Friday, January 21, 2011

Kick Start Our Savings Account in 2011

Great articles I have come across thanks to grocerycartchallenge posting about it. The article is from 2006 but full of great ideas for 2011.
I am working on spending less and saving more this year.

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/sav/2006savmg/kick-starta1.asp

thanks for stopping by.. lets keep saving together... Grace

Thursday, January 20, 2011

What's For Dinner -- Chili Dogs That's What



Monday night I made our fabulous ( I think) Chili. Using 1 1/2 pounds of hamburger and 2 of each of the cans that go in to the recipe plus 2 cans of water I ended up with the following.

Dinner Monday which was 2 small bowls each with crackers

2 more dinners went into the freezer for future meals.
I kept enough for us to have dinner last night.
The only hot dogs I want our Hebrew National. They are pricey but went on sale last week.

We broiled the wieners in the oven, then place cheese and reheated chili on them .
They were then placed on a plate and microwaved for 1 minute to melt the cheese.

Add some ripple chips and chip dip ( made out of sour cream and Lipton onion soup mix) and dinner was ready in just a few minutes.

Dinner was good, thrifty and fast to make..
Thanks for stopping by...lets keep saving together and please always remember
Never under estimate the value of a small amount of money. .... Grace

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Grocery Cart Challenge Shopping Round Up








Another week of grocery shopping and menu planning. I had a much better week than usual. I am challenged to cut our groceries when possible to put my savings into our savings account. I want to build up our emergency fund.

This week I ended with $17.00 not spent out of a $60.00 weekly budget.

Cub Foods
Beef broth 78 cents
La Choy Teriyaki sauce $1.79
orange marilade $2.85
lo mein noodles $1.29
cub beef 3 pounds $6.87
Beef steak $4.05
frozen sugar snaps $1.00
sour cream $1.79
milk $2.99
Hebrew National franks $2.99
Total spent $26.40

Super One
Taco chips $2.49
potato chips $2.50
4 sodas $6.00
refried beans 67 cents
5 coffeemate $5.00
total after coupons $14.13 savings of 50 percent
total spent for the week $40.53
total for the month $176.04
Remainder of food budget left $63.96
Thanks for stopping by.. I will be posting this at
you can see what others are spending there.
Grace

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

What I Am Reading This Month


I’m teaming up again with http://lifeasmom.com/2011/01/booking-it-join-the-club.html to share what books I am reading this year.

So far this month I finished my novel Vince Flynn " Protect and Defend " and am still reading
The Irish American Family Album. This goes along with my love of genealogy. I want to know what my Irish families life was like coming to America in the 1850's.
What are you reading this month?

Monday, January 17, 2011

Saved Quarter Challenge Week 2


Saved Quarter Challenge: Savings Update. Nothing saved this week sadly from the budget. To many great deals at the grocery stores.
This week I was attempting to cut back by hiding a $20.00 in my wallet. If needed for groceries it is there but by having to dig it out makes me think.
I had forgotten to buy milk and had to break the $20.00 for that.

We did put $150.00 into the savings this week, giving us a a balance of $180. We signed up with a different bank for a checking account. With direct deposit after 3 months they would give us the $150.00 bonus. That came into the checking account this week.

$35.00 of that will come out of that to be put towards the income tax preparation program.
Balance in savings $145.00 for emergency fund.
Not much sold on eBay so nothing to add from that.

How did your week go with savings? Hope that it was better than mine.

I need to keep in front of me this thought .. cut back $20.00 a week, save it and after 52 weeks I will have over $1,000.
I am sharing this over at Saved Quarter Challenge

Thanks for stopping by.. lets keep saving together.. and please remember

Never under estimate the value of a small amount of money.. Grace

What's For Dinner Orange Teriyaki Beef With Noodles


Last night we tried a new recipe for us. My goal is to try at least one new recipe a week this year.

Found this recipe in my little Recipe book from Betty Crocker " Easy Weeknight Meals " September 2002.

Orange Teriyaki Beef with Noodles
prep time 5 minutes cook time 15 minutes

1 pound beef boneless steak cut into thin strips $4.05 ( not on sale) could of cut the cost if I had watched for a sale price.
1 can (14 1/2 oz) beef broth $.78
1/2 cup of teriyaki stir fry sauce $.90
2 tablespoons orange marmilade $.20
dash of ground red pepper ( cayenne)
1 1/2 cups frozen pea pods $.50
uncooked egg noodles 3 ounces ( I could not find egg noodles but bought noodles in the asian area. ) $1.29
Total spent for dinner $7.72


1. spray 12 inch skillet with cooking spray. Cook beef in skillet over medium heat 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown. Remove from skillet and keep warm.



2. mix broth, stir fry sauce, marmilade and red pepper in skillet. Heat to boiling. Stir in pea pods and noodles; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook about 5 minutes or until noodles are tender. Stir in beef. Cook uncovered 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. 4 servings.

1 serving 260 calories prepared as above.

This turned out really good and very tasty. Changes for next time. My fry pan was to small, will use a bigger one. I must of cooked the last part to high because it used up most of suce and a touch dry.

Will make these changes for next time but is a keeper in my recipe collection. We ate roughly half of it and will finish for lunch today..


I am sharing this at the following foodie blogs
Life At Mom is meat less this week so I shared my creamy cheese potato soup recipe since this is not meatless. If you are looking for meatless be sure to take a look.

Thanks for stopping by.. lets keep saving together ... and please remember..
Never Under Estimate The Value Of A Small Amount Of Money.... Grace

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Menu Plan Monday 1/17/11


So nice to plan my menu every Sunday night. Takes care of the famous question " What's For Dinner "


This week the plan is the following

Orange Teriyaki Beef new to me recipe to come

Chili and crackers



Chili Dogs, potato chips , baked beans




Not Your Every Day Sloppy Joes, chips and remainder of beans




Ground Beef Stew over potatoes

Left Overs



Cheesy Lasagna Soup from the freezer

So this is what is on the menu at our home, what are you planning

I am sharing this at Menu Plan Monday.. check out what others are cooking this week.

Thanks for stopping by.. lets keep saving together and please remember
Never under estimate the value of a small amount of money. ..Grace