Still Picking up the Pennies

  Hello everyone, I wanted to do a quick post to wish everyone a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving. I got a blessing in disguise this past week. I am not ready to talk about the details yet, but I will have a lot more time on my hands. I will begin posting here more regularly. I will be getting back to my basic frugal lifestyle so be ready for that.  I made chicken enchiladas last night for dinner. I used this recipe  but I used can sauce and I tripled it. My oldest son is working the midnight shift and he likes to take leftovers from dinner with him. He works from 10pm to 6am and there is no place to get food at that time locally. And he is very frugal (this makes my mamma's heart smile). I will write again soon. 

We are sticking to the plan! No extra trips with the cars anywhere. No drier usage at all, I have even been hanging out socks and underwear on the line. I usually give myself permission to splurge in the area, so that is huge for me. The plan to get in 40 hours a week is just now working out as I thought it would. I am getting more hours then in the last 6 months, but due to unpreparedness on other people's parts it just is not happening. I may be getting more hours as we all work together and get our acts together as a team, the season is young so there is hope. I am submitting time sheets to both jobs with more hours then usual, so I am looking at it as a victory in that aspect. I was able to make payments in full to two bills that had sent me bills with the same amount on them two months in a row. That is also a small victory. My oldest son is spending time with my parents this week. We have been trying to do a few extra special things with the youngest without spending mo...

I have to admit I took yesterday off from blogging so I am a day late. Please forgive me! We had such a wonderful weekend, we hosted a small family BBQ on Sunday, only 38 people attended, and that was just immediate family. My darling husbands family is BIG, and so fun. But the plan for the week is very simple, we are in complete summer mode around here. Monday - was leftovers. Tuesday - Lasagna rolls and veggies. Wednesday - something chicken. Thursday - Meatloaf, potatoes and a veggie. Friday - We are having a picnic at a park near my parents house with $5 hot and ready pizzas. The park is named Chutes and Ladders, the name says it all, and it is so much fun. Saturday and Sunday - I am not sure about. I am working on a post about frugal father's day presents and birthday party prep, so stay tuned in for those. I also want to remind everyone to enter my Sunny Saturday give away that ends June 1 that is TOMORROW :) Good luck everyone! For more yummy menus visit orgju...

It was the last day of school, today YAYYYEEE!!! I am so excited about 3 months with my most favorite people in the entire world. If that was not enough fun for a Friday! My 8 year old has been very fasinated with the hammer for the past few days. So, I have put on my thinking cap to find safe fun things for him to hit with the hammer. ICE!!! You need: a hammer, saftey googles and ice, lots and lots of ice. This is Noah very happy to demonstrate. Even the nearly 12 year old got into distroying the ice with the hammer. Noah my hammerer little dude. Each child got this much ice to distroy, let me tell you that next time these bowls will be FULL. You should have heard how hard they worked and giggled. They loved it. Here is another last Friday's frugal adventure: Sight seeing a place that we usually cruise past at least 4 times a month but never stopped. This is right outside Chassell, MI. Not sure what the name of the place is but it is a lookout on to the wet l...

I need to get my act together on many different levels and planning is one of them. I have so much sloppy Joe meat left from the party yesterday, this week's challenge will be to make new different tastes with the same ole meat mixture. Monday will be nachos Tuesday Hot dogs(also left over from the party) Wednesday Chili Thursday lasanga with garlic bread made of hamburger buns. Friday a break from the leftovers, HM pizza S&S not sure what the weekend has in store for us. We have to go to a memorial service on Sunday that is about an hour away, so we may stay at my parents or in a hotel. For more yummy meal ideas, pop over to orgjunkie.com

The New Year is coming and is so full of promises of every thing starting over, like a clean slate. I am going to be brainstorming about how I want to save/make money in the new year, as that is going to be my main financial role again. DH is back to work and I will be laid off after the first full week of January. While there are tons of blogs that combine sales with coupons, or deal links, I will be taking advantage of those, of course. But my main goal with this blog in the next year is going to be about me keeping track of MY savings and money making, in so I hope to inspire others (and myself) to start or maintain a frugal lifestyle.

