Operation: Dinner In (April & May Recap)

April

Groceries: $451.33

Dining: $534.46

May

Groceries: $576.46

Dining: $419.31

Our April grocery spending decreased about 15% and our dining expenses about 9%. But, this month has seen 22%+ in our grocery costs. Without analysis, these numbers would make no sense.

In April, I shopped primarily at Super Target and Super Wal-Mart. I have almost completely stopped shopping at the King Soopers/Kroger near my house because their prices are consistently higher than Super Target and Whole Foods (for comparable organic items).

This month, I went back to Whole Foods specifically for the organic meats and fruits that we crave during the summer months. Last weekend, we grilled Buffalo bratwurst, which is a specialty item neither Super Target nor Soopers carries. Surprisingly, the price was no higher than a package of the name brand bratwurst.

I fully expect our food costs to climb over the summer because we love a good steak, fresh salmon, and we are fresh fruit junkies; I rarely think twice about spending $10 for a package of pre-cut fruit to snack on in the car. Add in trips to the Farmers Market where the prices are higher than WFM (I paid $6.20 for a basket of cherry tomatoes!), but where we go anyway for the atmosphere and to support local farmers, and you can see how our grocery costs quickly get out of hand.

Operation: Dinner In (March Recap)

Last month, I changed my grocery shopping strategy and I have noticed a few more dollars in our bank account. This month's food bill came to:

Groceries: $528.65
Dining: $581.30

As you can see, our expenditures for "dining" and "groceries" are nearly even, which is what I would like to see every month. Usually, the numbers are heavily weighted towards the dining category, but dining out has always been a large part of our budget because (a) we are lazy people and (b) ordering out/in is convenient.

I did not try Door to Door Organics this month and I probably will not until next winter because The Boulder Farmers Market opens this weekend; I can buy produce there well into the fall. Yes, the fruits and vegetables will be more expensive - and we tend to buy a lot when we go - but being at BFM is a great way to spend a Saturday morning.

Operation: Dinner In (February Recap)

Groceries: $1137.03

Dining Out: $406.40

Our food costs are still high, but within the "normal" range for us. I think some of the increased cost is attributable to rising fuel costs, which in turn influences food costs. For example, we live in a landlocked state that does not produce a crop year-round. Consequently, we pay a premium for fruits and veggies that must be transported from other countries and/or states. But, I'm not going to stop buying fruit. Instead, I complain and pay the increased price.

I did make one small change to the way I grocery shop. I stopped doing all my shopping at Whole Foods. Now, I only go there for certain things (Sonoma Chicken Salad, Gruyere cheese, etc). The upside is that I still spend roughly the same amount of money on food, but we get more of it, which means groceries last longer and I go to the grocery store less often. Hopefully, the March numbers will reflect my new shopping strategy.

Operation: Dinner In (January Recap)

Daily trips to the grocery store and lack of time (see previous post) are a budget killer:

Dining: $559.67
Groceries: $856.28

This month, I resolve to get back on track with weekly meal plans and explore dinner take-and-bake options.  I have some leftovers for Monday and Wednesday, but I really need to plan - and shop - for the rest of the week.  

Monday: Texas Chili

Tuesday: Sage Pork Chops, Asparagus, Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday: Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup

Operation: Dinner In (December Recap)

Operation: Dinner In was not a complete success. My plan was to boost our grocery spending from $500/mo to $700/mo and eliminate dining out. I planned weekly menus and shopped for groceries accordingly, but house guests and breakfast at Lucile's a few too many times wreaked havoc on our budget. Here is the food spending breakdown (all numbers are exact thanks to Quicken):

• Dining - all food purchased at a restaurant or other eatery (like Dairy Queen) goes in this category: $506

• Groceries: $971.69

This month I stuck closer to the grocery budget ($693.84), but dining totals are still pretty high ($444.59) and we're going to Aspen this weekend so I expect to spend at least $150 more for food.

I may be able to reduce that number if we pack our own lunches. Still, I'm worried our overall dining totals will stay high until I graduate and have more time to cook family meals. I can become hyper-vigilant about planning meals over the weekend, but I know me, and I know I will succumb to laziness. But, if you have suggestions for how I can stay true to my budget while balancing kids, work, and school, please let me know!

Operation: Dinner In

As of November 30, we've spent $10,116 (~$919/mo.) on food. If our spending stays the same in December, we will easily exceed $11,000 for the year, but that's not even the worst part. Approximately 55% of our spending was done at restaurants because I was too tired, lazy, or busy to cook at home. The madness has got to stop because money spent at restaurants would be put to better use elsewhere in our budget. So I have a new plan.

