I'm sorry I am late posting this. We have our grandson Isaiah this weekend while his mommy, daddy and big brother Bradley went skiing. This past week had been a busy one and it seems like last weekend was ages ago. Some weeks are just like that. Onto the savings...
~Saturday Jeff and I went to Goodwill and found a few things. I scored big time on a University of Idaho puffer coat that was marked down to half price since all their winter clothing items were on sale. The coat had just been put out on the rack when we got there. I'm an alumni of that college so I snapped it up.😀 We also found a baby food cookbook for our Steven since his mommy wants to make all his food, a brand new rug for the bathroom (Jeff really wanted it) and something else that I can't remember at the moment (dang brain fog).
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| University of Idaho Puffer coat that I got at Goodwill for half price. |
~Jeff needed new eyeglasses. His health insurance paid $45 for the exam, $150 towards frames and I also found a $10 off coupon at the store. Even with the discounts, his glasses cost us over $500. 😨 It's a good thing we got our income tax refund. We had budgeted about $350 to $400 for his glasses and exam and were shocked to find out how much more it was but it was a needed expense.
~I picked up more non stick cooking spray and Secret antiperspirant at the Dollar Tree. Those items can be hit or miss there so I try to get them when I see them.
~We tried a new to us restaurant that we had heard rave reviews about. It cost us the same amount of money to eat there as it does at a fast food place and the food is all delicious and cooked to order on the spot with huge portions. I was only able to eat half of my Po' Boy sandwich and fries so Jeff, who was really hungry, finished the rest of it off for me. We also just had water with our meal.
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| Breakfast for dinner. |
~Jeff has been wanting a smaller digital camera with a zoom lense to carry with him since he frequently sees amazing things on his work drive in the mornings on his way home. Chris was trying to sell 3 of his cameras and was not getting any bites on them and the pawn shops were paying very little for them. We are going to buy one of them that has the really good zoom lens on it for $50 from him. He was going to just give it to us but we know that he needs the money to buy another handgun to carry on him when he is off duty since as a police officer, he is always at risk.
~Saturday night we watched a Medea play on dvd that we borrowed from the library. We were amazed at how much if it related to what we and one of our dear friends is going through right now.
~Sunday we sorted through the boxed of pears and apples that we had been given and took out the ones that are going bad. We spread those out across our garden and they will compost down and enrich the soil.
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| Fried boneless chicken breast served with potato salad. |
~I made more bread, croutons, and biscuits this week.
~Sunday night Jeff and I watched to movie "DeepWater Horizon" about the BP oil rig explosion and disaster. It was really intense. We had borrowed the movie from the library.
~I found HUGE boneless, skinless chicken breasts for $1.47 a pound. I froze most of them for future meals. One breast alone can feed my hubby and I and we still had leftovers.
~Our local Goodwill is starting to get in lots of donated items from Target, even though we do not have one near us. Monday I found brand new Nexxus Hair Repair kits, feminine liners, and a few other items at a fraction of their retail cost. These are things I needed and I loved getting them at a fraction of the full retail cost.
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| A huge salad with some of the leftover chicken breasts, baby Spring greens, tomatoes, avocado and ranch dressing. |
~I found another lightweight all cotton summer weight nightgown at Goodwill for $3.99. I needed another one because I just had to toss one that I completely wore out and it ripped.
~Jeff has to take a low dose aspirin each day. I have found the best deal on these at Walmart where I can get a 500 count bottle for $3.64 .
~Tuesday, after I finished teaching at MOPS, I ran up to Walmart and found lots of marked down deals. I got bread, pork chops, cookies, potato salad and cheesecake! Non marked down items were sausage and some bananas.
~Tuesday I cut up one of the huge boneless chicken breasts, seasoned and fried it up for dinner and served some of the reduced priced potato salad with it. It had been a long day with me just getting 3 hours of sleep Monday night and I had worked in the morning so I needed quick, easy and comforting food. I still had 2 pieces of chicken leftover so I saved those to use in a salad later this week. We did have some cheesecake for dessert too. Yummy!
