The Sweet Life On A Budget

  So far this year we were able to pick up 107 free items .  High inflation is making finding free items more challenging to find.   However, I have set a goal to beat last year’s number (247). Currently, I am working towards finding extra items during months when I have more time and giving myself grace during the months when my time is limited.    My goal for next year is to find 264 FREE Items. This works out to 22 items per month.  This may be challenging because the drug store deals have started to dry up and grocery store deals are not as frequent as they used to be.    I will rely on digital coupons, printables from the company when available, store coupons and reward programs, samples, and rebate apps such as IBOTTA.      As always, I can secure these items through Kroger incentives, Drug Store (Walgreens/CVS)  Rewards programs, sales, Smart Source, Meijer’s sales/store coupons, sample requests, and Rebates Programs (IBOTTA/SavingStar).    April (20 Items)  2 → 5x8  CVS Photo-

  Menu Plan #283 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.      April  USDA Low Food Plan According to this plan, our family would have a budget of $185.70 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:  Yogurt Avocado Toast Smoothies Lunch Options: BBQ Chicken Legs Salad Bento Boxes Monday Baked Shrimp Rice  Broccoli Salad Tuesday Tacos Salad Wednesday Leftovers Thursday Sandwiches Salad Fruit  Friday Grilled Chicken Roasted Potatoes California Blend Salad Saturday Salmon Rice Broccoli Salad Sunday Mississippi Pot Roast Roasted Potatoes Steamed Vegeta

  The Frugal Five: #85 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- Spring Garden  Our garden group is meeting and planting a lot of our gardens for the spring.    My peas, radishes, carrots, and spinach are coming up.    In addition, I was able to plant cabbage and peppers.    I am hoping for a great harvest again this year and planning on how to preserve our bounty for the winter.  2- Free Tickets to the Red’s Game My husband’s work purchases season tickets to the Red Games each year.   This year we were able to use the tickets to see the Reds vs the M