The Sweet Life On A Budget

  The Frugal Five: #86 With inflation on the rise and salaries not increasing, our ability to make ends meet keeps going down.    Therefore, we must be more careful with our money.   The Frugal Five is a series where we celebrate the daily or weekly activities that help us live a frugal life.     This week I am exploring how to keep costs down during busy weeks.    Keeping dinner on the table instead of eating out is one of my strategies to get the job done.    Here are some of my tips and trips.    1- Haircut Savings  Every other week, I cut my husband's hair.  This is a savings of $30.00 + tip twice a month.    As a bonus, at Christmas time, clippers were on sale and I picked one up at a great discount.    In addition, every quarter my salon runs a gift card sale which saves me 20% on my service.    In addition, for every 10 services, I receive a $50.00 gift card.  Instead of going every 4 weeks, I go every 5 weeks, this saves me the cost of 1 trip every 4 times.     It doesn’t s

  Living Large In the Cheap Seats June-July 2024 I was first introduced to Living Large In the Cheap Seats by a college friend, Chris J., who introduced me to lawn tickets for popular bands.   We were able to see great concerts at a significantly discounted rate.   Later when reading Brokenomics by Dina Gachman, I revised this concept and decided to share it with you.  I have been doing this for years and have been able to enjoy wonderful experiences for FREE! Concert in the Park Series The Keehner Park concerts are 7-9 p.m. on select Saturdays between Memorial Day and Labor Day at the Keehner Park Amphitheater.  The free concerts welcome all guests to pack a picnic for the evening.  Sorry, but alcohol is NOT permitted. June 1 – West Chester Symphony Orchestra + Ice Cream Social June 8 – New Horizons June 15 –  Big Trouble Blues Band June 22- Saffire Express Band June 29- Sycamore Community Band July 6- The Band of The Ohio National Guard July 13 – SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK July 20- Nig

  Menu Plan #284 NOTE-  1- Click on the picture and get a link to a post sharing the recipe.  2- Although all prices were correct at the time of the blog postings, the current cost of preparation of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and location.      May  USDA Low Food Plan According to this plan, our family would have a budget of $185.40 per week.  We elevate our dining experiences by including fresh fruits, vegetables, and higher-quality meats.  Since we have health concerns and are active individuals, we limit our processed food choices.          Here is what we did this week to make our week easier:   Breakfast Options:  Chicken Sausage Eggs Yogurt Lunch Options: Sandwiches Salads Monday Baked Chicken Rice Broccoli Salad Tuesday Gyro Wrap Salad Wednesday Tacos Salad Thursday Chicken Sausages Salad Fruit  Friday Grilled Sausage Pasta w/ Gravy Salad Flat Bread Saturday Leftovers Sunday Smoked Pork Loin Grilled Vegetables Salad M- Hamburgers T- Jambala  W- Shrimp Th- Gyro F