WHAT I READ IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY

Here is what I read during the month of February.. Life At Moms has set up a challenge to read more.

John Sandford " Wicked Prey " .. if you like thillers it is a winner. Hubby read it after me.

We found a copy of John Sandford's new book Storm Prey. Hubby is reading it and I will add it to my reading list.


Patricia Schultz 1000 Places To See Before You Die" I have read parts of this and it is the kind of book to pick up and read off and on over a period of time.



I had gone to a thrift store and found a copy of " Death In A Prarie House " by William Drennan. I bought to resell but started and finished it during February.

It is about a murder at a house Frank Lloyd Wright built and lived in with his mistress. Wife would not divorce him. While he was out of down a man who was hired help went crazy and killed a bunch of people in the house including 2 children. I found out things I never knew about Frank Lloyd Wright. It was pretty good and well written. If you like True Crime, Biographys or /and Architicuture this book could be up your alley.


I will be putting this up for sale tonight on amazon. We are known as turnabout01 on amazon and eBay if you are interested in it or any of my other books.

Well it is already March and I am reading a light mystery . It is not one of those on my reading list but is a light genealogy mystery. Main character is suppose to to research including genealogy. No genealogy in it really and that disappoints me but fun easy read and I am almost done.

This is my February list. To see my January reading list and what is on my list for the year click on link.

What are you reading ? I would love to hear you reading list. .. thanks for stopping by. Gace

Grocery Store Round Up 3/10

Hard to believe another week has gone by. We went to Super One this week and bought a beef roast to make our Crock Pot Roast Beef... see previous posting.

We made a few different trips to the store over the week. Never out of our way just stopping in if we needed something when we passed and a planned trip to Super One and Target.

Next trip To Target

I had bought frozen foods at Target a couple weeks ago and received a $5.00 gift card. Thought I would pop into Target to see what the deals were and saw that if I bought 2 Charmin Bath Tissue for $9.99 each I would get a $5.00 gift card. Sounded good to me

Total spent $16.16 after using my $5.00 gift card and now I have another one to use in the future.

I did not get out to get a Sunday paper last weekend so need to stop in to Target tomorrow to see if I want to use my gift card. Did not get a photo of this trip or the milk trip.

Next stop was at Walgreens for milk. Sign on door said $3.09 but ran up at $3.29 which is what it was marked at milk display. I questioned it and got my milk for the $3.09. Lesson learned never be afraid to ask.

Final trip was to Super One for the bulk of our groceries.

2 bags of Malt O Meal cereal $3.99 each ( I used a $2.00 coupon off 2 bags) 50 oz bags

1 paper towel $1.97

2 boxes of pasta $1.00 each

1 No yolk pasta $1.50

1 box of barley $1.79

cumin $1.00

1 bottle of garlic powder $ 1.00

Lawry salt $2.49

2 cans of gravy 69 cents each

Beef roast $9.95

5 pounds of potatoes $2.77

bag of carrots $1.77

Garlic bread $2.99

loaf of bread $2.49

2 coffee creamers $1.88

8 yogurts 44 cents each used 50 cent coupon and store coupon

eggs $1.39

coffee filters $1.29

4 mushroom soup 44 cents each used store coupon

Total spent at Super One $50.31 with savings of $10.55 between coupons manufactured and store

Total spent this week $74.56 over budget $14.56

Total for the month so far $109.10

I am sharing this at

Grocery Cart Challenge

Homemaking Mom

Frugal Follies

Friday Finals

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

What's For Dinner ~ Crock Pot Beef Roast

Crock pot is sitting on the stove. Inside is a beef roast we bought a couple of days ago. Almost 3 pounds of beef. I am really looking forward to dinner. We made this recipe a while back and it was a hit.

We plan to take some of the left over and hubby will make me Beef Stroganoff. Not sure what we will do with the rest, maybe put some in a soup.

Take a peek at the recipe .. it is a winner in my opinion.

what are you planning for dinner.. thanks for stopping by... Grace

TIP FOR THE DAY SORT DIRTY CLOTHES AS YOU GO

Tip For Today.. Sort Dirty Clothes As You Go.... if space allows you to do this, it will make doing laundry so much faster.
Have to two hampers and put a laundry bag in each one.
One for lights and one for darks.
When the laundry bag is full it, you can take it straight to the laundry room and the washing machine.
Right now my bathroom is so small we have one laundry basket and store it in the bathtub behind the shower curtain till laundry day. I can not wait to move to a larger apartment late summer.