No, we're not going to stop eating, but we are going to drastically reduce how much restaurant food we consume. I think bumping our grocery budget up by $200 to $700 per month and planning meals one week at a time will make a big difference in how and where we spend money on food.

I put the new plan into action today. This week's planned meals:

• Italian Sausage and Wild Mushroom Risotto (there are leftovers!)
  
• Roasted Chicken with Winter Vegetables
  
• Wild Salmon Chowder
• Honey Glazed Chicken with New Potatoes
• Hearty Crab Bisque
  

We also got some cheeses, snacks, fruits and items for sack lunches. Total spent: $165.71 at Whole Foods. I think we're off to a good start.

Dead Men Do Tell Tales

Or at least the contents of their estate sales do. I attended an estate sale on Sunday and I could tell, from his personal effects, that this particular dead person was an avid photographer, historian and friend of Hef. There were milk crates full of Playboy magazines dating back to the early 90s; Penthouse was stored in the garage. There were antique toys, cameras, and oscillating fans. There was a small Great Dane (not for sale) in a yard overrun with native plants and cords of firewood. I bypassed the pornography and left with a few treasures of my own:

• Cast Iron Dutch Oven
• Ryobi Cordless Drill
• Two CD's
• Pneumatic wine opener
• Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
  

The Thrifty Picnicker

The perfect complement to our summer picnic dinner was found for 25¢ at my favorite thrift store.

So Sassy

Frugal Tuesday Tip: Make Your Own Dust Mitt

This idea originally came from a family member and is super simple to construct. Simply cut of the bottom part off an old pair of sweatpants, sew up the non-elastic side and voila! You've just made your very own dust mitt.

The elastic fits securely around your wrist and provides a double-sided cleaning surface. Still got more to clean? Just turn it inside out and keep on cleaning!

If You Wanna Be Happy

For the rest of your life, find yourself a Handyman and make yourself his wife!

I think that's how the song really oughta go! Madhubby was hardly handy when I met him - he was living the bachelor life in a tiny apartment and really there is no need to be handy when you can call the Super. But, five cats, one dog, three kids and one demanding wife later, he's had to hone his skills a bit. Our most recent project: kitchen remodel.

I think every thirty-something homeowner experiences a kitchen remodel at some point in his or her life. It has almost become a rite of passage. Especially with home prices skyrocketing in the last few years. Who can afford to buy a house with everything exactly the way you would like it to be? Not us. Hence, the kitchen remodel.

Ever the frugal homemaker, my task was to get the materials we needed for a lot less than retail. So, off to the Habitat for Humanity Restore where I found a great bargain and got brand new slate countertops, a Kohler cast iron sink and a beautiful coordinating backsplash all for $15.50:

School Clothes

*

This morning I went clothes shopping for Olie. A quick trip down a flight of stairs and I was in my favorite shop: Lizzie's Secondhand Treasures. As the firstborn child, Lizzie enjoys all the accoutrements including brand new designer clothes. And, since she is averse to most activities that require getting dirty, her clothes are in pristine hand-me-down condition. It's like having my own private Nordstrom.

I know the purchase of designer clothing is in direct contradiction to my frugal lifestyle but designer clothes really are an investment. Consider this: I purchased a dress for Lizzie from Nordstrom for $89 + tax. Lizzie wore the dress for two years before passing it on to Olie. Olie will also be able to wear the dress for two years. Total cost: $22.25/yr. Since Lizzie only wore it two - maybe three - times, it is still in excellent condition.

I probably could have purchased a dress from Target for $20 but it would have worn out in less than a year and definitely would not have passed my secondhand test (clean, good fit and current styling).

As Lizzie grows out of clothes, I simply store them in a large Rubbermaid tub until Olie has a need for them. Then, I go shopping. This morning's shopping trip netted Olie:

• 7 pairs of jeans


• 3 pairs of corduroys


• 3 pairs of overalls


• 2 skirts


• 2 dresses (including this one)*


• 2 cardigans


• 2 pullovers


• 24 shirts (assorted long/short/turtleneck)

Olie is ready for the upcoming school year. And, no one but us knows that her clothes are hand-me-downs. Unfortunately, Olie has no one to whom she can pass along clothes; Madhubby had a fit when Bubba became attached to a baby stroller. Just a hunch, but he might have a problem with him wearing a dress. Of course, I think he'd look really cute in purple.

