Here we go!

It's that time when trips to the beach seem like the norm and the sun seems to shine every day and this little grasshopper thinks that summer will never end. I have been back to work for a few weeks now, after my glorious Vancouver Island holiday/Anniversary surprise getaway, but it still feels like play time to me. I have managed to squeeze in a trip to the outdoor pool and the bowling alley, which were promises made and kept for summer outings. I had a long list of outings but when it came down to it, we were either too busy, or too tired from all the other fun stuff we have been doing! We have managed to get the most out of the summer and I think it's wonderful. I did get my school supplies organized and bought a few clothes, so even if I do nothing else, I think I can manage the first day of school. One day at a time right? Chalk one point for only having one kid to worry about!

Sea life at Ucluelet Aquarium

AAAH!

I am also working on a project for my Grandma's birthday and finally I feel like it may actually come to fruition, now that some key pieces of information have come my way. It will be a furious push at the end to get it done the way I want it, but I think I have it under control. I sure hope it comes out as well as I expect it to. Smokefest is just around the corner, I am super excited for it. I just love when my family gets together and this party has become the social event of the year! With so much to look forward to, it's hard to stay in the every day and get the basics done, like laundry and dishes. I just want to sweep it all it the dumpster and buy new dishes and clothes. That's not very frugal, is it?

Ten little things

Ten little things I have been doing to use my resources wisely (sounds better than the F word).

-Mended a sheet instead of throwing it out
-Made cut off shorts and muscle shirts
-Made pillow cases
-Baked bread
-Did my own bangs/hair trim
-Made yogurt
-Organize plastic containers and shopping bags to use less disposable waste
-Clean out fridge and use up random bits of leftovers before they go bad
-Made breakfast muffin cake with saved cereal mix and apple/pear puree (from food organizing)
- Bought a cooked chicken and made soup stock from carcass. Used breast meat for chicken snack wrappers.

Goal Setting

Well, I am feeling the desire to set some goals. I always say that I do not make resolutions and it is true because resolutions are hollow. Am I willing to do what it takes to achieve a goal? If not, there is no point in resolving to do things. I know what a slacker I can be, so resolving to lose weight won't do it. I have to make a goal to go walking or join a gym. I have to be very specific, or let's face it, shit ain't gettin' done. I liken goal setting to this garden over here. Plant a seed, tend to it, pull the weeds of negativity, water and wait. Things grow. That's how most of my goals happen, anyway. So, here we go. Here's my list for 2012. I'll try to keep it simple and smart.
1. Finish my Biology course. I am so close I can taste it, but am losing focus and motivation. Need to kick it into gear and put this bugger to rest.
2. Get more work. Actually I have already landed this one and I start  a new gig on Monday. Cool.
3. Purge the closets and cupboards. I need more room.
4. Organize my files. Paperwork lost is money lost.
5.Be more active. Get outside everyday.

EDIT: New goal: Herb Garden!

O.K. That oughta get me through the winter, at least. Here's to accountability.

Ten convenience foods that are cheaper and better at home.

1. Garlic bread. I bought a loaf of french bread for a dollar. How much cheaper would it be if I made my own bread from scratch? I added my own butter, garlic whizzed up in the Magic Bullet and parsley flakes. Cheap and cheerful.

2. Chicken wrap snackers/burritos Try saying that ten times fast. They sell these for two bucks each, but I am sure they could be made a lot cheaper than that at home with grocery store stuff. Imagine with homemade tortillas! Dried beans!

3. Pad Thai. This is essentially a stir fry. Make it at home and eat it with chopsticks.

4. Pizza. I can make gourmet pizza for about half the price of so-so take out pizza, even when I cheat and buy the crust already made.

5. Popcorn/chips Buy a case of microwave popcorn and don't bother with the greasy stuff at the movie theatre. Or better yet, pop from bulk kernels. I always burn it, so I have quit doing this. Try caramel popcorn or marshmallow popcorn for a treat. Buy a big bag of chips and bag them up in snack bags for lunches. I get multi grain rounds and pack a bit of salsa with them. Yum.

6. Chili. I just made a vat of chili for 30-40 people for about .40 a serving at my aunt's party. Seriously, why would I want to pay $4 for a little bowl?

