Did I meet this goal?  Heck no!  There were way too many good deals on baking ingredients, a dinner party, and a meat & cheese tray for another event.  I don't know how much I DID spend, but it was way more than $50/week.

My second goal was to save 1% toward our savings goal.  Ha!  The good news is that we didn't have to take anything out of savings!  Seriously, though.  I put $12 in the savings account.

Goal #3 was to pay for 2 airline tickets .  Check!

Goal #4 was to finish the office organization.  A big Nope.  Two boxes are left and are still sitting there. 

Finally, I wanted to keep a thankful list but I didn't manage that either.  Certainly there were many things to be thankful but I didn't write anything down.

For January my goals are simple.
1. Save something to add to our emergency fund
2. Have 2 solid weeks of homeschool for the kids, planned in advance and well-executed.
3. At least 10 days of Project Twenty Six.  I just need to wrap that up and 10 days is a good dent in what's left.
4. Finish the office organization.

Katie

True Cost of Food

My friend, Kracinda, who is also a reader asked recently what I ACTUALLY spent on groceries, including all the bulk purchases in the summer for canning.

I thought it was a good question and kind of surprised myself by not knowing the answer.  I used to keep meticulous track of every line item in the budget, but a couple of years ago DH wanted to have more input and he reworked our budget Excel spreadsheet so that it made sense to him.  It didn't include a cumulative annual total for each line item like my old one did.

I also got my "own" checking account shortly after DH took a budget interest so that there would be far fewer line items in the budget.  All of the household expenses including groceries, stuff for the house, paper products, clothes, gifts, etc are now lumped into "Katie's Allowance" with a transfer to that other account.  I don't budget that account other than trying to keep my grocery spending to $60 each week.

• I also have a bigger spending week now and then when a particular sale is too good to pass up and I stock up on something.  I SHOULD spend less on the other groceries that week or eat from the pantry & freezer the following week.  But in reality I just spend more on groceries that week.  
• In addition to those bigger spending weeks I have a few really huge purchases for canning/preserving in late summer.  Usually $60 for blueberries, at least $100 for peaches, and varying amounts for apples & pears depending on what I want to can and what I can glean or am given by friends with trees.  
• I also recently started getting milk delivery which runs $11.14 per week for very fresh, conventional instead of paying $10.78 at the store for two gallons of organic.  I'm still undecided on that, but am keeping the service for now.
• There are also some small costs related to the garden, like buying compost and seeds.  And there are costs to canning, like buying seals.

All told I estimate that I spent between $4,000 and $4,300 on food in 2012 not including eating out.

But it's really bugging me that I don't know an exact number so a 2013 goal is to keep track of my ACTUAL spending on food.  I think I'll still try to spend $60/week on regular groceries plus the $11ish for milk delivery or milk if I end up switching back to purchasing.  I also want to set aside at least $10/week for bulk purchases in the summer.

Gah!  Am I making more work for myself or will this be good?  Plan each week: Get $80 cash out of bank.  $60 for groceries, $10 to set aside for summer produce, $10 for another cash stash or grocery overage.  Post here each Sunday night for accountability.

Katie

Katie

Monday Menu Plan

We have been out of town so this week's meals are a bit up in the air still . . .

Monday - Dinner out on our way home
Tuesday - Pizza
Wednesday - Pulled Pork
Thursday - French Toast
Friday - Big Salad to Potluck
Saturday - Freezer Meal (also making meals for swap today)
Sunday - Popcorn & Smoothies

Lunches:
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Sandwiches
Wednesday - Quesadilla
Thurday - Chicken Nuggets
Friday - Mac'n'cheese
Saturday - Grilled Cheese
Sunday - PBJ

I can't believe it's been 4 weeks since I posted!  Clearly the holidays had me hopping.  I have lots of new ideas and goals for the new year I am excited to share about, but it will have to wait for another day. 

Katie

Menu Plan

Here it is Tuesday afternoon . . .

Lunches:
Monday - Nachos
Tuesday - Burgers Out
Wednesday - Grilled Cheese
Thursday - Macaroni & Cheese
Friday - Tortellini
Saturday - Lunch out with Dad
Sunday - Lunch out with Dad

Dinners:
Monday - BBQ Chicken
Tuesday - Ham
Wednesday - Bagels
Thursday - Turkey Pot Pie
Friday - Pork Chops & Rice
Saturday - Chicken Taco Soup
Sunday - Pulled Pork

Katie

Monthly Update

This month we were able to save ALMOST the 3% I set as our goal.  We put away another 2.9% so we're at 25.9% of the goal.  Again, it seems like progress is SO slow but it does feel good to cross the 25% mark. 

I did OK on the laundry.  I fell behind last week and had to do a major fold-eight-loads afternoon but otherwise it's working well to wash at least one load a day and fold first thing in the morning before the kids wake up.  Then the kids put their clothes away before breakfast, right after they make beds.  It doesn't seem like a huge chore to them when they're only putting away a short stack.

