The Sweet Life On A Budget

  Menu Plan #298 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.      September  USDA Low Food Plan According to this plan, our family would have a budget of $187.40 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:   Washed and Pre-cut fruit and vegetables Make Soup Breakfast Options:  Apple Pfannelkucken (Apple Pancake) Sausage Yogurt Lunch Options: Potato Soup Sandwiches Left Overs  Monday Baked Salmon Rice Salad Tuesday Tacos Salad Chips w/ Sausage  Wednesday Sausage Sandwich Mac and Cheese Broccoli...

  The Frugal Five: #97 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.     I am exploring how to keep costs down during busy weeks. One strategy is to keep dinner on the table instead of eating out. Here are some of my tips and trips.    1- Free Bee Pick Up     I picked up a pack of Kroger Cheese Slices (8 ct) and Private Selection Hummus (10 oz) via Kroger Store Coupon. I was also given several apples and bananas, which I turned into banana bread and an apple crisp. Finally, CVS provided an opportunity to pick up Colgate Toothpaste and Colgate Mouthwash.  2- Packing Lunches Daily  Lunches cost about $15.00 per lunch, and they are satisfying.  On Monday, I packed a delicious sala...

  Thanksgiving Side Dishes Thanksgiving side dishes range in price from very little to a lot of money. I keep each dish simple, and a short ingredient list is essential to keeping my show-stopping meal within the budget. In addition, I shop in season and carefully select my produce and fruit to ensure the best flavor and color. As a bonus, these fruits and vegetables are usually the cheapest choice. Finally, I limit my waste of perishables by using vegetables in several dishes instead of just one.     Green Salad A fresh green salad is on the Thanksgiving table yearly because it is light, delicious, and everyone-friendly.   We make a green salad with all of the fresh and pickled vegetables found in our refrigerator.  In addition, we make our dressing from the oil, vinegar, and spices we have already purchased.   The result is that we only add lettuce to our grocery budget for the Thanksgiving meal.   Broccoli and Carrots A simple and sat...

  Menu Plan #297 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.      September  USDA Low Food Plan According to this plan, our family would have a budget of $187.40 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:   Banana Bread on the Weekend Pre-cut fruit and vegetables Breakfast Options:  Banana Walnut Muffins Yogurt Lunch Options: Leftovers Sandwiches Monday Leftovers Tuesday Jambalaya Bread Wednesday Stromboli Thursday Leftovers Friday Wonton Soup Beef Lo Mein Saturday Bratwurst Saurkraut Salad Sunday Salad ...

  The Frugal Five: #96 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.     I am exploring how to keep costs down during busy weeks. One strategy is to keep dinner on the table instead of eating out. Here are some of my tips and trips.    1- Errand Batching    Gas prices are decreasing in my area, but they are still high and this is an area of our budget that we can only impact a little.     We still need to travel back and forth to work, school, and errands.    However, one way I can decrease the number of times I fill up at the gas pump is to batch my errands with everyday travel.   I pass by a pharmacy, drug stores, and a grocery store every day I go to work, so if we need...