Frugal In Florida

I know, I know, I didn't post a plan last week. I had one, honestly ... but boy, it just really went south, FAST! So it never got posted. Grocery shopping was very minimal this week ... one stop at Publix, Friday after work. $75. Yup. That's IT! Of course, both kids would swear we are all going to wither away and die because there's 'nothing' to eat!  We are NOW entering Week 8 of Hubby's unemployment ... whew. It's now starting to hit me!  It may be because we are getting ready for a 2 week road trip, Mark & Jan's 3rd Excellent Adventure. Yup. The 1st time was Key West ... ummm, yeah. There was A LOT of stuff that needs to just stay in Key West. The 2nd was Las Vegas. Ummm, even more stuff needs to stay there. This time around is a road trip .We figured, what the hell, he's got the time, I'm entitled to the time, lets DRIVE, BABY! Driving TO our destination will not be overly exciting, except for my small anxiety attacks since I hate h...

I'm back from my trip northward to get my dad. Can I tell you how very glad I am to be home? At last? Of course, there is a little anxiety with my dad being here. Hoping he remembers what I've told him and to NOT try to walk the 3 blocks to the beach. He doesn't understand that there is a major road (A1A) with a LOT of traffic that you have to cross and there are not any crosswalks so to speak. Uggg. Anyways, Hubby was sweet and made the ham and my scalloped potatoes so we could have a little dinner when we got home, even though it was 8:30pm. That's ok, my dad needed to eat. And I think that was very kind for him to welcome my dad like that. It's been a rough conversion but it will all work in the end. Most likely I will NOT get to the gym again. That will be 3 weeks now. Uggg. Just not right but I need to make sure that dinner is ready at a reasonable time for my dad. I keep telling myself this is only temporary until I get the assisted living place together...

Not really much for planning this week since I fly out early Wednesday and return on Easter Sunday ... but I do have 3 days to plan so here it is: Sunday - Pasta with Red Sauce and garlic bread. Pulled the sauce and bread from freezer (Hubby will make it a garlic buttery mess) Monday - black beans and rice with leftover pork tenderloin (rice mix from pantry, pork from Saturday) Tuesday -  ChixMc Sandwiches  - had picked up some chicken patties last week while on sale (2 bags for $5.99) and toast some buns I have in pantry still Wednesday through Saturday Hubby is on his own. I'm thinking I will probably chill with my dad one night at the rehab place, one night with my father in law (again, will try to take HIM out be he never lets me pay) and one night at Hubby's brother. I need to stay focused and get the trailer done once and for all to get rid of it. $385 lot rent, $140 electric and $55 for insurance. Figure only $1100 a month coming in and thats way too much ...

It's going to be a rough week around here, I fly out next week to bring my dad back to Florida on Easter Sunday ... in the meantime, I need to be crunching numbers, checking out assisted living facilities and making phone calls with regards to Medicare Part D (I think he will be able to sign up since he's moved to another state) and Veterans Aid and Assistance benefits (they will apparently HELP with the cost of assisted living facilities in certain instances). If these two things are positive, I will be able to put my dad in a GOOD place. And I will be able to sleep easier. This past week, I didn't make one single thing on the menu. NOT ONE. I didn't make dinner ONE time. Seriously. I think I finally ate dinner Saturday after my girlfriend and I got back. Hubby made some burgers for us, and I chowed. I know that dealing with stress means EATING but honestly, I can see how people just say they can't. I couldn't for 5 days. Booking the flight Saturday somehow t...

It's that time again ... time to root around and see what we have to eat this week! Actually, we have a lot. I was doing SO VERY WELL for a while there, and well, these past 2 weeks I've been quite a grocery shopping machine. Uggg.  I spent a few hours on Sunday organizing two of the three freezers and all I can say is WOW we have a lot of food. Seriously. A LOT. I need to commit to avoiding the grocery stores for at least a week, skip the whole $20 a week thing PERIOD. I also believe that Sonny Boy may be coming home for a few days this week ... his girlfriend is needing to get some service hours in at a school (she is getting a teaching degree) so she doesn't want to drive by herself so he will probably drive with her. On to the menu plan.... Sunday - wanted to make homemade pizzas BUT as Hubby pointed out, we have leftovers which was this lovely mushroom sauce he made Saturday. For the record, he is horrible about following a recipe but the end results were stel...

It's time for the weekly menu plan! I'm going to try and avoid the grocery store this week (even though there are some good deals right now, I just need to say NO) ... so using what i have on hand and improvising as needed ... helps that Hubby and Sonny Boy did a run to Costco for me on Friday ... We also have a few leftovers to eat up so that will help out for after the gym a few nights this week ... thankfully since I am going to try and get FOCUSED . PS - YES I do know it's St. Patrick's Day on Friday ... it's also our 10 Year Life Celebration (10 years ago Hubby had a near death motorcycle accident, definitely life changing) Sunday - I really wanted to make Chicken Parmesan with pasta, garden salad and garlic bread (going to use these new Fresh Take things from Kraft, got them for 50 cents each) BUT reality set in so we had leftover brats and sauerkraut Monday - mashed potatoes with beef brisket (leftovers!) Tuesday - Tuna Melts  (need to put up MY r...

