Still Picking up the Pennies

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.

Last night I went coupon shopping. I got 3 free easy mac. I went to a Tupperware party last night. I walked a way with so many freebies, I was giddy. I won a bingo game and won a great set of three bowls, then the little bowl for attending the party. Then I booked a party, so I got a tiny bowl key chain(so cute!) and a reusable shopping bag. In the mail I got Aveeno and Dove shampoo and conditioner samples, they went right into the camper. My boys have been lazing around so much lately, with DH home we have NO routine established, it is getting on my nerves a bit. But DH is going on a male bonding camping trip with his cousin :) After he leaves, the boys and I will do a couple lessons in math and about 30 minutes of reading. And finally turn off that darn tv!! I made a big breakfast this morning of pancakes and sausages. I made a double batch of pancakes and threw about 30 pancakes in the freezer for later use. This is the only bit of OMACing I have done in a while. I am still going on...

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.