Take a number and get in line to kick my butt

I planned my menu for this evening plus bought a few other basics that I needed. I am sorry to report to you that I spent $81.52 today, although I was able to use $30.93 in Qs. Some of the things, like the fresh veggies, are going to do double duty. I am going to have a veggie tray w/ ranch dip tonight, then, with the veggies left over, I am going to make some beef stew in a couple of days. I have a package of stew-cut beef in the freezer. Yes, I know it costs more to buy it already cut up than to do it myself, but, this package was marked way down and was a great bargain even compared to the same thing that I could cut up.

I rarely find Q tearpads in my store. I don't know why they don't have them and I've also noticed that there are less blinkie machines, too. Today, though, I was able to find a couple of pads of Qs; one is $1 off milk when you buy Sara Lee bread. O.K. Even I buy milk and bread and that's a couple of things for which I rarely have a Q. I also found what I think is a new item; Jell-O No Bake Pumpkin Style Pie Dessert. Except that it is pumpkin, the box looks just like the Jell-O No Bake Cheesecake. Now, that (the cheesecake version) is a handy thing to have around the house. I made mini-cheesecakes in muffin cups and topped with various flavors of pie filling for a couple of my law firms. They loved them!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I am looking forward to the new year. It seems an appropriate time to learn to spend less money.

Those 12/31 expiring Qs are calling me

I cleaned out my Q binder last night. I have a whopping amount of expiring Qs to throw away. You know they are all calling my name to use them before I have to trash them. I am trying hard not to listen to them, although I must buy some things tomorrow for a buffet I'm putting on tomorrow night. I have those Qs singled out of the larger group, but, it's really hard to throw away hundreds of dollars worth of Qs. You feel my pain, don't you?

I'm going out on a limb for 2009

This seems to me to be dramatic, considering all the cats I feed, but, I am going to keep my grocery spending under $1,200 for the coming year. With aggressive couponing and careful planning, I think I can do it. I see a lot of mac & cheese in my future!

Cat food runs about $34 per month. My non-food spending has dwindled to practically nil as I have years' worth of shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, facial cleansers, etc. I believe I have at least 8 months' worth of toilet paper. I will have to start looking for good Qs for that soon. I think I probably have enough paper towels for a year. The one big thing I have to buy is pads and liquid for my Swiffer WetJet. Proctor and Gamble has some pretty poor Qs for those, if at all. I'm not going back to the mop and bucket, though. My back just can't stand it.

I have a wok (if I can find it!) and I would like to get better at stir-fry meat and veggies. I have soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and such things to last for years. I was able to get 5 packages of frozen stir-fry veggies free with Qs a few weeks ago. I have an ample supply of rice, so, this seems like a good combination to use what I have. If any of you have a favorite, I'd appreciate some tips. I like garlic. I cheat, though. I buy the minced garlic in a jar. I love to cook with garlic, hate to handle it. Bad combination.

O.K. Hang on for the ride. I'm going to make it through 2009 on $1,200. To tell you the truth, I'm scaring myself as I write this. I can do it, though.

I'm still living on free birthday food.

I went out of town for my birthday Friday. I had a Q for a free meal at Houlihan's and it was wonderful. I was in a hotel on someone else's dime and had room service. The hotel comp'd me a bottle of champagne and a birthday cake. The next day, I used a free Q for a pastry at a French cafe. Today I had another great free meal at a rib joint. I'm telling you; there's a gold mine out there in chain restaurants for birthday gifts.

Free Birthday Food

Most chain restaurants and many local ones maintain a website whereby you can register your birthday. About a week before your birthday, you will get an email to print for something free for your birthday. Of the ones I received this year, I have a free entree, no other purchase required, at Houlihan's, Sticky Fingers, and Moe's Southwest. Lesser ones are a B1G1F at Big River Grille and Famous Dave's. There's a free dessert w/ entree purchase at Longhorn Steaks. I also have a free dessert at Macaroni Grill which doesn't appear to require any other purchase. Dairy Queen offers a B1G1F blizzard. These usually show up in your inbox about a week before your birthday and are good for two weeks, so, you don't have to use them all on one day!

Just buying necessities

I can't believe it, but, a half gallon of milk, a quart of coffee cream, and a loaf of bread came to $9.72. I think when I buy a cartful of stuff, I don't notice the high prices of some individual items because they get "drowned out" by all the other stuff. When you go in for milk and bread and it's $10, that really brings the whole thing into perspective.

I scored another $25 CVS GC today by buying an $8 prescription. I usually start Christmas shopping for the next year a day or two after Christmas. CVS sometimes has some great toys 75% off about a week after the holiday is over. I think I may just use my GC to do that this year.

So far this month, I have only spent $37.95 and of that, $22.51 was for cat food. I feel like I'm in pretty good shape.

My cats are "high maintenance"

I had to buy cat food this week. Two 18-lb bags, w/ a $1.50 Q was $22.51. I swear, that's all I got and that won't last a whole month.

I'm completely out of milk, bread, and coffee cream. I'm going to have to spend a bit today to get what I need. I am definitely going to be living off of stockpile for everything else. I can't think of anything I need besides those basics. I know I didn't set a budget limit for this month, but, I still want to keep it as low as possible.

