Let's Get Started Anew 2021 - Groceries

 Here we go.  We all need refreshers from time to time.  Recharge - reboot - re-start - refresh - get off to a running start - new eyes - new ways - new challenges..........................

Let us start with saving at the grocery!!!  So many ways to save.  I keep hearing about prices going sky high in some areas (have faired pretty well here).  Every dollar you save on the grocery bill can be used to pay off other debt, can be saved or can be donated to a good cause.

Let's get started!

WHAT YOU CAN DO AT HOME

• FIRST and SUPER IMPORTANT - inventory what you have.  Know what basic and oddball ingredients you have on hand - and use them.  #1 Shop YOUR SHELVES first!!!!!!!!!
• Eat LESS - not a bad thing at all.  We all know we can each lose a pound or two!  People eat due to boredom so often.  One nice helping and be done.  Maybe use smaller plates (makes you feel like you are eating more if the smaller plate is full).  
• Have MEATLESS day or days.  Use eggs or beans or lentils for protein.  Not having meat isn't going to kill you!!!!!  There are lots of filling meatless dinners!
• Cook from scratch - so much healthier and you can really extend a meal better.  **Use the crockpot if working or make up casseroles or soups for the freezer - then heat up and eat. 
• Use potatoes, pasta, beans or rice as extenders
• Use ALL leftovers!!!!!!  HUGE!  If you don't like leftovers as is - remake them into something new
• Make your own baked goods and sweets.  Hot cereals, granola, hot chocolate mix - all super easy to make up.  BREW your own coffee - no stopping at the coffee shop!
• Make simple snacks - popcorn is easy and can be jazzed up.  Chips aren't hard to make.  Sweets - homemade best.  Dip and crackers or veggies/fruit.
• Have leftover veggies no one wants - puree them up and use as a base or adder in soup!!!  Pieces of fruit - same - puree into smoothies.  NO WASTE
• Get creative - search blogs, Pinterest, You Tube, etc. on how to use the ingredients you have on hand or how to remake into new recipes.  There are MILLIONS of recipes out there.  Remember a recipe is just something that someone made up the first time - you can do that too!!!!!
• Check out MyFridgeFood.com - You check off what ingredients you have on hand and the site gives you ideas and recipes of what you can make
• EXTEND ground meat with oats, crushed crackers, dry bread, crumbs from fancy crackers or chips, lentils...................great ways to get more servings from your meat
• Soups and casseroles really extend ingredients - add broth, cream of soups, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, pasta, rice ---- so many ways to stretch a few basic ingredients into many meals
• REMEMBER - you don't have to have a 5 course meal!!!!!   One pot meals suffice just fine!  They are easier and cheaper (and a great way to use leftovers new).

WHAT TO DO AT THE STORE

• Shop SALES - know your stores sale schedule.  Most stores repeat sales every 6 - 9 weeks.  Get enough at sale price to cover AT LEAST that period of time!!!  That is money saved and in your pocket.
• Check out discount/clearance area!!!!!  My first stop ALWAYS.  Most every department has a clearance are.  Produce (Kroger has .99 bin & markdowns), bakery usually has a special shelf, meat often has a markdown section, center aisles - there is usually a section just for clearance items, and even dairy usually has things marked down dispersed among the regular stuff.  BUY CLEARANCE to help save money and to ADD to you DEEP PANTRY for the future. (remember you can can or freeze many things)
• WEIGH all prepackaged produce!!!!!!  Seriously,  a 5 lb. bad is not always a 5 lb. bag.  Weigh to get the most.  I have purchased 5 pound bags of fruit - that weigh 7 pounds.  (Many stores put a certain number pieces of fruit in a bag figuring that it averages out).
• Shop ONCE a week or less.  No "Oh I ran out of this" trips.  If you run out before a scheduled trip - figure out an alternative
• Shop ALONE - kids tend to want special items and yes husbands do too!!!!
• Shop on a full stomach.  Going to the store hungry is such a HUGE mistake!!!!!
• Look for cheaper cuts of meat - and then use the crockpot to make them.
• Use coupons if you can find good ones.  Not a huge savings in todays market (no doubling in most places any more) - but saving is saving!
• Don't have just ONE store to shop.  Think about alternatives - such as dollar stores, ethnic stores, discount stores.  Look around for the best deals.  Many dollar stores sell brand name items for less, ethnic stores are great for spices and pastas, and beans and rice and oddball ingredients.  Scratch and dent stores are fun if you can find one.  Live close to Amish or Mennonite stores?  Give them a try.

                                                                        Heck yes!!!!!!!  LOL

Hope this gives someone a little incentive to start saving on groceries.  There are tons of ways to save.  I guess my best points are BUY CHEAPLY and DON'T WASTE.