Menu Plan Monday ~ Nov 1st Can you believe that it is November 1, 2010? I CAN NOT! but it is so there. I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween. My family and I sure did. The kids were so excited to go trick or treating and on the 9th house my youngest Noah asked if it was time to go home. In total I think we T or Ted at 18 houses and got way more candy then all 4 of us will eat ever. So the Menu Plan for this week is: Monday Turkey, mashed taters, candied carrots. Tuesday Turkey rice, veggies soup and HM dinner rolls. Wednesday skillet tacos. Thursday breakfast, pancakes. Friday pizza Saturday tba Sunday meatloaf, and something. to see more awesome menu plans go to orgjunkie.org

I managed to ditch the Santa boarders, still not sure how but I am glad they are gone :) Today I got to see my one and only niece graduate, I am so very proud of her and happy for her. She worked very hard for this occasion, she not only conquered the trials and tribulations of every teenager, but she graduated 9.5 months pregnant. So I am very proud of her determination and strength! Also I quickly visited two graduation parties, and took my boys swimming and had planned to sleep in the camper, but we were rained out :( but we just started summer on Friday, officially. I am going to try to post here on a more regular basis. I quit and offically done with my time suck job, so I should have time do it. More soon.

Today I got some news that freaked me out, but I also had so much to be thankful for!! On ONE trip to town I was able to: walk my Kindergarten to his class, he was so proud to read me his favorite CAT book and show me all his hard work. spend the day with my 4th grader on an ALLLLLLLL day field trip to one of the coolest places ever. I sneaked in a quick but very productive grocery shopping trip that will help get us through the next two weeks and a little trip to Vinny's and bought Noah a make believe cat carrier, his is totally nuts about cats and when we borrowed one to bring Kittu to the vet months ago, he was so said that we had to give it back, SO now he has his own for a quarter OH and was able to drive two of the cutest little men home from school (something that I would do A LOT in yester years but not this year!) :woot what a great day to be a MOM :swoon

Today, the boys and I took a tiny road trip to Lowe's for the free Build it and Grow workshop. They made wooden car garages and if you know anything about my boys we could NOT miss that workshop. We brought a cold pizza leftover lunch, went to Menards to get some ski gloves that were on sale BOGO free, I bought two pairs and got two pairs all for $7.98!! And an entrance mat for the mud room $2 after rebate. Then to Kohl's to use my $5 off coupon, Joel picked out a clearance shirt that is ScoobyDo. Then to Micheal's to use my 40% off coupon, the boys picked out a craft kit to do later this week, I bought a 2010 pocket calender and colored feathers for the next 4H meeting, spending $8 total. Then to the Y for swimming, the boys swam for about 3 hours, I went in the hot tub and sauna besides swimming. We all took showers, saving propane at home for heating water. Then at home I cut the boys hair , the were raggamuffins for far to long. FUN, FUN frugal day!!

Wow, how the weeks are flying by!! OMG. anyhow, here is the plan! I work a lot this next week so dinner has to be simple or it will be disastrous. Monday, today. CP chicken legs with cream of chicken soup, rice and brocilli Tuesday, Meatloaf, gravy, noodles or mashed taters, beans or corn. Wednesday, burgers and corn on the cob Thursday spaghetti, meat sauce &hm rolls Friday is always pizza Saturday, tacos, re-fried beans Sunday soup and sandwiches If you want to see many other yummy menus go to Organized Junkie

so my next week is looking like this Monday chicken Alfredo and crescents Tuesday hamburger helper (clear liquids for me) Wednesday meatloaf, potatoes or noodles and corn Thursday cp lasagna Friday pizza Saturday DH cooking Chinese, egg rolls included Sunday TBA I am having surgery of a personal nature on Wednesday, so if you believe, please say a quick prayer for me. To see other menus to to Organized Junkie

It has been awhile since I have written. We have had a busy fun summer. I can feel autumn in the air! Which makes me sad and a bit glad. Glad because fall means settling down into a comforting routine and a new beginning so to say. Sad, because winter in all it's harshness is coming and too quickly! We have had a very fun summer filled with a bit of camping and day road trips and the fair. I started a part time job, my first full day is tomorrow, I am very excited to be working out of the home for the first time in over 10 years, but it is still only part time which is the best of both worlds for me right, now. DH is still unemployed but keeping busy. We are repping the benefits of a small garden, and a bigger chicken coop. He has all the winter's wood here just needing to be split and stacked. I am going to start to make my entries on my blog a little more regular.