A bit off-topic, but, I wondered if anyone had an opinion about this. I use my cell phone for almost all my calls. I have VoIP service at home. I hardly ever pick it up to use it. I enter a lot of sweepstakes and you know they sell their lists sometimes, so the house phone is always ringing from some telemarketer or something. If they block their name and number, I definitely don't answer. If it I.D.'s them as a telemarketer or fund raiser, I don't answer. Works out pretty well for me, having a "throw away" number I can use for entering sweepstakes. I'm looking for ways to cut my expenses, though, and I'm wondering if it would cause me too much headache to cut off the VoIP and just use my cell phone for everything. The service is only $15.07 per month, but, that's $180 a year. Are any of my readers avid sweepstakers and how do you handle it?

HAH! I made it!

I did NOT go to K-Mart during super doubles. I can't believe that I was able to resist, but, I did.

Well, back from NOLA and cleaned out the fridge yesterday and ate all leftovers for lunch. I am having more difficulty with my esophageal spasms, so, I think I will probably eat meatless for a while. I seem to get choked on meat more than anything else. I have a dozen boxes of GG frozen veggies in the freezer, plus some "real" potatoes and sweet potatoes. If you include the pantry items, I can eat veggie meals for a long time. I have a really good recipe for sweet potatoes. I may do that in a couple of days. For tonight and tomorrow, I will be out of town on a short business trip. The hotel serves a light supper and a substantial breakfast. I doubt that I will spend any money eating out while I am gone.

There are more cats eating in my basement now that bad weather has set in. I will have to replenish their food buckets today. Ouch! Two bags will cost about $25.

I am definitely going to make it.

I have resisted the siren song of the super doubles at K-Mart all week. I'm leaving for New Orleans tomorrow, so, it looks like I'm going to make it without caving in.

I bought a "luxury" item at the grocery yesterday. I wanted a box of "mini moos," those shelf stable packets of half & half. We will most likely have a coffee maker in the room in NOLA and I refuse to drink a cup of coffee using that awful powdered "creamer." They were, at least, a weekly special, so, I only spent $2.64 for them. That comes out to .11 each and that's why I call them a "luxury" item.

I had to run errands in a distant city yesterday, so, I ate out last night. First time I've been in a restaurant in a while. I had quite a bit left over, so, I'm going to heat it for supper tonight. I like getting two meals for the price of one! Better yet, I earned Delta SkyMiles by dining at that particular restaurant. That makes it a triple, I guess!

I'm up to day 5 and have not given in.

Well, this is the 5th day of K-Mart's super doubles and I so far resisted. I'm sure I could go a bit wild with all my $1, $1.50, and a few $2 Qs and really feel like thumping my chest over my good deals; however, I am NOT going.

I bought a few cans of veggies at Food Lion the other day. I spent $5.72 and used $3 in Qs. That was Dec. 2nd, I think. I had a $1 FL Q for 6 of their house brand of veggies. Also had a $2 FL Q on a bag of salad. Definitely a good deal.

I have been eating in every day. A couple of nights ago, I made some cornbread and opened some pinto beans and sweet potatoes. The next night, I added brocolli to the leftovers. I'm trying to eat better. I think I told you the doctor put me on a megadose of vitamin D. I also have to take a B-12 shot every 3 weeks or so. Since my surgery in 2002, I have had a problem absorbing nutrients from what I eat.

I have an added incentive to cut back on groceries. My electric company offers a budget payment plan in which you pay the same amount every month, regardless of how much electricity you've used, then, July is the "even-up" month. If you've overpaid, you get a credit. If you owe more, you pay the extra that month. They base your monthly payment by how much you used in the past year. I had been paying $73 a month all of last year through July. I ended up owing an additional $75 in July. O.K. so they need to adjust my monthly bill upward a bit so that doesn't happen again. I would have thought that $10 more would have been sufficient. No, they jacked it up to $90 a month. That was in August. Now, starting this month, they have jacked my payment up to $115 per month. Just since July, my electric bill has gone up $42 a month. Yikes!

I'll be out of town this weekend. My friends are taking me to New Orleans for my birthday. I'm hoping to find warmer weather there! We are all budget-minded people, so, we will not be visiting Emeril's or Paul Prudhomme's.

I fought the good fight; Day 1

I did NOT go to K-Mart yesterday when super doubles started. I dropped all those beautiful 11/30 expiry Qs in the trash. Now, only 6 days to go to refuse to hear the siren song of the doubles. Help me stay on track.

I haven't been cooking lately. I've been snacking more than anything. I found a box of graham crackers in my pantry yesterday. I know they have been there a very long time, so, I put them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 250 degrees and crisped them up. Now they are as fresh as the day they were made in the factory. Graham crackers w/ peanut butter and a glass of milk. That's what you call comfort food.

Well, it's December 1st and I haven't thought too much about how I will structure my challenge for December. I'm thinking that I will not put a $$ amount on it this month, but, I will continue to live off of stockpile as much as possible. I will be baking for Christmas and putting on a buffet, so, I know I will be out a bit more than usual. I have the following to work with:

Rite Aid GC $62.20
CVS GC $41.06
CVS ECB $19.97

I will receive another $25 CVS GC this month with a new prescription.

I think I will be eating a lot of chicken stir-fry in the near future. I have several packages of skinless, boneless chicken breast in the freezer and I got 5 bags of Veg-All Steam Supreme free. I also have plenty of soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, etc. Oh, yeah, PLENTY of rice to serve with it. I think I must have 50# of rice plus many, many packages of the small side dish packages.