~Wednesday Caesar and I took a walk downtown and picked up a video from the library that they had on hold for me and some mail. I did get 2 free magazines and a sample in the mail which always makes me happy. 😁
~Wednesday night I divided up the package of pork chops that I found on clearance at Walmart on Tuesday. I froze the 2 humongous ones for another meal in the future and made a pork chop and rice casserole for dinner for Jeff and I with the other 3 pork chops. We still have some of the rice leftover but my hubby was really hungry so he had 2 of the pork chops (one of which was large enough to feed 2 people) and I had 1. We did have some cheesecake for dessert.
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| Pork chops and rice casserole. |
~Petco Pet Pals Rewards sent me a coupon for free cat treats. The timing is perfect because Doofy is just about out of his favorite treats.
~I worked my points programs as time allowed.
~We did our volunteer work on Thursday and got a big box of food including ice cream, cat fish, pasta, canned goods, cereals, juices, breads and potatoes.
~After volunteering for 5 hours, I was really sore so I came home and used our hot tub.
~Jeff came down with a cold and wanted soup for dinner on Friday night. I had one container of Zuppa Toscana in the freezer so I added a bit more broth and some more potatoes to it along with some freshly chopped spinach and baby beet leave to it to help stretch it and also to add some more nutritional value to it.
This coming week is going to be a busy one for us and I am going to do my best to try and save as much money as I can. There are just a few days left in the month and we will be in March already...where has the time gone?
Sounds like it was a week for finding bargains your way too, Debbie! Having the little ones is exhausting. Hope you didn't tire yourself out too much. Boy! If I got catfish for volunteering, I'd volunteer every day! Ha!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Jane
Hi Jane, yes they are exhausting but oh how I love them! I am hoping I can make it this week too but we are having some really bad weather again and the roads are getting super messy. We are very blessed with the catfish. This is the first time we have gotten that. :) Have a wonderful week my friend!
DeleteAren't glasses expensive? In the past I have always purchased at the vision center in Sears. Since Sears is not doing too well, I was concerned ours may close, so I changed to the vision center located in Walmart. I was flabbergasted at the cost. Here is hoping it is another 4 years before I have to purchase again. I went to Goodwill and thrift shops this weekend and also had good luck. Got some slightly used tennis shoes for $3.00 and a like brand new New Directions top for $3.00. I saw this top last fall at our Belks for $40 to $44--what a deal. I also picked up some gallon thermos jugs-- figured they would be great for stockpiling emergency water. I got a great deal on Lipton 24 count tea bags for 30 cents a box-- hubby and I don't drink brewed tea but we have family that does so was able to help them build up their pantry by 5 boxes each. Still working on eating out of freezer-- it is going to be summer soon and I really would like to have it emptied out but looks like I won't. Wish we had somewhere to volunteer and be gifted with food--- lucky you--though I am sure you earn every food item. Hope you have a great week.
ReplyDeleteHI Delorise. :) Glasses are horrendous in price. I need to get some new ones too but that is going to have to wait. You got some incredible deals this weekend! I am beyond happy for you! Be blessed!
DeleteA good week even if it was busy and a bit expensive. Glasses are things that need to be of good quality and fit comfortably. It's worth the money you spend on them. Having said that, I need to make an appointment to have my eyes checked. I'm pretty sure I will need new glasses.
ReplyDeleteToday I made tamarillo chutney, lemon butter(curd) and baba ghanoush. Lots of yummies are going in my pantry slowly but steadily.
HI Jane :) Oh please share your recipes for the tamarillo chutney and baba ghanoush with me. I love chutney and it is hard to find good premade ones around here. My cousin Jeremy made me some tomato chutney that is out of this world and wonderful on burgers!