Get creative.  

I hope to add lots of recipes for simple meals this year.  I love easy and simple as you know.  Just a simple girl.  Simple and frugal doesn't mean bland or tasteless.

Do you have any other tips for saving on groceries to share?

Let us all get 2021 started in a frugal way with frugal  habits!!!!

WOOHOO - JUST DO IT!

Weekly Wrap-Up 1/3

 Good morning to all and well wishes in this brand new year!  2021!!!!!

This sure is hard to believe that we are here in the now and it is 2021!  I remember being in grade school in math class and being asked to figure how old we would be in 2000.  The answer I wrote was "dead"!!!!  LOL.  Being 10 - it sure didn't seem possible to be THAT old!  Look at us now.  Let's just say I am grateful and blessed!

We ended the year with some snow here - woke to snow on new years eve.  Not a lot - and goodness gracious - it was perfect snow in my eyes.  It was only on the grass!!!!!!   Woke up NY morning to ice and more ice.  Then as it warmed, it turned to rain and rained all day.  Last night was suppose to bring snow, but happily they were mistaken for my area.

This coming week should be pretty decent weather wise.  Each day is just one closer to spring!

I had family come in last Sunday and that was lovely.  It was great to spend time with them.  I got to see more family on NY day.  Still haven't seen them all - but slowly working on it. 

I have received so many lovely things from nieces and nephews!  My goodness - one would think they loved their Auntie!!!!

I got bath items, kitchen items, a pretty sweater, a coupon book, family pictures, candles, many useful items.  I am so blessed with such a wonderful and loving family.

                                        LOVE this t-shirt I got.  Boy is that a true saying!!!!!

My week:

• Great family days!  Best part of the week
• Using up leftovers and freezing those I got tired of
• Recycled all tissue paper and pretty gift bags to use next year.
• Cleaned the house, put away MOST Christmas decorations, and got all the laundry done - to start the year out clean and fresh.
• Stayed away from stores and shopping - NO money spent (only left to go to brothers house NY day)
• Kept the fronts to the cards received.  I will use these as 'list' cards.  It is always nice to have something pretty to make lists on.  I have tons of fronts from years past that are being used as gift tags.

                             The backs are plain - perfect for list making.  Pretty fronts for smiles!

• Binge watched Twilight Zone marathon and recoded several I had never seen.  I watched one that was disturbing as it was so realistic.  Season 2 Episode 24 - Obsolete Man (if you can find online).  It was how government had determined so many obsolete - elderly, handicapped, religious, and those who disagreed with the govt.  Libraries didn't exist any longer and the govt. had determined there was NO God.  Anyone determined to be "obsolete" was publicly destroyed.  I know this sounds disturbing - but it also seems all too REAL today.  Sure gives one something to ponder.
• Watched lots of You Tube videos - just keeping the week quiet and slow
• Read some & took a couple naps!

Meals this past week:

Family get together and variety of goodies was provided - all from things I had on hand

Meatball/cheese sandwich and chips

Sloppy pasta and salad  (mac n cheese mixed with leftover sloppy Joe)

Long grain rice/mushroom soup (from freezer) and crackers and cheese

Chicken tamales over rice

NY dinner at brother/SIL home - corned beef/cabbage/black eyed peas - all for luck!  Lots of other goodies as well

Homemade Reuben sandwich  - (had everything on hand)

               Super easy and filling dinner.  Tamales (canned) over rice.  Very tasty indeed.

I ended the year quietly and started the new year the same.  I still have a couple of 'holiday' gatherings to attend at some point in time - whenever they get scheduled.

I look forward to the new year and PRAY it is a good year for all.  I see great things happening in my mind and hope they come to be for all.

Did you have a quiet new year?  How is your weather?

Lets all get geared up for a fun and informative 2021 - teaching and learning.  I am anxious to see what everyone brings to the table!

Blessings from my humble little home to yours.

This verse of scripture - should be our quote for the new year.  I know it will be mine!!!!!  God has this - have faith.

Blessings to you all.

CHEERS - Out with the OLD and In with the NEW!!!

 Well, the 2020 party is about over.  It is already over in some parts of the world.  It wasn't the best party - but you know if you are here and reading this - you survived.  That is a pretty decent party in my book!

My heart is sad for the loss and heartbreak many have had - as it is every year.

Nah, doubt if I go!!!!!  I will be asleep in my warm bed at midnight snuggled with my kitty.    Haven't stayed up to celebrate in years.

Many lessons have been learned this year.  Challenges have been met.  We made it!

I am thankful for each and everyone of you.  Thankful to have a platform to teach and learn.  Thankful for being brought up to know how to survive in bad times.  Thankful for having enough!