Ahhh ... it's Monday, time to plan that menu! I've been fighting a cold since Saturday. May have taken too much stuff as Sunday I slept all day long. And then went to bed at 8:30pm and slept til 6am. But I do feel better, just a little stuffy. Not so well rested but that just goes to say that sleeping too much is never a good thing. I apparently needed the rest though. Princess is on her way to pick up Sonny Boy this morning. She left at 5am. Yikes. I guess she wants to enjoy her day off somewhat by getting there and back here within a reasonable time. 3 hours minimum each way soo ... I don't know. I am still trying to stick with the $20 a week challenge but fell off the wagon on Saturday and did a big shop at Publix. Yeah. I was weak (that's when I was starting to feel the cold coming on) ... I was thinking that Sonny Boy is coming home and I have no food for him to snack on. What kind of mother am I if I didn't buy stuff?? :-) ... that doesn't make me fe...

It's Monday, and time to plan for the week! (I had to go look at the calendar ... it really IS week 9!) Hubby is traveling Monday and returning Thursday ... and he has a big lunch meeting on Friday (will share details on this at a later date, change is GOOD!) ... so it will be me, Princess (if she's not working) and Kitty Kitty. Can you say EASY?? Seriously, would like to continue with the $20 a week challenge but feel Costco calling for a few items (paper towel, tp, salad stuff, spinach, milk, cheese, eggs, etc.), but the quick trip to the produce store on Saturday took care of the salad, spinach and egg issues as eggs were 98 cents for a dozen! So I'm thinking I can hold out a little longer and stay with my $20 challenge. So here's what I'm shooting for ... Sunday - Pizzas since it's been a LONG time ... I do have a few Kashi frozen pizzas in the freezer that we could doctor up if the desire to make the dough subsides (it will, I'm sure!) Monday -...

This is going to be a funky week as far as menu planning goes ... I leave on Wednesday and return on Monday bright and early ... so here's a few days worth and then suggestions for Hubby and Princess ... they most likely will do a night out together and Hubby is not afraid to tackle the kitchen ... Great news in that I am rolling over $11 so there is $31 for the grocery budget this week (but of course, traveling will BLOW the remainder of budget). Will stop and pick up a loaf of bread, milk, cat food and some salad stuff. Sunday - Chili (freezer) over mashed taters (the ore-ida frozen steam & mash stuff) Monday - Salad (Hubby) and Green Smoothie (me) Tuesday - leftover chicken and rice. I am well aware it's Valentine's Day, however, I fly out the following morning AND I'm probably going to hit the gym ... unless Hubby request I come home for something special Wednesday - Soup (canned, pantry) and sandwiches (need to get bread, lunch meat, cheese and other...

Still plugging away on the $20 a week grocery challenge. So far it hasn't been difficult, thanks to the last blow out at Costco ... will be hitting the store Monday or Tuesday for milk and spinach though. I made THREE new recipes last week and all were hits. Thankfully. Even better that I had everything on hand to make (substitute half and half for cream in one) ... So here we are ... another week and $27 (carrying over $7 from last week) to shop with as needed, first from the pantry, then the freezers and THEN the store ... Sunday - Hubby is hosting Super Bowl for the two of us (long story but no party) so he is making stuffed shells and then pizzola meatballs Monday - Spinach smoothie and gigantic salad with turkey and hard boiled eggs over the top (gym night) Tuesday - taco salads (gym night for me) Wednesday - should be date night but I'm going to push for staying in and having leftovers (probably shells and such) Thursday - chili (freezer) (gym night) Frid...

Here it is the last day of the first month of the New Year!! It did fly by!  I am going to continue with the pantry challenge only because I really have a lot of stuff to use up still (freezers AND pantry!) and hopefully continue to save some money in the meantime. I do have a few thoughts though on the "rising" cost of foods but will get around to that on another post ... If you are looking for some menu ideas, hop on over to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday ... tons (like 100's) of others are linking up! Monday (hubby leaves for Houston and this IS day 31 of Pantry Challenge) - grilled cheese and tomato soup (canned) ... easy night as I will be getting home later than anticipated Tuesday - macaroni and cheese  (I will only make half this recipe as it's just the 3 of us eating) Wednesday - Chicken Cesar Pasta Salad  (will use the precooked chicken I got from Costco a few weeks back ... need to try a different method than baking as suggested to reheat...