7. Chai tea lattes/espresso. Five bucks a cup?? Puhleese. It's tea/coffee and milk. Enough said.

8. Granola. Oh so freakin' cheap to make at home, plus you know what is in it and you can make a basic one and add other ingredients to your bowl at breakfast. I love this for summer, saves on commercial cereal costs.

9. Yogurt. Again, I love this in the summer for smoothies, baking and breakfast.

10. Jello/ pudding. Buy some containers and pack your own from a big bowl. You get more at lunch and it's cheaper.

Spring Cleaning part deux

Well, perhaps I was a bit ambitious in completing my whole spring clean in two days. I had to prioritize a bit in order to get it all looking in order again, and there is always more to do, but so far I am satisfied with my efforts. I tend to expect more of myself than is sometimes humanly possible, so I am working on that. Today, so far, I have completed:

-Pick up garbage/clutter -

-Put away shoes and coats -

-Sweep all floors

-Vacuum and deoderize carpet in master bedroom

-clear simons floor

-clean bathroom#2

Still to complete: Wipe down all surfaces, Clean windows Fold Laundry Put away "stuff" in baskets.

Oh, I also sewed an Elvis cape. More on that later. :)

Can you afford to stay home?

This is a question every mother asks herself at one point or other, I think. I know I have used the calculator at several different points from toddler hood to school age wondering if the time I spend away from home is worth the income that I contribute to my household. At certain times I have felt that there wasn't enough money in the world to take me away from home, such as when my child was a baby. We felt that there was no substitute for what our child needed in the first year of life than what I could give him. Even though living on maternity leave benefits (which while generous in this country are still a pittance compared to a real pay cheque) and a student loan income was near to impossible to do long term, we knew my husband's education would pay off in the long run. We also had help from my generous mother who allowed us a lot of leeway when it came to paying the rent on time. When I did go back to work it was difficult, I will admit. My son dropped breastfeeding like a hot rock when I started back to work in the evenings, finding the convenience of the sippy cup and cow's milk much preferable to sitting still in momma's lap for an extended BF sesh. Gone were long lazy mornings of nursing on demand and no schedule but baby and mama's. It took me some time to get over the fact that I was no longer the most important thing in his world and that he could survive without me for a few hours. Survive he did and as we went on I took on more and more hours at work, trying to "get ahead" and give him everything I never had as a child. We made some financial decisions that in hindsight were not the best, but we also bought our home, which got us into the market and which we still live in today. I learned many things about that period in my life and the biggest thing I learned is that it doesn't have to be all or nothing. I don't have to work forty or fifty hours a week, paying others to rear my child and cook my meals to get ahead. In fact, I probably won't get very far ahead this way and the debt we incurred during that crazy period proves it. Yet, staying home full time is not an option either. Whenever I stay home for long periods of time, my husband feels a lot of financial pressure to "bring home the bacon" and I feel a lot of pressure to fry it up and clean like Martha Friggin' Stewart every day. It just isn't us. So, since my husband makes three times the cash than I do, we put the priority on him getting to work, being fed and happy and having a little extra to do something fun once in a while. Our solution? I work part time. I figured it out on the calculator and my contribution is, admittedly, small. My costs to work are also minimal though; no dry cleaning, no real transportation costs, ( I could walk if I wanted to) and not even the need to pack lunches makes the only real "cost" my time away from the family. I used to feel a lot of guilt about the fact that the boys had to have dinner without me some nights. I have decided that the nights that we get to eat together are just all the more special because we are home together. My attitude about going to work is that I choose to work because it works for me and it helps me pay my own bills and give a feeling of taking the pressure of my husband to provide everything. I also abhor asking him for a penny because it's a matter of control to me. If I have no money that I have earned, I have no power. If I have no power, I feel powerless about our financial future. So, can I afford to stay home? No, I can not. In more ways than one, I can not.

What about you? How and where are you on this ever controversial issue? Feel free to comment about it!