Frugal Tuesday Tip: Steal the Coupons

I am a fan of self-checkout. It is a faster and more efficient way for me to get in and out of the store. I don't have to wait in line while the store manager locates a bagger or a backup cashier. Nope. Just cruise on in, scan my stuff and go on my merry way.

One of the other perks of the self-check is that you can still use and get store coupons. Our local grocery store prints store coupons based your puchased items. For example, I usually get coupons for Ben & Jerry's ice cream whenever I purchase it. This "free coupon" stuff is very smart marketing because (a) my grocer knows I buy B&J at their store and (b) they've just given me even more of an incentive to do so. Brilliant!

Oftentimes when I go through the self-checkout, there are coupons from the person (or people) before me. Do I run after the person, waving their savings in the air? Do I leave them and only take my earned coupon? Heck, no! I take the whole lot of coupons. I admit it. I just take them. This method has actually netted me quite a few more coupons that I would have gotten on my own and for items that I wouldn't normally buy without a coupon:

• Thomas English Muffins
• Quaker Breakfast Snacks
• Lipton Iced Tea - 24ct

Stealing is a morally wrong, but in this case, the person has discarded the coupon for whatever reason and I am merely collecting their trash. In that way, I'm a little like a "coupon bag lady." I collect stuff for use at a later time. I'm not sure when that time may be, but you can be sure that if I should need Always Jumbo Maxipads I will have the coupon for them.

Gone Little Tiking

Thrift stores and garage sales are a great way to stock up on outdoor equipment. You'll only use it for a limited time and if it's a well-known brand, it will retain it's value and you can sell it for more than you paid once your children have outgrown it. I have been doing just this for the past few weeks. Some items, I flipped. Like a Step 2 Townhouse kitchen that cost me six dollars (sold it for $40 in about an hour). But, mostly, I've been Little Tiking for Bubba so that he has something to keep him busy outside while his sisters collect bugs.

Little Tiking is a verb invented by my friend J. when she noticed the Little Tikes takeover of my backyard: Have you been Little Tiking? Why, yes, I have been Little Tiking, but only on the cheap, so I don't count myself among those crazy moms who spend gobs of money on plastic toys. Plastic, ya hear me?! You can build the same stuff with wood for less. Hell, you could probably build the same stuff with gold for less. Anyway, back to my recent Little Tikes acquisitions. I practice what I preach: shop thrift stores. Especially for those must-have expensive, plastic kid toys:

• Little Tikes SwingAlong Climber -- retail price:$120 My price:$43 (garage sale)


• Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox --retail price:$40 My price:$15 (craigslist)


• Little Tikes Wagon -- retail price:$50 My price: $4 (thrift store)


• Little Tikes Climber Cube -- retail price:$250 My price: $5 (thrift store)


• Little Tikes Cozy Coupe -- retail price: $65 My price: $7.50 (thrift store)

Total Amount Saved: $450.50

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Frugal Tuesday Tip: Make Your Own Drying Rack

During a time when energy costs are rising faster than incomes, alternatives should be explored for conserving energy.

Over the past few weeks, temperatures in the metro area have reached into the hundreds, prompting me to make my own drying rack to (a) reduce the heat in my house; (b) take advantage of the heat outside my house; and (c) reduce our energy bill. My first thought was: wouldn't it be great if I had a clothesline?

Well, I don't have one, but with a little bit of ingenuity and some bungees, I created one. I simply strung the bungees between two post on my porch and presto-change-o a drying rack/clothesline/energy saver was created!

I hung out wet clothes in the morning and took in dry ones in less than an hour. Dry, summer fresh clothes in the same time as it takes to use the dryer but for half the cost. I love saving money and energy at the same time!

More Found Money

Although we are still mourning the loss of a great friend, it recently occurred to me that Herbie's death is actually a bit of a financial boon for us. Now that the minivan has been totaled, our insurance company has completely paid off the loan and adjusted our auto policy. We suddenly have $500 more per month. Add in fuel costs and we're saving about $620 per month by not having a minivan.

For the past two years, since we purchased the Subie, we've been trying to figure out ways to cut our auto costs. Obviously, a car accident is not the preferred method of getting rid of a car but, in our case, it works out pretty good.

What is so funny to me is that everyone keeps asking me whether I've bought a new car, yet. Why do people assume that we are going to replace the minivan? It's not as though we need two cars now that the girls will be attending school half a block away. Madhubby was only using the Subie to drive to and from the park-and-ride (about 5 minutes from our house), where he would park the Subie all day and take the RTD to work. Now, I will drive the Subie and Madhubby will bike to the park-and-ride on his spiffy new red bike. He'll lose his pregnancy weight and we'll save loads of money. We've inadvertently simplified our lives and it feels great.

