Frugal Friday Keeping $10.00 In My Wallet By Not Falling For Traps At The Grocery Store

Friday already ... hard to believe the days just fly by. It is time for Frugal Friday. What did I do this week or even today to show that I can be smart with my money by being frugal?

Today I saved $10.00 by not falling into the food trap at Cub Foods. There was a deal today buy 10 items for $10.00.

If you look at the list of items you will find many items listed that I have seen this price or even cheaper. So why buy them today when they may be cheaper next week.

None of these items were on my menu for next week and I did not really need them, so no reason to pull out $10.00 from my wallet.

So today I know that I saved/ did not spend $10.00 at the grocery store unnecessarily.

What have you done this week to be frugal or to save money?

I am posting this at Frugal Friday at Life At Mom check out others frugal ideas there.

Grocery Store Challenge Round Up 1/27/11

Can you believe that it is the 27th of January. Seems like it was New Years Eve. Another week has passed and I have managed to reduce my grocery bill another week. The savings to go into our emergency fund.

First trip was to Walgreens ... you can click on the link to read the details of this trip. I used my near expiring store bucks and a little cash. Spent $1.18 with savings of $19.40




Second trip was to Rainbow in the big city yea for double coupons. Click on the link to see details of this shopping trip. Spent $16.04 with savings of 19.30



Third trip was to Cub Foods to pick up
Tostito chips $2.00
potato chips $ 2.44
5 # bag of potatoes (tip I read about recently.. weigh these bags they can fluctuate by about a pound. First bag was 4 1/2 pounds and the back I bought was 5 1/2 pounds.)
French bread $1.99 ( divided and will be used in 4 menus)
Bread $1.49
Havarti cheese $4.19 ( expensive but will make my lunch at home sandwiches a treat and will be used on grilled cheese sandwiches that turn them from good to FANTASTIC
Velvetta cheese $4.99 .. great on grilled cheese sandwichs and hubby loves it. Last two weeks was 50 cents more. Glad that they bought it down just when we wanted it.
milk $2.99
sour cream $2.50
Total spent $26.57 no coupons on items used.

Last trip to Walgreens was to buy 2 store brand cough drops using store coupon. Spent $1.00 savings $1.00




We never make a special trip out of our way. When ever we go to the store it is planned and on our route.

Total spent this week $44.79
Total for the month $220.83
Total remaining this month $19.47 this will be the end of my month shopping trip and will go into savings for emergency month.

I will be linking this up

Grocery Cart Challenge

Frugal Follies

Deals and Dishes

Homemaking Mom

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

To Get A Refund Or Not From The Tax Man

picture from msn site

To get a refund or not get a refund? It is that time again. Tax time guys, time to start figuring out our taxes.

At this time of the year there are several articles on which is smarter get a tax refund or not get a tax refund.

Not only do I enjoy reading these articles but most of all I love the comments. Especially those that fare justifying giving the government too much of your money to use interest free all year long.

I would rather have my money to live on, pay my bills and put some into a saving account. May not be much interest gained if any but I can get at it in case of an emergency.

Just try contacting the tax people in June and asking for some of that money right then. Hey tax guys I need tires can I have some of my money back now. What do you think the answer will be?

I would rather get $100 back or owe $100 rather than pay in too much every quarter. One year we owed a small amount and had a penalty of $1.00. Give me a break about I don't want to pay a penalty. My husband figures how much we will probably owe and comes real close every year. We make quarterly tax payments and keep as much of our money as possible in our bank account.

Oh well, to each there own. Read the article and most of all read the comments. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy the reasoning some have for over paying all year long.

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

Lets Be Weird The Dave Ramsey Way Wednesday

Lets be Weird the Dave Ramsey way Wednesday. What have I done this last last week to be weird.

Being weird and not like the " Jones"s is making our life so much better.

Our debt is hospital bill from my September illness... thank goodness for my health insurance .. expensive but boy am I glad I pay those monthly bills. I have had people tell me when I complain of the cost to just cancel it and take my chances. Wrong at any age especially when you get older you do not need to take chances. Hospital bill ended up around $50,000. Would you want that hanging over your head. Not me I will take the less than 1,000 we owe and make monthly payments to pay off.

Our other debt is a car payment and I dream of getting that paid off earlier.


So we are weird because...

We have no credit cards. We are not slaves to the lender.

We are paying our own health insurance instead of buying new furniture, new cars, going on vacations, buying new clothes,. We are not taking chances with the roulette wheel of health issues.

I plan our menu for the week and shop smart. Buying what we need only unless I find a good deal to stock up.

We do freezer cooking .. tonight was our homemade spaghetti sauce over pasta and garlic bread. Bread was bought for $1.99 at Cub Foods.. divided into four pieces. One tonight and three into the freezer. That is 50 cents a meal for warm tasty garlic bread. Spaghetti sauce came out of the freezer. I believe this saves us money. Meals are planned and no chance of saying " Lets Go Out To Dinner " several times a week.

I use coupons on needed items when best deal and use store brands when they are the best price.