This used to be Our Town

Well, as you may have noticed, selling real estate, working and child rearing takes up precious blogging time. So, I halfheartedly apologize. I mean, somewhere along the way a gal has to prioritize, right? I have been enjoying coming up with frugal ways to market, advertise and sell the condo. Unfortunately the upheaval has led to some rather spendy meals, coffee breaks, take out and convenience foods. When I am home, I try to prep vegetables and minimize food waste, but I will admit to a few more $5 Little Ceaser pizzas than usual. I still buy more from the grocery store than restaurants, which still saves some money and is more like real food, so I guess it's not all bad. On the plus side, I have lost five pounds because a quick smoothie is all I have time for in the morning! At night, I'm tired and the summer-like weather makes it difficult for me to remain staunch in my home-cook-only convictions. O.K., that's enough of the confessional.

There's just something irresistible about the lure of the drive-thru ice cream cone on your way home from loading boxes in the storage locker...

I am happy to report that the farmer's market has re-opened for the season and I am looking forward to buying fresh produce and other local, fresh goods. I made one exploratory visit last week and purposely left my wallet at work. Good thing because one guy almost had me sold on a $2 beaded bracelet that was probably made for about ten cents. (It had memory wire, note to self) I am buying less because I am cooking less, so I don't waste. It's tricky, so I use my freezer a lot. Tomorrow I have great aspirations for more deep spring cleaning. I have tried to borrow a carpet cleaner, but so far, no luck. I suppose I may have to break down and rent one. You get two days for the price of one if you rent on a Monday, so that is what I will aim for.

Who wants to clean carpets on Saturday, anyway?

Not me :)

Pita Pizzas

I have found the answer to saving money AND time with homemade pizza for my family! That answer comes in the form of Greek meets Italian cuisine!

I saw many people do this before but for some reason it just never clicked. Pita bread as pizza crust. So simple! I used to buy the specific ready made pizza crust and I would get them for two for around five bucks. Still a bargain compared to takeout prices. Here's the breakdown of my ingredients cost, approximately.

Pita bread cost me 2.50 for eight pitas! (I used four for dinner, $1.25.) Pepperoni,$5 (of which I froze half and used 1/4 of the package, $1.25 ) mozzarella block, $5, (I used less than 1/4 block for four pita pizzas,$1.25,) homemade garlic and herb tomato sauce using canned tomatoes, pennies, .10 1/2 a chopped white onion, .10, 1/4 green pepper .20.

So, for four pita pizzas I estimate that I spent a grand total of : $4.15 or $1.04 per pita pizza! Not to mention that I have more than enough ingredients for another meal, and if I buy more pitas, three more pizza meals, at least! This is the type of frugal finding that excites me these days. Go ahead, make fun. I don't care. I'm eating pita pizza!

I especially like the thin crust option, and the fact that my pitas were wholewheat. I also enjoy the fact that it switches up the homemade pizza menu. I have been experimenting with different types of crust and for ease and price, so far pita pizzas are in the running for first! We were so excited to eat our pita pizzas that we couldn't wait for Friday night and had them on Tuesday instead.

Now, that is living dangerously!

Menu Plan Monday

I am trying to get back into the menu planning more regularly again.

Here's what we'll (hopefully) be eating this week.

Monday:

Pancakes, orange wedges

Leftover mac and cheese

Meatloaf and potatoes

Tuesday:

Cereal

tom soup and grilled cheese

Chicken and rice and beans

Wednesday:

french toast

leftovers

sausage peas and pasta

Thursday:

PB baked oatmeal

chicken salad san

crustless ham quiche

Friday:

yogurt, fruit, toast

egg salad san, celery with cream cheese

HM pizza

Sat:

Free choice

Leftovers

HM bread (?)

Sun:

Cereal

veg soup

Chili or stew in the crockpot

Menu plan and coupon deals

Recent Coupon Deals

Cascade Action pacs
BOGO Free C
Shoppers Drug Mart
2.99 = 1.50 ea.

Crest toothpaste
Walmart
1.00 -.50 C =. 50 ea

Secret Flawless Deoderant
1.66 -B2G$2off= .66 ea.

Bush's Baked Beans
Buy Low Foods
.98 - 1.00 C = +.02 ea

Menu Plan

Monday: Meatloaf, potatoes, salad
Tuesday: Tacos, Salad
Wednesday: Mac and Cheese
Thursday: Sausages, rice, peas
Friday: Quiche, veggies
Saturday: Soup and Sandwiches
Sunday: Pork, potatoes, Gravy

Gobble Gobble.

