The Frugal Five: #103

With inflation on the rise and salaries not increasing, our ability to make ends meet is decreasing. Therefore, we must be more careful with our money. The Frugal Five is a series in which we celebrate the daily or weekly activities that help us live a frugal life.

I am exploring ways to reduce costs during busy weeks. One strategy is to cook dinner at home instead of eating out. Here are some of my tips and trips.

1- Soup is On The Menu

Last weekend, I was very sick and needed a healthy dose of soup. I mustered up the energy to make homemade Italian Wedding Soup with bread. This fed my soul and body. I recovered quickly and later in the week, I cooked a huge pot of 3 Bean Chili for a Family dinner and Potluck Lunch at work. Soup is a great way to use leftover vegetables and odds and ends.

2- Shopping the Loss Leaders

I purchased Chicken Breast from Meijers for $2.29 per pound and blackberries for $.99 per pint. Then, I went to Kroger for 2 pounds of Cheese for $5.99 and Strawberries for $2.50 for 1 pound. Since these prices were rock-bottom, I picked up enough for this week and next week.

3- Baking Bread

Italian Bread costs $2.00 per loaf at my local Kroger. I have been looking for a good Italian bread recipe for a while, but haven’t found one→ until this week. I found a bread recipe that takes only 1 hour and makes 2 smaller loaves. The ingredients for the bread recipes come to much less than $2.00.

4- Brown Bagged It All Week

I save money each week by resisting ordering out with my lunch group. I pack my lunch daily and on the days that they order out, I try to make my lunch extra special.

5- Use Left Overs

We often have bits and pieces of leftover food from our dinners. Instead of throwing that food away, we use it throughout the week in various ways. We may take a portion for lunch the next day or use the vegetables as a side. Some weeks, we collect leftovers over a few days and have a leftover night. This saves us a lot of money throughout the month.

What Free-bees have you been able to pick up this year? The 2024 Free-Bee Summary has been posted. If you missed it, then click on the link below.

Here is my list:

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Please leave a comment below with your ways of saving money this week.

Comments

Menu Planning: #245

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/or location. March USDA Thrifty Food Plan ccording to this plan our family would have a budget of $186.20 per week. Given our health concerns, we struggle to maintain this budget, but I am going to try to make this happen. Cost Saving Tip of the Week: Check your sale flyers for loss leaders. Each week grocery stores advertise specific products at a great price to get you in the store. Recently, I have noticed a very specific time frame for getting these deals. Good luck and happy hunting. Here is what we did this week to make our week easier: Refrigerator Clean Out Pre-cut all vegetables for the week Pulled older items to the front for easier consumption C...

Menu Planning: #250

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/or location. March USDA Thrifty Food Plan According to this plan our family would have a budget of $186.20 per week. Given our health concerns, we struggle to maintain this budget, but I am going to try to make this happen. Cost Saving Tip of the Week: When I purchase fruit for the week, it helps to calculate the cost per serving vs. the cost in general. For example, this week a whole watermelon was on sale for $3.99 each. When it is cut up, the watermelon will yield at least 20 servings which will place the cost per serving at $0.20. Here is what we did this week to make our week easier: Breakfast Options: Hard Boiled Eggs Yogurt Homemade Breakfast ba...

Menu Plan #307

Menu Plan #307 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. February 2025 USDA Thrifty Food Plan According to this plan, our family would have a budget of $189.30 per week. Since March has 4 weeks, our monthly budget is $757.20. 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. Grocery Shopping Tip: Utilize your grocery store’s loyalty program. This month, my 2 primary grocery stores have provided me with store coupons for bread, Silk milk, jelly candy, frozen vegetables, and Bali coconut water. Here is what we did this week to make our week easier: ...

The Sweet Life On A Budget

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