Frugal Tuesday Tip: Recycle Your Water

Frugal Tuesday Tip is a monthly feature of my blog. On the first Tuesday of each month, I will present a frugal idea that we actually use in our household. The objective is to inspire others to discover ways to live frugally while living well. It can be done.

We have a whole house dehumidifier in our home, which is a great feature for removing excess humidity from our air, for keeping our wood floors in good condition and for maintaining a cool living space in our basement. However, the drain pipe for the dehumidifier runs from the furnace, through the wood paneling, and drains into a rusty hole smack dab in the middle of our new fourth bedroom. When we recently completed our remodeling project, we decided it was time to reroute the unsightly PVC pipe. We cut the pipe before it entered the wall and placed a bowl beneath the pipe to catch the excess water. A few overflowing bowls and a piece of ruined baseboard later, we decided our "solution" needed some tweaking.

So, we came up with a great plan: collect the water in a gallon milk jug for reuse throughout our home. Since implementing the new plan, we've collected nearly three gallons of water, which I have used to water our plants and trees. In time, I may even use the water for cleaning. In an emergency (and if properly sanitized), the water could be used for drinking. Recycling water is great for a few other reasons, too:

• The water is free


• Collecting it is easy; and


• We're keeping the cycle of life going: collecting water molecules from the air; condensing the molecules into H20; and using the water to nurture our plants, which then produce more oxygen.

I realize that a whole house dehumidifier is a luxury item and that some people may not have one installed in their homes. But there are other ways to recycle water: rain barrels are a really good alternative. In some of our counties, they are prohibited so be sure to check local ordinances before setting up your own.

There are lots of other ways to live frugally and still have a full life. The trick is finding something that works for you, that fits your lifestyle and is relatively inexpensive. So, while making your own toilet paper is a great way to trim the toiletry budget, chopping down trees and harvesting the wood into TP, may not be the best use of time or money.

Found Money

In Pay It Down, Jean Chatzky discusses the concept of finding money in the household budget with which to repay debt. For those of us living on one income, finding money can be especially challenging. Nevertheless, it can be done.

During the past few months, I have kept an eye on our expenses and tried to find areas where we could cut back. I cancelled the cellphone because I don't really need one. I don't go out much during the day, so my daughters' school can always reach me at home. I cancelled the gym membership because the weather is so nice that I'd rather exercise by hiking or biking outdoors. And, lastly but certainly a biggie, we gave notice on our storage unit. I've been slowly moving things out of the unit and into the basement. Things that we no longer have a use for go to Ebay, Amazon.com or charity. It's been a great way to declutter, make a little extra cash and free up some room in the budget!

Total money found: $4000/yr.

Frugal Tuesday Tip: Shop at Thrift Stores

Thrift store shopping is so much fun! It's almost like Christmas for me because I never know what I'm going to find when I go into a shop. Everything from the really strange and gross (used underwear, eww..) to the really cool and useful can be had at a thrift store. I have an ex who used to comb the thrift stores for old rotary dial telephones and he always found them because the largest inventory of stuff in thrift stores comes from the families of people who've died. And, more often than not, those dead people were really old and they had some really old stuff laying about. Like rotary phones.

Today, I set out to find some deals for my Ebaying and got a bicycle, a home hair dryer, a double-sided easel, lots of clothes, a Baby Bjorn infant carrier, and a truck for Bubba. I spent $70. I'll let that sink in.

At any rate, shopping at thrift stores is a whole lot of fun and it saves you a ton of money. Just remember a few simple rules:

• Go Early. Try to go during the week because stores do get busy on the weekends and you might miss the good stuff if you wait until Sunday afternoon.


• Shop with a purpose. If you're looking for pots and pans, then have something in mind that you want. Otherwise you'll buy the first thing that looks good. And it probably won't boil an egg.


• Consignment stores are not thrift stores. The merchandise is usually all of a certain type (children's wear, evening wear, etc.) and the prices are higher to ensure both the store and consignee make a profit.

That's it. Pretty simple. Also, if at all possible, shop thrift stores that contribute to a nonprofit. My favorite store is the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store because proceeds go towards the construction of Habitat homes within the community. They also have some really good deals -- like spacesaver microwaves for $50. No, they're not in new condition but it's not a store that specializes in new goods. That would be a department store or Target. The Re-store even has building materials like tile and interior doors at a deep discount!

So, please consider purchasing items from your local thrift store. We all have junk but you know how the saying goes: one person's trash is another person's good buy.

My New Ride

Yeah, she's a convertible.