Well, Christmas is finished for another year. Thank goodness! We had a wonderful time and I hope you all did as well. Now it is time to put it all away and get back to real life. After I have a few more days of rest, of course. After all of the eating and cooking and merry making, I am exhausted! We stayed home this year, no travel, just the three of us and had a quiet Christmas at home. But that didn't seem to make it any less hectic. There were several parties and last minute things that still had to be done before the big day. Presently, my turkey carcass is boiling down for turkey soup stock and I have two turkey casseroles in the freezer ready to heat and eat. I also made turkey salad sandwich filling with my new food processor. Turkey is versatile, delicious and a great source of lean protein. It is also fairly inexpensive this time of year, so even though we are a small family, we stuck to tradition and my husband went all out with a grand turkey feast on Christmas day while I was at work. I came home to a fabulous feast! I gladly helped with the clean up and took charge of the leftovers. First thing, I layered them into casserole dishes and popped them in the freezer along with the potatoes and gravy. Presto, two heat and eat meals ready for a busy work night. I had a coupon for $15 off this year, so we got a decent size turkey under budget. We'll have a ham for the New Year. No reason to pare down the festive feast when the leftovers, if taken care of properly, make things easier in the weeks to come. For the ham, I will shred the leftover for easy casseroles and freeze it in bags. Besides, I want to show my son that traditions can still be upheld, even if we are a family of three. I like cooking ahead, it makes things so much easier. I know that we can pull something out of the freezer and eat it with a minimal fuss and it makes resisting takeout even easier, especially since home made tastes so much better and we control the quality and portion sizes.
With all that turkey, I think I need another nap.
Do you have any great turkey recipes? Ideas for leftovers? Feel free to let us know!

What's for lunch?

This is my first year of having to pack a lunch every day and it's proving to be more of a challenge than I ever knew! During the sporadic daycare years, packing lunches was fun and easy. Since we didn't have our son in regular care until age four, and only then for a few months, the occasional lunches I packed were like a treat and could be heated up in the microwave, so it was very similar to a lunch meal at home. Now that he is in full day kindergarten however, there are no such conveniences. I am quickly adapting to this and learning to be creative. I have searched the Internet and asked friends what they pack. The blogosphere is a wealth of ideas for lunch ideas for the school aged set.

Here is some of what I am learning:

1) Kids don't have much time to eat. At lunch time, they goof off a lot with their friends. There are many distractions. This means that a whole apple will go untouched, or, come home with two tiny browning teeth marks in it, or even worse, go into the trash after one bite.

2.) If it's mini, round or shaped like a star, it has a better chance of getting eaten. Mini bagels and tiny carrot sticks have not come home in the lunch box yet. Big bagels and celery chunks did not get eaten. Oh, and last week he liked ranch dip. This week, not so much.

3) If the container is not easy to open, forget it. It's not getting eaten. If his friends say, "Eww, what's that?", he won't eat it. It was a smoothie, but he didn't know that so rather than risk it, he just didn't go there. Now, I tell him what I am packing and give him more choices, and he's happy. Lesson learned.

4) If the lunch is too far from the norm, forget it. He likes to know what's in there or it will go uneaten. Surprises are nice though, I will have to think of some good ones.

5) Our school is "peanut aware" so nothing with any kind of nuts can go to school. They also discourage baked goods altogether, and junk foods, for nutritional reasons. So far, the treat part is usually home made granola, without nuts, or commercial cereal, but I need more ideas here.

6) I have also learned that he loves a hard boiled egg, peeled, to eat. He thinks it's neat. Yay, cheap protein!

7) Preparation is key. It takes time to think of good choices, cut it up tiny, make it attractive and package it all properly. 20 minutes before the bus arrives is a stressful time to attempt making a lunch. Ask me how I know.

8) Finally, I have learned that, once again, I feel fortunate to only have one child. Lunch making must be crazy for siblings!! I feel a little bit spoiled, except when the bus is coming and I didn't make lunch the night before. Then I feel like a sous chef in a restaurant during the dinner rush. Breakfast and lunch at the same time. Order up!