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

Home made Chili Pure Comfort Food

There is only 2 of us so what I am cooking this afternoon is our homemade Spicy (to me) Chili. This recipe is double and allows enough for me to freeze extra for us. There are times I only have enough ingredients for one batch and this gives us a nice dinner and a lunch the next day.
We can add some crackers or crusty bread for a fast tasty dinner.
My recipe is for 6 servings so would be a nice amount for 4 to 6 people.
1 1/2 pounds of ground beef 85 percent fat free
small amount of onion chopped up
2 tsp of garlic
4 tsp of Chili
2 tsp of basil
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper
2 tsp of cumin
2 tsp of oregano
2 16oz cans of Chili or Kidney beans
1 32 oz cans of crushed tomatoes
1 32 oz can of Tomato Sauce
1 can of water
Brown ground beef
drain off the grease
add onion to meat and fry up
then add your spices and stir
add your tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and chili beans

Simmer for about 45 minutes . It is now ready to eat or cool and freeze for future meals.

I will be sharing this at

Monday Mania

Homemaking Monday

Delicious Dishes

Made By You Monday

Mouthwatering Monday

Hunk Of Meat

Heath and Soul

Menu Plan Monday

Tuesday At The Table

Tuesday Night Supper Club

Tasty Tuesday

Tempt My Tummy at the well this week

Full Plate Thursday

Tip Day Thursday

Frugal Food Thursday

What's Cooking Thursday

GCC Recipe Swap

Fat Camp Friday

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

TIP FOR THE DAY PURGE YOUR PANTRY FOR CHARITY

One great way to clean out your pantry is to go through it and pull out the items that you know you will not eat or probably will not eat and bring them to the food shelf in your area. Just make sure to check out the expiration dates before passing on.

While you are at it go to the personal product cabinet and if stocked full of shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste etc bag those off and drop off at a homeless shelter.

Sharing is good for the soul.

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

WORKING MORE TO MAKE MORE MONEY SETTING PRIORITIES

Are you a reseller on the Internet like I am? Do you put in the hours you know you should to make the money you want to?

I have been selling on the Internet for over 10 years and at times have made over $2,000 a month gross but could never get past that level. Lately we are lucky to make $500 gross. I have come to the conclusion that I am not prioritizing my hours like I should.

Lately I found a reseller who is putting in the hours she does because she needs to. At this time she is the main bread winner.

I read about the hours she works and realize why my income is so low. I spend to much time with busy work.

Take a peek and meet my newest inspiration Apron Thrift Girl.

This morning instead of wandering around the Internet I spent over two hours re listing books and lowering prices of books on eBay and Amazon.

Hope you all have a wonderful day.. thanks for stopping by.. and if you are a reseller I would love to hear your stories and know about your blogs on reselling.. Grace

TIP FOR THE DAY... HELP TO KEEP YOUR CAR CLEAN

Tip of the day.. ideas to help keep the your car neat and clean inside.

Have baby wipes in the car to wipe down the dash board every once in a while or to clean up a spill.

Have a garbage bag in the car so you can throw out garbage in the bag not on the floor. Your car is an extension of you. Would you throw garbage on the floor of your home? Why the car if the answer is no. Every time you stop at gas station empty that garbage bag in their large cans.

Have a box in the car to store what ever. .. Kleenex, maps, books to bring to the library or for me empty ink cartridges to bring by to office store for points.

Make a date with your car to get it cleaned every once in awhile. Ours is so dirty .. we need to get it washed. Excuse is you do not want the doors to freeze up.. Weather is starting to warm up thank goodness.

Thanks for stopping by for tip for the day.. Grace

TUESDAY TIDY TIP ... GET READY FOR GARAGE SALE SEASON

Good morning everyone .. time for Tuesday Tidy Tip... Spring is coming and that means garage sale time. Here in Duluth we have a big garage sale on what is called Park Point every year. Same week every year. For the first time we are living in the area and will set up a table or two.

Over the next weeks I will be finding items that we want to sell and put aside in boxes. I plan to get them ready by cleaning and pricing and so I am ready to go.

Here are four great tips to get started...

Organize early .. find boxes and store your items in the boxes till garage sale. Set a side in basement or out of the way till the big day comes. Lets accumulate as we go ... as you come across something, clean it, price it and put it in that box in the basement.

Advertise .. the more customers we can attract the better our sale will hopefully be.. Be clear with date and time. Hang signs a few days ahead of time. Make them Colorful and Easy to read. I am amazed at some of the garage sale signs I see. You have to get out of the car, walk up to the sign and put on your glasses to read the address. And lets remember to take down the signs after the sale.

Price competitively.. our goal is to get rid of the STUFF ... lets research what the going rate is and price it at that or less. Use eBay or go to other garage sales.

SELL SELL SELL IT.. Be willing to negotiate and don't be greedy. Better to sell it cheaper than take it back into the house.

Time to start getting ready ... lets find some boxes and start decluttering areas of our home if we have not started as of yet... I started with my closet a few weeks ago and that is as far as I got...
Thanks for stopping by... lets keep saving together.. Grace

Saved Quarter Challenge Week #9 Sold Items On Ebay and Amazon Plus Check Received FINALLY

Well another week of working at making more money or saving money from the budget. Was not able to save any money from the grocery budget, but we did sell few things on eBay and Amazon.