                                                                                 AMEN

I am wishing you all a wonderful year full of health and safety and healing.  A year that is stable financially and a year of using what you have and being a good steward.

I wish you happiness and joy.  I wish you love and family and friends.

I wish you all the absolute best.

I am looking forward to growing with each and everyone of you in the coming year.  We all have so much to share and offer.

Good-bye 2020!

Hello and cheers to 2021!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Blessings to all!

 

Lessons Learned (?)

 I have been reflecting a lot recently - as I am sure many have been.  Did you learn any lessons this past year?  Was it an awakening?  I learned and found myself being more grateful and aware of the small things.

I keep hearing people say - "I can't wait till things get back to normal."  NOT ME - I really didn't like all of 'normal'.  I see SOME things as much better now.

SURE I want people to be healthy - but there will always be disease and death.

SURE I want people to be able to get back to work and thrive - but many will just continue on with bad habits.

SURE there are things that we need to get back - church meetings, freely going about, working, socializing, HUGS, etc.

I see people have learned that they can survive on so much less than they thought

I see people have learned to cook from home

I see people have learned to have 'family time' again and sit down to dinner together and play together

I see we have learned that children can learn any where (many have home schooled for decades).

I see people are learning to garden and preserve

I see families helping one another

I see the public doing good deeds and helping others when they can

I see neighbors being kind and helping one another

I see people learning to be resourceful and recycle and getting creative

I see many employers have realized they can still provide work for people - but from their homes

I see people spending less

I see people realizing that being prepared IS important

I see people finally being grateful for all the LITTLE things (most are bigger than we think)

I really DO see a lot of positive.  I know many think I am Miss Pollyanna - well that is OK with me.  I'd rather look at the positive than negative.  I know bad stuff happens - it has happened to me too - but we can't quit.  We can't give up.  We have to keep marching forward and onward.

I will live my life in the most positive way I can to keep my mental health and the joy in my life.

You should too!

There will always be people who try their darndest to suck the joy out of the world.  Some CHOOSE to moan and groan and complain and never see good.  Those people are miserable and many are lonely.  I feel sorry for them and I pray for them.  God has this - give your worries and your concerns to Him.  YOUR job is to promote good and happiness and love upon the earth.

I hope we all choose to LIVE our best lives in the new year.

I will talk with you tomorrow!  Have a blessed day!

PS - these past couple weeks have been for reflecting and thinking about life.  Next week will back to normal!

JUST A Word

 Well, the year is almost over.  WOW!  Do you make resolutions?  I haven't done that in ages - as they were never met fully and I always felt frustrated.  Most of us resolve to do something that we should have been doing all along any way - and we didn't do it and probably still won't!!!!  Just saying 'it' doesn't make it so!!  LOL

I like to pick a word for the year.  Something that I will strive for and hopefully follow though with.  It is not a resolution - but a thought for the year.  A word to strive for each day to make life better not just for me but for others as well.

I think my word for 2021 is LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!

There have been some storms this year for everyone.  We have just had to pick ourselves up and put on our big girl panties and get on with it.  That is what we do!  Make the best of a bad situation.  The choice is yours - you can continue to moan, worry and feel stressed and put life on hold OR you can dance despite the rain!!

LIVE - what do I mean?  Well, I am going to enjoy the food, enjoy the drink.  I am going to spend more time in nature and enjoy it.  I am going make my home even more of a sanctuary to be happy in.  I am going to work harder at being a good person who listens, gives, and shares.  I am going to LOVE this life I have been given.  I am going to DO more good for others.  I want to do at least one random act of kindness each week.  I want to walk, move and exercise more.  I want to be happy.

I want to LIVE LIFE FULLY - I REFUSE to spend the year afraid of the what ifs.  (Yes I am careful and cautious around others - that doesn't mean I can't LIVE).

Living is experiencing and sharing.  

For me (just my feelings) being afraid is having less faith than I should.  I am a spiritual person and I KNOW God has this.  If I doubt God - I have nothing.  To think that I have more power over my body and soul than God does is pretty outrageous to me.  When my day comes - my day comes.  God has already assigned that day and it will happen when it is supposed to.  His will be done.

SOOOOOOO until then I want to LIVE to the fullest!!!!!!!!

That old Dr. Suess was a smart old guy!!!!  Life is never easy - it is downright hard and painful sometimes - but it SURE is worth it.  I have had a lot of loss and hurt - but I am so happy I got to have the people in my life and the experiences I had with them.  What a gift.  They were worth it all.

I know everyone may not agree with my thinking and that is OK.  You are entitled to your opinion, just as I am.  