What have you learned about brown bagging it? Please, share your pearls of wisdom. I will steal your ideas and put them into practice in my own life.

What could be better than that?

Stocking the pantry and Father's Day Sabotage

I finally got to my pantry shopping. This is significant because I have been writing my list since the beginning of the month as I let things dwindle down. I was out of everything! I like to freshen my ingredients every six months or so. This way I have no nasty surprises such as inactive baking powder or old yeast to foil my baking endeavors. I managed to hit the case lot sales as well and stocked up on some staples such as tomatoes, mushrooms, toilet paper and tuna. Then I hogged the whole bulk aisle for a good half hour as I carefully measured, calculated and poured manageable amounts of dry ingredients into those little baggies. I already have my "canisters" (recycled Folgers plastic coffee containers, they have a great handle and I have several now) at home . I managed to get all that plus some fresh things for the week, like milk, fruit and meat for $135. I am hoping there will be no more grocery spending this month. I thought this was very good and while there is still room to trim in the grocery budget, we are improving over months past, so that's all I can ask for, for now...

When I got home, I unpacked everything and finished fine tuning the menu plan. Then I precooked some chicken breasts and marinated some pork and threw some dry beans in a bowl with water to soak overnight. .
Then I made the pizzas on my new pans for dinner! I had already made the dough and threw it in the freezer earlier in the week, so it was a snap. I wish I'd had a photo, they were gorgeous, but we ate them too fast. I used half the ingredients, and threw the rest in the freezer. Next time I will just have a batch of dough to make. When I think about the money I save over take out and how much better my pizzas are with a little pre-planning, it is truly astounding to me how overpriced take out pizza truly is. I also cooked some potatoes in the microwave and used up some leftover onion and garlic bits for breakfast on Father's Day, Sunday. I made waffles, bacon, eggs and home fries and maple syrup. I don't usually do waffles. I am impatient for the waffle iron to cook, but since it was a special occasion AND I wanted to use my new-to-me mixer, the boys got a treat. As a bonus, the leftover half dozen will be frozen for toaster waffles. I used the rest of the bacon and a bit more maple syrup in my pre-soaked beans and put them Into the Crockpot.
I was feeling pretty good about myself.

Father's Day was a hit, I went slightly over budget on his gift, but still not bad. The menu was planned with that night's dinner marinating and ready to go. Then I went to work for the evening. The boys were off to the public pool, which is only three dollars on weekends.

I was almost smug... this should have been a warning sign.
Never let yourself feel like you are fantastically frugal because that's when disaster strikes...

When I got home late last night, I opened the frig and was horrified. Absolutely horrified. I backed away, slowly, with my hand over my mouth, gasping, "How could he?"

Now, I don't want to be unreasonable, because I am all about elbow room in the budget, but this was just too much for my sensibilities. I was at a loss!
It almost makes me want to give up the whole menu and budget. This is the second fast food splurge in as many weeks. He was "too tired" to cook...

The worst part? There were pre-cooked chicken breasts sitting beside this... this... intruder in my home.

I wish I had more uplifting, inspiring frugal things to say right now but the fact is, I am at a crossroads. I have got to figure out a way to be frugal, but not cheap.
Careful, but not controlling. Flexible, not rigid.
Apparently, having a menu plan is cause for rebellious behaviour!

Am I the Frugal Soup Nazi?
No soup for you!

How do you deal when "someone" in your home doesn't go along with the frugal ways? Please, just give it to me straight. I need to hear the truth. Leave your advice or comment below.

Random Good Bits

This morning I made crepes as I was inspired by Cents to get Debt Free's breakfast menu. As we all wolfed them down with chopped nectarines and yogurt, my son alliterated, "Please pass the frugal fruit."

That made me laugh so much and was a great way to start the day and the week. I went to the thrift store while out running errands with the family. We had to wait an hour to pick up an item so I said, "Drop me off!"when we cruised by the store. I was originally on the look out for a water bath canner. No such luck. I did respond to an ad on Freecycle for 60 quart jars with rings, I am so crossing my fingers for that one. Free jars would be most excellent. We shall see. Will I even have time to can this summer? Or is it just a pipe dream?