I've totally dropped ProjectTwentySix the last couple of weeks.  I expected this to happen over the holidays but was hoping to still do a few posts at least.  Oh well.

I'm not completely finished with the office project.  Darn!  But I have only 2 boxes left and I aim to get through them soon!

I did keep a thankful list, but it's not as long as usual so I may have missed a lot!  A huge thanks to Sarah for passing along a free 50# bag of oatmeal that she couldn't use.  I'm sharing with my aunt who like to bulk-buy like me.  Thanks to the wonderful folks at church who work in the gleaning ministry.  We have enjoyed bagels, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, baguette rounds, lettuce, bread, coffeecake, and yummy berry pastries this month which saved a pile on groceries.  Thanks to Micha for sharing produce when she was headed out of town including carrots, potatoes, fennel, lettuce, and tomatoes.  Thanks to Summer for sharing scrapbooking materials with our small group.  To Kracinda for her awesome deal searching and finding both of us a free $25 for milk delivery through Smith Bros. Refer-a-Friend program.  To Sarah and Amelia for sharing Hallmark coupons with me so I could get a much better deal on Christmas ornaments.  To Rachel for the leftover turkey.  And finally, to Sarah for a fun little Christmas gift I already get to enjoy.

Goals for December:
1. Spend only $50/week on groceries
2. Save 1% toward savings goal
3. Pay for 2 airline tickets
4. Finish office organization
5. Keep thankful list in December

Katie

Turkey Leftovers

My sweet friend, Rachel, sent me home with the leftover turkey on Thanksgiving.  She honestly explained that they wouldn't eat it or use the leftovers and she'd rather give it to me and know it would get used.  

We had turkey pot pie and quesadilla with turkey  that weekend.  Early the next week we had turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy.  Then I put the rest in the freezer with all the turkey stock from boiling the bones.  The turkey made a lot of stock!  I was really pleased to put so much in the freezer, especially as I love soup this time of year.  

Almost 2 gallons of stock and 4 cups of turkey.

I ran out of masking tape and then the painter's tape I had been using in it's place.  So I dug this out of my desk.  I found it during the big office clean-up and knew I probably wouldn't be using it to "cover 5 lines of type" so I put it to use labeling the freezer containers.  Yay for a new use of this obsolete product!

Katie

Monday Menu Plan

I'm actually writing this on Thursday (3 days late) because my leftovers/thawed food have run out and now I need a plan. 

Lunches:
Nachos
Grilled Cheese, Tomato Soup
Hot Dogs & Leftover Mashed Potatoes
Quesadilla
French Toast
Nuggets or Waffles (depends on time)
pbj


Dinners:
Stuffed Shells - defrosted freezer meal
Sour Cream Chicken & Rice Pilaf
Asian Chicken & White Rice
Pasta
Mac'n'Cheese (sitter)
Sausage/Veggie Soup
Crockpot Chicken - freezer meal

Weekend Shopping $56.82

I had a panic moment this week when an indicator turned on inside my car "Check Engine Oil NOW."  Ahhh!  I was out running errands so I just went to the closest store that would have motor oil.  It was Wal-Mart.  I picked up a few needed produce items for $3.37 while I was there.

Next I spent $20.28 at Albertsons.  I had that $20/$20 coupon from my gift card purchase to use. 

 

Cereal - $1.88 each with ($1.50/3 MC) and ($1.00/2 MC) made each $1.38. 

Green Olives with Pimento - $1.19 on clearance

Apples - $.78/lb ($1.00 SC) = $4.53

Ham - $2.39 on clearance

Creamer - $2.99 ($1.00 MC) = $1.99

Gum - $1.00 on sale.  I had to throw it in to be over $20.

Next was a big trip to Fred Meyer spending $41.17.   

Cereal - $1.67 on sale ($2.00/4 MC) = $1.17 each.  I didn't realize the sale price was limited to 3 boxes so I went to the customer service desk for a price adjustment.  I was so surprised and appreciative when it turned out my 4th box was supposed to be $3.79 but the gal gave me the sale price.  Hooray!

Creamer - $2.69 on sale ($1.00/2 MC qty. 3) = $2.19 each

Organic Milk - $5.28 (EEP!  Price has gone up)

Sour Cream - $2.00 each with ($.80/2 MC) = $1.60 each

Organic Bread - $1.69 on clearance

Sausage - $6.99 (to use at 3 different Christmas parties)

2# carrots - $.99

Lettuce - $.98 each

Oranges - $.68/lb

Bag lettuce - $.99

Finally I took my daughter out for a date at Starbucks.  The nearest one is attached to a QFC so we browsed while she sipped her cocoa and I drove one of those huge car carts around.  I ended up spending $12.00 total.

Baguette rounds - $.69 each on clearance
Pears - $.99/lb
Bananas - $.69/lb
Bread crumbs - $1.39 on clearance
Parmesan rinds - $1.49 on clearance (We've been enjoying these already with freshly grated on our pasta last night and in our lunch soup today!)
Babybel cheese - $.99 on clearance
Gouda - $2.59 on clearance

Katie