There is Something Special About Today

Can you guess? Yup, I successfully made it another rotation around the sun!

Today started out much like my other ones - me in a hospital. This year, I wasn't the patient though. Elvis woke up around midnight in a lot of pain. Tossed on my clothes and ushered in the anniversary of my uterine escape in a hard plastic chair of the ER for nearly 6 hours.

After all that fun, I crawled back in to bed until 8am. I jumped out of bed, back in to the clothes I just took off and headed over to Shrugs. I did my morning routine and Elvis made us all blueberry pancakes. Pancakes have become a tradition around here.

Lunch was served and off to the grocery store. I miss shopping for my own house. We are hardly here and it's the little things that I long for. Cooking dinner in my own kitchen, laundry in my own machines. Just being on my own routine. Soon... very soon (crosses fingers).

Elvis surprised me with a card, a gift and my favorite Chinese food. Yes, the outlaws threw me a surprise party at a Chinese restaurant Friday night, but it wasn't MY place. The sweet and sour chicken at the tiny little hole in the wall is the best!

I do have to say, I am so proud of Elvis and Diva. I told him I didn't want him spending a lot of money on a gift this year and Diva knew I wanted a tea set. I am not the Duchess of Someplace, I am me, but I have always wanted a tea set. Elvis bought me the cutest tea-for-one set.

My Frugal Finds

$1.99 each !!!

Like Sand Through the Hourglass...

What a month it's been and it's not quite over yet!

Shrugs slipped, broke his ankle and tore 2 ligaments. Translation: I've been at his house every single day since January 5th! Yes, I am tired. The weather hasn't helped either. Rain, shine or 12" of snow, I have to go over there to make sure he has his 3 squares and then some.

I finally have a routine set over there. My home routine on the other hand has been turned upside-down. Seriously counting the days until we go back to the hospital to find out if he needs to remain in the cast on February 16th.

I get to spend yet another birthday taking care of the ex (two years ago it was his shoulder, but he could at least WALK). Valentine's Day is another bonus. It's a good thing Shrugs and I get along so well.

Today I decided to finally get started on one of Diva's Yule gifts. A hoodie sweater. Mentally I am all over that thing, boxed and under the tree. Physically, I will be happy if I finish the sleeves. I think that's why I am starting with those first... as I told a friend, if I lose steam, they make cute leg-warmers!

Today's Adventure

This afternoon I bundled up, stepped outside and pointed my car in the direction of the local department store. I hate calling that little shopping area a mall since it's little more than 2 stores, a tobacco shop, dry cleaner, dollar store and grocery. A mall? Pfft!


I digress - The purpose of the shopping trip was to buy a vacuum sealer. There were three on the shelves, no, not just three brands, three sealers. One of each. They all looked the same, rectangle, white, stick the bag in and they suck the air out. They also ranged from $50 to $90. Great. 


Not wanting to ask "Which one sucks best for the money" I pushed my cart around the store. I was wanting to get a new storage bin for food storage. Window shopping was fun but, it was nothing compared to the glee I experienced when I stumbled on my secret little corner.


Technically, it wasn't a corner. It's not mine. Highly unlikely it's a secret because there was an announcement overhead that some things in that area was 75% off. Christmas has come early. Literally.


Sure, some of the things may be holiday related so don't tell the dirty dishes that the cloth cleaning it has a pointsetta on it! Actually, just about everything I purchased today will be put to immediate use.

All in all, for 28.34 (tax-included) I managed to get 4 rolls of general use wrapping paper (for birthdays), a pack of gift tags (Yule), an 18 gallon storage bin, a much needed large spatula, salt and pepper shaker set, 2 dish towels, 2 potholders, 4 place-mats (Yule), a linen tablecloth (Yule), 8 dishcloths, 2 fingertip towels, a 6-in-1 pocket tool (stocking), 1 t-shirt (gift) and 1 boxer (gift).


I still need to find a food sealer, but there is always tomorrow!

Ya Ya, What is Menu Planning?

Some of you may have heard of menu planning but don't quite understand what it is, how useful it can be or how it can save you money.

Menu planning is, planning your menu. Sounds simple? It can be.  Some people wait until they go shopping and set the menu, some shop according to the menu. Whatever you do, grab a piece of paper, your calendar or do it on your computer, but write it down!

Okay, but how do you DO it?

Go to your kitchen and take a look around. How long ago did you buy something you thought you would use but it’s sitting there collecting dust? What about the freezer? Is it full of things you can no longer identify or is it echo empty because you have no idea what you are making every day. Go ahead, look, I’ll wait.

Do you know what you are making for dinner tomorrow? What about the next day? If you do, jot it down. If you don’t, take a minute and think about what tasty morsel you can make with what you currently have on hand and then… you guessed it… write it down.

Before you go shopping again, think about what you can make for the week. How much will you need? If you are roasting a chicken on Sunday, you can squeeze a mid-week soup out of it. Making a meatloaf on Monday? How about pizza casserole on Wednesday? No, you don’t have to make every meal stretch in to two, but if you know you will make a meatloaf on Monday and burgers another day you can get more for your buck by getting it all at once (I will go over Once a Month shopping/prepping/cooking another time).

Planning out your menu means there is usually no food waste. Every bite of food that is tossed in the trash cost you money. If you are the type who enjoys tossing money, I will give you my address!

See, I told you meal planning can be simple.

How I Do It

In the beginning I used the everyday calendar but moved on to using an online calendar.  It was quick. It was easy. It was there! I wrote up the menu and then grabbed the things at the market for the week. I was finding it hard to stick to it because I would get to the store and find a good sale on something that wasn’t on the menu, or worse, overpay for something that was just because it was there.

Now, I shop first and plan around what I have. I buy my meats at a wholesale club. Pork chops can range from $2.49 to $4.50 a pound. Instead of getting several packages at that price, I have them cut a tenderloin piece in to ½ inch slices at the store and only pay $1.99 per pound.  Once I get home I bag them for the freezer and know instantly how many meals I can make of it. (The last one was $13.00 and will make 16 dinners for us.) I do the same with beef.  I have meals planned for 2 months at a time.

There are times I will need to buy things to supplement what I have because there are some things I won’t buy in bulk – milk, bread and fresh produce – but I know ahead of time how much I need because I have a written reminder of when I will need it.

The best investment I ever made was my planner. I not only write my meal plans in it, but I keep track of all the appointments, activities, bills and cleaning schedule in one place. Best of all, it’s Momma size! I carry it with me everywhere, yes,  it’s big, but I have a messenger bag purse so it fits nicely. I like it much better than the online calendar I was using. I can’t carry my laptop with me at all times and if the power goes out, I was lost!

Challenging Myself in 2011

I am not one to make resolutions. Personal experience has taught me I go hardcore for about 3 days... something happens on day 4. Day 5 is spent feeling guilty. Day 6 is usually when I decide I will try again. Day 7 is usually when I admit defeat and swear off making resolutions!

Since I am a Domestic Goddess, it was time to take a personal inventory and decide what I want to accomplish this year.

Maybe misery loves company but I would like to think that there is safety in numbers. I joined a few online challenges in hopes accountability keeps me plugging along.

Clean and Organized Home Challenge - There are 12 months to a year. We live in a cozy 800 square foot condo. Time to sort through the piles of life and let the not-so-important things go. 2011 is going to be filled with love, not junk!

Change Jar Challenge - See a penny, pick it up! That not so shiny sucker is worth something. The Laundry Gods demand quarter sacrifices, all others go in the jar.

Emergency Fund Challenge - Having an emergency is stressful. Knowing you have some money tucked away keeps you from going bald.