I came out instead with a popcorn maker, 2 cake pans and a bundt pan. (Oh, and a big bag of zippers. Two bucks. All different lengths. I know, I know. Why zippers?? Ask my Grandmother, or better yet, my Mother. She might know why I would be compelled to buy a big bag of zippers. I got this hoarding tendency from her, I think. The zippers are MINE! I need them! Back away from the zippers...) I have some frozen bananas in mind for that bundt pan. I tried out the popcorn maker when we got home and a 1/4 cup of my bulk popcorn made enough for a great afternoon snack, and the kid was excited to see it pop. Cheap entertainment. 5 year olds are fun and easy to please :)

I then received my first free sample in the mail! Guess what it was?

Personal lubricant!! Is that not a most excellent first free sample? My hubs is really getting on board with the whole frugality thing now!

Personal lubricant? For free? Well Goll-y!

I also made beef and bean burritos for the freezer and then went to the dentist. My tortilla dough waited for me to get home and roll it out. I made the beef and bean filling and let it cool while I was gone.

No, I did not take photos; (my teeth are too personal), but you can have my tortilla recipe:

Homemade Tortillas (so easy)

4 c flour

8tsp baking powder

1/2 c shortening

Cut this together to a course meal consistency. I used my little hand chopper. A food processer would probably do it in a second or two.

Dissolve 1 1/2 tsp salt into 1 cup lukewarm water, you may need a bit more. I needed almost 1/4 cup more, but it is a very dry climate where I live. I also threw in some random spices into my flour mix, just because. You do whatever you want. I don't really mind.

Mix a soft dough, knead it until fairly smooth and elastic. Let rest, covered 20 minutes or more. I left mine for 30 mins. then divided into equal size balls. I got 14, I think, medium size. Then I went to the dentist. I recommend just rolling out your dough and carrying on from here. It's way easier to roll out warm dough. My dough was cold and difficult to roll out thinly, so I called the Man to help. He wasn't doing anything but waiting to show me his muscles and his tortilla rolling expertise anyhow. I cooked them in the pan while he rolled. I must say, he is getting good at these :)

I used a cast iron frying pan heated to medium low. No need to grease, there is plenty of shortening. It shouldn't stick at all. Cook 1-2 minutes per side.

I rolled up 10 burritos and put them in the freezer. My mouth was still frozen from the dentist so I ate yogurt and leftover crepes for dinner and the boys finished the tortillas. I still have a ton of beef and bean filling left. Maybe it will be good on noodles or rice as well.

No rest for the wicked

Hi! Have a brownie :) They turned out really good, moist and slightly cakey. I substituted one of the eggs in a two egg recipe for...yep, you guessed it..yogurt. I throw all the nuts and goodies on top because you can use less, (I used 1/2 cup each instead of a full cup, 50% less), and it seems like more if it is not hidden in the brownie batter. I also use a glaze, about two tbsp instead of a full icing recipe. Less is more, I say. I'll give you the recipe, just leave a comment, but be warned, I have altered it. Every time I make something I switch it up, depending on what I have in the pantry. No one notices these little things as they are devouring the chocolatey goodness, and it saves me ingredients. I am running low and I did not manage to make it to the farmer's market as I planned this morning. I have been on the phone all morning, scheduling appointments for my son. I got myself a part time job. I am so happy because I will be able to begin our budget and debt snowball with even more confidence. There will be added expenses that come with working but, let's face it; an increase to the monthly income is a good thing. I just hope we don't go too crazy with the packaged foods, that's been a big cost in the past. I will have to be a bit more organized than I have been before. I think I will have to become even more creative with less time on my hands to remain in the frugal ways. We have started to become accustomed to the simplicity of such things as fresh bread from the bread maker (me, ha ha), homemade goodies and the like. I don't want to give it up, for spending hard earned dollars on fast foods and junk, so think I will have to manage my time better. I won't be able to be as spontaneous, (ooh, let's make cookies, it's 9.pm!) but more disciplined in my planning. My menu plan my have to become a little more specific as to include lunches and breakfasts, for example. No more winging it, I guess. Oh well, I have many good blogs from which to draw my inspiration, and much to learn.

Oh, jeez, I gotta get in the shower!