DeleteWell February is short! You did a lot this week and had some good savings! I love that Deep Water Horizon movie...we had just rented it recently. It is amazing how corporate could have cared less for the safety of the workers! That is great Target donated items to Goodwill. My mom used to love Goodwill back when that was the only thrift store.
ReplyDeleteIt is ridiculous the price of glasses...like each stem is worth $100 and the other parts too?? Crazy. I never buy glasses from the eye dr's -connected shop anymore, ever since I was quoted $600 after all my insurance payments...I said no thankyou that day! Luckily Costco has high quality glasses for a lot less (and they take insurance also, so with our $150 benefit the glasses usually cost us around $20-$40) and if I want a cheaper pair for cheap (not using insurance, but only costing $40 to $60), I buy from eyebuydirect. (online) My daughter buys online from a similar store but I don't remember the name. Andrea
Hi Andrea. I will have to look into Costco when I am ready to get new glasses for myself. Both my husband and I have progressive lens bifocals and he needs a special anti glare coating on his glasses since he drives a delivery truck at night for a living. I ordered some single vision glasses online (for reading) with my close up prescription and they only cost me $9. I love them and find them much easier to use for reading than my bifocals. Praying all is going well for you my friend!
DeleteGreat finds both at the thrift and in the grocery store. And how fun to spend time with just one grandson. I just bet one on one time with his grandparents is special.
ReplyDeleteNot doing much here. It's snowing again this morning. Funny, I had breakfast for dinner one night last week as well. Yum. I cooked from my pantry mostly last night - Safeway had whole chickens on a great sale last week. I got a whole chicken for much less then 4 pieces of chicken thigh. I baked it off, froze some parts and the bones. Used the breast meat for dinner twice. Then last night made a stir fry with all pantry ingredients. Turned out well and I have enough for tonight's dinner. Love love love having a deep pantry.
Take care. SJ
Hi SJ, are getting that snow here today also and it is whipping around pretty good. Jeff and I had it blowing in on us when we were hot tubbing earlier in our covered hot tub enclosure. How much snow are you expecting there? They are saying another 4-6 inches for us from this one today into tomorrow morning.
DeleteGood deal and job on stretching that chicken! I know that having chicken already cooked and ready to go is a lifesaver at times for me. I'm glad your pantry is deep so you can stay inside with this bad weather. Be blessed my friend!
And another thing. I'm with you on the high cost of eyeglasses. My prescription is also very expensive. My solution has been to not buy new frames each time. I only buy the frames every other time my Rx needs to be refilled.
ReplyDeleteI also found that LensCrafter some times has a sale where you get 50% off on the second pair. Often the second pair can be a different prescription.
Finally, I had a horrible experience with Canada Costco glasses. When I picked them up, the technician would not spend the time to adjust them properly. I went back 3 weeks later for an adjustment, and that technician said he'd do it but if they broke it was 'on me'. I was like really, these are only 3 weeks old. Fortunately they didn't break then. However, within a year, the hinges were toast. And I had purchased the more expensive frames offered. Maybe the US Costco is better and this was just my experience here in Canada.
On the good side - I had my eye exam at Costco and that was terrific. And the actual lenses were spot on for my prescription. Cheers, SJ
HI again...Shopko (where we got Jeff's glasses) was running that same special but it had to be the same prescription. We were hoping it could be different and I could get some new glasses too. I'll have to investigate Costco more about the glasses. I have some friends that have gotten them at the one near us and I'll check and see what their experience was...thank you!
DeleteGood Morning, Debbie,
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw those yellow stickers on your groceries, I thought, "She shops just like me!". I always check the reduced for quick sale bins for non-staple items that we would consider a treat or something special. Sounds like you had a good week.
Blessings,
Mrs.B
:) I love to find bargains on things that we love but will pay full price for. I hope you find some great bargains on your next shopping trip!