While the weather in the UP has been very chilly compared to past years, we have had a pretty fun summer so far! My oldest DS and I just got back from 4H camp. While it was completely exhausting, it was the BEST!! Both of us promised to return next year. We also have a few more fun things scheduled. But also got back on track with our semi-homeschooling summer plans. My DH is still unemployed, but we may have some good news lurking in the near future. If you could send good thoughts or prayers our way, it sure would be appreciated. He has been busy collecting the winter's wood and fishing. Although we have had NO fish dinners lately, we sure should stay warm all winter. He has also kept himself busy by planting a small garden. His next project is to build on the the chicken coop, as the babies are nearly ready to be evicted from the basement. I am sick of the "barnyard" smell in the basement! The boys have been busy also this summer. The oldest is done with summer school...

so sorry if anyone even reads this! My DH got laided off one month ago to the day. So things have changed and changed a lot. He is looking for work but of course there is none to be had, we are not in total panic mode yet. I got myself a little part time job cleaning a house for some one I know. I hope to expand the hours as we go. I have also started taking a few cake orders from friends and family, in hopes to raise a few bucks. I have done pretty well with my pantry challenge, but have not post the details, sorry. I have applied for medicaid, and food stamps also so that may be another route of writing for me. I surely am glad that we are not starving because i has been a good 3 weeks since I applied and no word yet. I am also taking a course to become a medical transcriptionist starting about 2 weeks ago as well so lots of news from here. OH also we 'won' ok, well the kids won two gold fish last night so they are our household new creatures. We orders 6 baby chickens toda...

Well it has been a few days,so I will update. On 4-26 we had to run our eldest son, age 9 to the walkin clinic 68 miles away, he had strep throat but feeling better. We stopped at taco bell, for a total of $5.98 for four people, over budget but not by much. On Monday we had left overs of the chicken enchiladas(which were shit food btw!) for a total of $3+ Tuesday, my life changed a bit, my DH lost his job, downsized and his position was terminated. There was NO notice at all, we honestly thought we would never be in this position again, no income, no future legacy to pass on to our children. I hope and pray that we will be ok. He will get a severance package and unemployment but as a single income family, I am in complete panic mode!! and for the pantry challenge, now it looks REALLY important! We had hot dogs 88cents, buns $1.02 and baked beans $.92 for a total of $2.82. but NOT the most nutrious meal ever! but good comfort food.

During the month of May I am going to do a pantry challenge. With another additional feature, I am going to try to keep the cost of each dinner meal to $5 or under. I picked up my SHARE order today and I can NOT fit anymore food in the freezers, all three of them. I am going to start my challenge a week early, TODAY! Tonight we are going to have Stouffer's Chicken Enchiladas with cheese sauce and rice, with cauliflower. My calucalations for the cost of this meal is $7 for the Stoffer's dinner and 78 cents for the cauliflower BUT it will serve us TWO Meals so $7.78 divided by two is $3.89 for a dinner for 4 :woot not bad for the first day of my challenge.

Our weekly menu looks like this Saturday-HM lasanga and garlic bread Sunday fresh lake trout or chicken and rice Monday Pork chops Tuesday soup and quesillas Wednesday meat loaf Thursday chilli or hot dogs Friday HM pizza Saturday steaks

Today I spent a few hours in the kitchen making up a boat load of waffles, pancakes and muffins for the freezer. I cook them all up and layer on a cookie sheet, with wax paper(recycled cereal bags) in between the layers then freeze for about an hour. Then I package them all in a recycled bread bag. When the kids want a snack(or Momma is having a lazy morning) for breakfast, I take 2 out and pop them in the toaster, and serve with syrup.

Well, I am going to try to post more often. And more then just my menus. It is a yucky cold snowy day so I am all about planning today :) Sunday - Pork tenderloin, potatoes and carrots in the CP Monday Chicken Encliladas from campbell's soup website Tuesday soup and quessdillas Wednesday cheesey chicken and rice in the CP Thursday tuna dish-need to find the recipe again Friday - is always HM pizza night. Saturday TBA If you want to see more Monday menus go to Orgjunkie.com