Not much really so the money will go towards the cost of running the business on the Internet.

We had sales of $28.71 before costs on eBay and a net profit of $13.00 on Amazon.

I got a surprise check in the mail today. Even though I should wait and report it next week but instead it is going into todays blog.

Back in July of last year I had left some items at a auction houes in Richmond Texas. We then moved back to Minnesota end of July.

We got busy with life and sort of put it on the back burner just waiting for a check in the mail.

Months past with nothing. Finally a couple of months ago I started to wonder what was up. Found the paper that listed our items and found a phone number. After several trys of no answer hubby found another phone number for me. I called and left a detailed message along with my phone number.

Nothing and weeks passed again. I kept planning to call them, but it got put off day after day.

Much to my surprise I received a check in the mail today for $118.12 from the auction house.

Just a check along with the tags from each auction showing me what the item had sold for and then an adding machine tape adding it up. No note or letter along with it.

I can not believe the poor service we received. No explanation for delay of months, no explanation of why no phone calls. I would never recommend this place of business and I believe if I had not made a phone call my items would of just sat there waiting to be auctioned off in their sweet time.

At least we have the check now and will come in handy .. brakes are making noise and of course there is no money in the budget for car repair.

Lesson learned make noise rather than just sitting back and waiting. 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

Monday Menu Plan March 7th

Another week another menu. I want to buy a pot roast and make my crock pot recipe again. It was unbelievably fantastic. Planning my menu helps me get through the week with more ease. Of course nothing is in stone and if plans change we flow with it.

This is what I am planning this week

Chili with cheese, sour creams and crackers

Crock Pot Roast Beef with potatoes and carrots

Beef Barley Soup recipe to be posted later

Baked chicken with baked potatoes and vegetable

Beef Stroganoff using left over pot roast

Chicken Stew over left over baked potatoes

left over buffet

check out some of my recipes on the side bar.. there is some tasty stuff there. I will be sharing my menu plan at

Menu Plan Monday over at Organizing Junkie

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

3 OUT OF 4 Americans Signed Up For Overdraft Protection

The bank overdraft fury that wasn't is an article written by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The article tells us that 3 out of 4 Americans with checking accounts have signed up for over draft protection. They are signing up with the banks saying yes charge me if I over draft. Yes I want this because I can not live on a budget, I can not balance a check book, I may not want to go with out.

What is up with this? Why would you want to pay $25.00 because you over draft your checking account?

I would love to tell these 3 out of 4 Americans .. How about growing up and learning to balance your checking account. Reasoning is suppose to be because they live check to check but if you are giving the bank $25.00 or more in over draft fees you are throwing this money away and will continue to live check to check minus the money you are giving the banks.

The article tells us .. that public fury over the overdraft charges may have been more manufactured than real. People may grumble about the fees, but millions who live paycheck to paycheck rely on overdraft protection as a backstop when their accounts run dry, researchers say.

When we signed up with our bank for a new checking account after moving back to Minnesota we signed a paper saying NO to this over draft protection.

Come on you three out of four.. grow up.. go on cash so you know how much money you really have. If the money is gone you are done for the week or month. Put that $35.00 into your savings account.. do with out that expensive coffee, McDonald's drive through, stay away from the mall for a while. By the end of the year you will have almost $2,000 saved. Now that is the start of real protection as far as I am concerned.

I have been there, done that. I have thrown more money out the window than I want to admit. I have smoked my money away, drank my money away, ate my money away at restaurants and even gambled my money away.

No more thank you very much ...this girl has gotten off the merry go round.

She is living by cash and paying for what she wants or needs that way. If we do not have the money .. so be it.

I say these things because I want my children and grandchildren to learn by my mistakes. I do not want them living on social unsecurity.. SAVE SAVE SAVE.. do with out today so you can live tomorrow like you deserve to live.

thanks for stopping by... lets keep saving together and if you see that penny or nickle on the ground pick it up. If you don't want it send it to me .. I'll take it .... Grace

TIP FOR THE DAY ~ MAKE A POT OF SOUP

Tip for the day ... make a pot of soup. Once a week I like to make a pot of soup. Not only is it a thrifty way to have a quick dinner or lunch .. just think of the money you will save in the long run.

On the end of the store aisle you see a brand name soup advertised 4/$5.00. For $1.25 you get this little can of soup. Grab a chicken from the store. Cook and have some for dinner and boil the bones to make a broth. ( you can always buy broth if necessary). Add the left over chicken make a soup using left overs from the fridge or some of that frozen mixed vegetables you bought on sale. Throw in some pasta and some spices and you will have a nice pot of soup to last you for a week of lunches.


Check out my recipe for Chicken vegetable pasta soup here or cheesy lasagna soup or any of my other recipes on the side bar of my post. I try to make a pot of soup every week, not only does it make our life easier but I know it does not cost me $5.00 to make what would be 4 cans of that name brand soup.


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

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