A lot of what I did this week to save money centered on cooking.
I’ve been pulling items from the freezers, home-canning cupboards, and pantry to make excellent meals. I have purchased some items that were on sale, or that I needed to round out the meals, such as the hamburger buns pictured above. Rob barbecued the burgers, and cooked the home-canned beans. He also went shopping last evening because he “was bored” and did I want him to go get anything. What a guy! He did a great job shopping the sales, getting things we use frequently, and staying in a good price range.
I made lasagna for our family Sunday dinner today, and an extra one for this coming week, using up some cottage cheese that had been hanging around in the back of the fridge for a while instead of ricotta. I also used some mozzarella and some frozen parmesan I’ve had for a while. I made a huge crock pot full of spaghetti sauce on Friday, using home-canned tomato products and frozen peppers from 2 summers ago for this lasagna. I froze a quart of this for another time.
We ate refried beans several times this week and froze some for the future, made from some beans that were given to me. I make them with onion and peppers (assorted) from the freezer. Since all my frozen peppers are from 2 summers ago, I want to finish them off before they get bad. I will grow more this year. I made use of several items that were given to me including tortillas, casseroles, a ham bone, etc.
I finished off several 1/2 packages of things, such as a gluten-free biscuit mix and the end of a Costco-sized bag of chocolate chips. I also used a home-made pizza crust mix I had made last spring. I had made several and I think this is the last one. I topped the pizza with hamburger this time, because I have a lot.
I cooked a chicken and got 1 meal for us, one for my sister’s family, and a huge bowl of chicken and dumplings that lasted several meals at home. There were 3 soups made this week, and people could choose their favorite for lunches. They are gone, except a little split pea that was frozen for another day. We ate a lot of rice. Rob and Patsy took lunches each day to school.
Everyone seemed extra hungry this week, for whatever reason, and food disappeared more rapidly than usual. I’m glad to cook it if they want to eat it!
I enjoyed looking at the frozen precipitation we got on Friday. I think it is very beautiful, but treacherous. I enjoyed it more once Rob got to work safely.
I exercised 3 times at the YMCA, choosing to ride the exercise bike all 3 times. I just didn’t want to get wet:) even though Rob went down to the pool and hot tub. I’m glad we are using our membership and am grateful to them for such a low-cost price. It helps us keep healthier.
Rob’s tooth is feeling much better, thanks to some cortisone they gave him to take down the swelling and inflammation. We had to go to 3 pharmacies before we found one that took our insurance, but it saved us $50 for the 2 prescriptions. We tried to get it at the Walgreens at the beach and they said to try at home, indicating that we were too far from home and that’s why they wouldn’t take our insurance. We were headed home anyway, so we tried, and then were informed that Walgreens doesn’t take our insurance at all. So, we had it sent over to Walmart, and Bingo! It was worth the extra work. He’s headed to get a crown in a couple of weeks when he’s totally healed up.
We worked a little extra in January (compared to December) and so….it’s all going to work out. We’ve got food, clothing, a house, regular bills paid, and enough extra for a significant dental bill. I’m still marveling at how much dental insurance helps with that, although we still had a pretty good co-pay since we haven’t had any for over 30 years. I love it when God provides and I can see it. It was a good week.
Glad it was a good week! We are currently in Memphis Tennessee on our way to Knoxville. I’m often thinking of and praying for you all. Thanks for sharing on your blog.:)
You are taking a huge trip, then. Hopefully, you are seeing your family. Have a great time!
We go to a pizza place in the city where we do most of our shopping. They advertise their lasagna, which you must call ahead to order. It’s $39.99 per pan and I don’t know if that’s a 13×9 pan or a 9 inch square! Either way it’s a pricey ‘to go’ option. So you can consider yourself saving $80 minus whatever your ingredients were for your two pans and I’m willing to bet that it wasn’t 1/4 of their price for one pan! I smiled looking at your burgers. John loves cheeseburgers. It’s on his list of his ten perfect foods, lol.
That is a huge savings! I’ve never bought lasagna, and can see that I won’t be starting any time soon.
Rob just loves to barbecue. That was all him–I wasn’t even home when he did it. He grilled onions to put on top, and of course, saved me out some with no buns because I’m gluten-free. I think he’d barbecue every day if he had time.
This is the second time I’m typing this so if you get two comments from, no I’m not that forgetful!
Thanks for reminding me about the cottage cheese I have sitting in the fridge. Lasagna sounds like a good use for it.
I’m glad that Rob was able to secure a job at a school. They usually have amazing insurance. I know what he’s going through, I just cracked my tooth this afternoon. Oh boy, there goes some money!
Happy cooking! Every time I visit your blog, I get hungry!
Hugs
Jane
I only got 1 comment. Your blog does that to me sometimes, too. I guess it might be a difference between WordPress and Blogger? Who knows. The whole computer thing amazes me as well.
I’m so sorry about your tooth. Dental work is the worst thing for me–so much anxiety when someone breaks, cracks, etc. a tooth. I hope you get it fixed soon before it becomes a painful problem.
I’m glad the food looks good. I really like to cook, I’ll have to admit.
I love your attitude toward cooking. I have to admit that after cooking for 38.5 years I am just tired but I do think it has to do with cooking for two. It is somehow much easier to cook a lot than small amounts. When the kids come home it is fun to cook big pots of things and have them all here eating and eating. Since hubby’s heart attack we have been eating out too much because we are bored at home and want to get out of the house. On Saturday I declared no eating out before Wednesday!
We have been doing small grocery trips as to not tire hubby out too much but still allow him to get out. I try to go to different stores and pick up the sale items along with what is needed for the next 4-5 days. This is allowing us to restock some areas of the pantry too and for great prices.
I am glad to hear that Rob’s tooth is on the mend. Hopefully he can have his birthday cake soon! And I am thankful for dental insurance, too. I have to have a crown on Wednesday and our copay is only $100! I think this is the best dental insurance we have ever had because I remember paying many hundreds in the past. I will be so glad when this is done. I hate dental work because I don’t tolerate the anesthesia very well and so they have to give me a minimal amount so I do feel what they are doing.
Have a good week!
I am glad your husband is doing better.
That is indeed a great co-pay for a crown. Ours is much bigger. But after so many years of no insurance, where I paid every cent of my 2 crowns, it feels so nice! I’m sorry about the anesthesia–Rob’s wore off at the end of his root canal and WOW! So, no fun. Still, my brother-in-law’s stories of growing up in Bolivia where they didn’t have any—scary!
I also love cooking for a crowd. Its so much more fun. On the weeks people aren’t very hungry, it is more tedious.
Hi Becky, I too love reading about what you have cooked because you really are a very creative lady! I miss having a health club membership but alas the nearest one to us is a half hour drive away and we would not use it much. Be blessed my friend!
Although I’ve had a hard time adjusting to town, living near things is something I’ve learned to adjust to quickly!!! Still, even in town, it takes 10-15 minutes to get anywhere because of traffic. But, it feels really close:)
I keep saying I’m clearing out my freezer and pantry but somehow I don’t seem to be making a dent – Ha! I think I need to do a freezer challenge on my blog. 🙂
I can’t seem to find the bottom of mine, either, no matter how much I cook. I’ve started cutting down on shopping the last 3 weeks, and I’ll keep doing that!
Say, Deanna, when I clicked on the link, I don’t think I was taken to a personal blog. It looked like more of a group one where the last entry was 2013. Do you have a personal blog? I’d love to visit!