As for me - I choose to LIVE bigger and better this coming year.  I will not let others burst my bubble.  I will not let others bring me down.  

I will LIVE and enjoy life!

Do you make resolutions or choose a word for the year?  Do you have goals for 2021?

Weekly Wrap-Up 12/27

 Happy last Sunday of 2020!  My goodness, this time next week we will all be learning to write 2021!! I am still getting used to writing 2020.  Oh such problems we have!   LOL!

We had some lovely temps this week - then we had deep frigid temps.  It dropped almost 40 degrees in one day.  We went from the low 60's to 20's.  YUK.  But on a positive note - the daylight hours will now start growing longer!

We had the coldest Christmas day in 16 years.  It didn't get out the the teens that day.  We barely had a dusting of snow - but we did have snow.  I know many got a lot of snow.  

I had a quiet holiday - had lunch with a friend on Christmas day.  The day at brother's got postponed do to someone being exposed.

Today I have a niece and her family coming in town.  I am so excited to see them.

Never really thought I would get everything I 'wanted' - but many did.  I pretty much have all I need - and appreciate it all.

This week:

• I took advantage on warm day and scrubbed all the watering holes and birdbaths outdoors. (Birdies sure are loving the heated birdbath these cold days)
• Went out and finished getting a couple little things I needed and got all wrapped
• Delivered my brother's children's/grands gifts to his house - so they could pick up and have on time
• Ran to the bank while out and got gas for the Blazer.  That is maybe 3rd or 4th time I put gas in vehicle ALL year!!  Needed less than half tank EACH time.
• Got myself a pretty new wall calendar for new year while out (kitties - go figure)
• I got a huge surprise in the mail - a refund check from the IRS w/interest (!!!) for 2018.  I still don't understand that - as Glen did those taxes and he was always correct - but it was a really nice size check for over payment.  I RAN to the bank with it!!!!!!  (I did get a notice last winter - but didn't think it was real).  You just never know what is scam and what is not any more!
• Washed the front door glass (full glass door) while it was warmer
• Moved furniture and did a deep sweep and clean (that took most of a day)
• Finally baked 2 kinds of cookies
• I received a gift in the mail from a friend across the country - so unexpected and appreciated.  My sister-in-law gave me a 'special' extra gift to bring home as well.

                    From my friend - my favorite holiday candy and warm sockies and pretties!

                       My brother and sister in law know me well!!!!!! My new nightshirt!!!!

• While out doing errands - I treated myself to a treat (my gift to me!).  I stopped at the drive thru of Long John Silver's and got take out!!!  I have been craving Long John's for a while.  2nd time for takeout ALL year!  Merry Ho-Ho to me!!!!!!
• Went to a friends for Christmas dinner.  Nice to sit and have someone to chat with.  Sent me home with some cheesecake and sliced ham!
• Got word the family wanted to come up today on Thursday - pulled out everything I needed to feed them from pantry and freezers.  Will have a nice meal and snacks - no extra expense!
• Doing all the normal things we all do - using leftovers, cooking from scratch, laundry, cleaning, etc.

Meals this past week:

Leftover mac n cheese and added leftover corn and a can of tuna

Sausage gravy (from freezer) over toast

Chicken tender sandwich w/lettuce & sliced radish

Long John's

Leftovers in the frig

Dinner at friends

Grilled ham and cheese sandwich

I have the crockpot going already with BBQ meatballs and mini wienies.  Everything else is ready and just needs heated.  Made 3 lbs. of hamburger into sloppy Joe - have cheese slices and beef stick.  Crackers and chips and cheese dip.  Pickles and olives.  Tea and pop.  Have slider buns and small tortilla wraps.  Cookies and goodies.

Everyone comes and just eats all afternoon - whenever and whatever they choose.

It sure is nice to have a deep pantry and freezer!

I hope you that celebrated had a nice Christmas - whether quiet or together - we keep our loved ones in our hearts.  If you and your family are healthy - you got a blessed gift.  Our greatest gift is just knowing we have God with us each day.

I wish you all a wonderful week and will be back on Tuesday!

May you all stay healthy, safe and frugal.   Blessings from my humble little home to yours.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

The new year is a good time to start at the beginning and start reading it all again!  

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

 A quick note to say MERRY CHRISTMAS  to each and every one of you.  May your days be safe and delightful.  

If you are having a 'different' Christmas - JUST ENJOY it to the fullest.  Be happy with what you have and who you can talk to.  Say I LOVE YOU to all.

We have all received the greatest gift ever - our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

Prayers for travel mercies for those in route and prayers for health for everyone.

Make the best of your holiday and be grateful and joyful of heart.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

Virtual HUGS to each of you!!!!!!!