I pick up pennies when I see them " See a penny pick it up, all day long you''ll have good luck".

We do not buy lottery tickets or go to local casinos. Gambling would be a saved up trip to Las Vegas. Planned and paid in cash. That is not even in the plans for some time.

We buy gas at the cheapest known place without going out of our way.

We are on the cash basis for food, entertainment and gas. If the cash is gone we are done for the week. I am even attempting to cut our weekly food budget and putting the difference in our emergency fund. I want a 1,000 in this fund. At this time we have about $200.


Are you doing anything different than "The Jones", To you want to be weird financially also. I hope so.

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

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

Wallet Friendly Wednesday 1/26/11 Going Out Of Business Sale plus Hunting For Books

Welcome to Wallet Friendly Wednesday

Hello everyone, hope everyone is having a good Wednesday. The weather is in the 20's so not bad.

Was sunny this morning so hubby and I went out to see if a second hand bookstore was open. NO it was not. It is part of a church and run by volunteers. Must not have enough volunteers because hard to find it open and I do not have a direct phone number to check to see if open.

On the way to the book store we spotted that a drug store was going out of business. Of course we had to stop to see what was on sale.

We bought three 99 cent birthday cards at half price for grandchildren. I have been wanting a new hair curler and found a Vidal Sassoon styling iron marked down. Was originally $7.99 and marked down 20 percent.

This last weekend stopped at some thrift stores hunting for books to selling on eBay or/and Amazon. Some of these have already been put up for auction on eBay and the others will follow. We usually try the auction method one or two times. If the item does not sell then they go to 30 days on eBay and on to Amazon. One of hubby's book finds already has a bid.

Thanks for stopping by. I will be linking this up to Wallet Friendly Wednesday. Pop over to see what others are saying and please leave a comment if possible here and where you visit... Grace

What's For Dinner Kickin It Up Penne Casserole

Tonight I made a recipe from a cook book that belongs to my girlfriend. Changed it a little to use items that I had in my kitchen cupboard and refrigerator.


Kickin It Up Penne Casserole ... warming up our kitchen and our tummys


8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
3/4 of a pound of lean ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp of red pepper
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain
set aside

Spray large non stick skillet with cooking spray. Add ground beef and onion. Cook 5 minutes or until meat no longer pink, stirring often. Drain grease. Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add pepper and red pepper. Cook 2 minutes.





In 2 1/2 quart casserole combine the pasta and meat mixture. Sprinkle the top with cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through with cover on.






Served with a veggie and bread... Warm and comfy dinner easy to make and tasty to eat.

warm and full of cheesy taste

In this cook book it is called Chili Wagon Wheel Casserole
Calling for wagon wheel pasta ( did not have in house)
green pepper ( I am not a green pepper person)
stewed tomatoes ( I had diced tomatoes with garlic and onion)
1/4 tsp of all spice ( not in the house .. I used red pepper which really kicked it up)
calls for 1 pound of hamburger .. I used 3/4 of a pound cutting back on the meat.
Turned out real good. We have enough for a lunch today and will be on the menu again.

I am linking this recipe up to

Potluck Sunday

Monday Mania

Homemaker Monday

Delicious Dishes

Made By You Monday

Southern Fairy Tale

Hunk Of Meat Monday

Hearth and Soul

Tuesday At The Table

Tuesday Night Supper Club

Frugal Food Thursday

Ultimate Recipe Swap if you like cake check out the recipes .. hubby does not eat sweets other than apple pie.

Tip Day Thursday

Full Plate Thursday

Mangos and Chutney Friday link

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe swap

Southern Savers Friday Final

Tasty Traditions

Thanks for stopping by.. hope that you will mark me a favorite and be back again real soon. Grace

Saving Quarter Challenge Week 3

Saved Quarter Challenge: Savings Update.

Last week I was able to reduce our grocery budget by $18.00 so this will go into the savings account.

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 twice whether I really need to buy what ever caught my attention.

Balance in savings $163.00 for emergency fund.

We sold a couple of books this week. That will be used to buy ink for the printer. We went to a few thrift stores over the weekend and found some books to put up for sale on eBay and Amazon. Hubby put two of them up for auction on eBay and one already has a bid.

How did your week go with savings?

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

Menu Plan Monday 1/24/11

Menu Plan Monday Whats For Dinner Saving Money Eating At Home.. planning our menu helps wonder what's for dinner every night question.

We went to the twin cities to see family and my girlfriend this weekend. This took two nights we did not need to cook at home so I did not use 2 of my last weeks recipes and they will be forwarded to this week.

Monday will be a new recipe to me from a cookbook that my girlfriend gave me to use till next visit to her house.

Chiliwagon Wheel Casserole .. recipe to come

Dinner with one of the sons and grandchildren

Hamburger patties, potatoes and veggie

Lasagna soup from the freezer with warm bread

Grilled Cheese with tomato soup and chips and dip

Spaghetti sauce from freezer over pasta with warm bread

left overs

I am sharing this at Monday Menu Plan

Thanks for visiting me today.. lets keep saving together.. Grace