DeleteGood morning,
ReplyDeleteIn reading your replies, I haven't made tomatillo chutney but did make a tomatillo salsa. No recipe really - just to taste. Tomatillos grow like weeds for me and they will self seed, with help. At the end of the season, I dig a mini-trench in my bed and push in the tomatillos that fell to the ground and then cover. The next spring,I have little seedlings.
As for the snow - both yesterday and today, it's snowed but didn't stick. Just enough to be a big old mess. Will be snow flurries here through the day and then rain. More snow for the weekend. Hoping the forecast holds as I have to go into the city tomorrow for a doctor's appointment. Snow flurries while in a hot tub sounds lovely!!
Cheers, SJ
I have never tried to grow tomatillos here. If you can grow them up where you are, I am thinking I can grow them here too. :) I hope your doctor's appointment goes well and that the snow hold off. We did get about 4 inches of show and it made for bad roads when I was coming home from work. The slush was pulling me all over the place. Scary!
DeleteGood week! I hope you have another one! Blessings.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chrissy! I am hoping to have a great week too! Be blessed my friend.
DeleteSounds like a good, frugal week, Debbie, even with the expense of the glasses. Your meals all look delicious, and I am drooling over the cheesecake, but may I ask how you make the rice casserole? Hope you have another frugal week, this week, too.
ReplyDeleteHi BLess. The rice casserole is an easy one. :) You first dredge some pork chops in a mixture of flour, seasoning salt and turmeric and fry them one each side for about 4 minutes per side. In a big casserole dish you combine 2 cups rice, 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and 4 cans of water along with whatever leftover seasoned flour you have after dredging your pork chops and stir it all together. You then lay the pork chops on top of the rice and cover the casserole dish with foil. I then put it on a baking sheet to catch any drips and then put it in a 400F oven for about 45 minutes to an hour. The pork chops are so tender this way. You can also add a can of mushrooms along with their juices to this before you bake it to up the mushroom flavor.
DeleteThank you, Debbie.
DeleteI grew the tomatillos in a raised bed that faced west. They were prolific. I backfilled an area in the raised bed after the first season and had free plants last year. Yippee. Love free. The only change I made last summer was that I thinned the plants more. I still ended up with two 5-gallon buckets of fruit. I backfilled what had dropped so should have starts again for this year.
ReplyDeleteTomatillos are traditionally used for green salsa verde. You can also buy a kind that has purple fruit - mine are the green kind. My salsa was just a combo of vinegar, hot peppers, black pepper, sugar and onion that tasted good to me. No real recipe. A friend also grew them and she'd also let them get super ripe and then slice them in her salad.
I started growing them since growing tomatoes has been difficult for me here. Some years I can grow a cherry tomatoe but have not been successful with anything bigger.
The Dr appointment went well. Thx for asking. It was just a routine dermatology appointment - for those of us growing up in sunny climate before sun screen. hahaha. All was good. But a long morning. One hour to get there in rush hour, less to drive home. So nothing planned for the next two days and hoping I avoid a crash. The only down side was an absolute blank look from this new doctor when I mentioned I had CFS. Clue-less comes to mind to describe it.
Hope you're feeling ok. Cheers, SJ
I'm so glad your doctor's appointment went well SJ. :) It's always a relief to hear that everything is good. I am sorry that the doctor does not seem to know about CFS. I have found that there are a lot of doctors and nurses who don't have a clue. I ran into this at the hospital when I had my colonoscopy and I had to actually explain to the nurse what it was and how it and Fibromyalgia affect me. I guess it would make some sense though because when most of the doctors and nurses that I have dealt with were doing their training, CFS and Fibromyalgia really were not on the "radar" and recognized yet as official diseases. I know when I was first diagnosed, not much was known about it and my doctor would not even put it on my official records at the time because he was afraid my health insurance provider would drop my coverage. Like you, I am having a few calm days at home trying to avoid a crash. I had a busy weekend with Isaiah here and then worked yesterday at MOPS followed by a lot of running around for the rest of the day. I'm beat. ;)
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