Saturday, August 16, 2014

Plans for this and that, but nothing done.....


You ever have those days where the night before you decide you're going to do all these things, and then the day comes and if you accomplish even one thing on that list, that is a lot?

So went my Saturday.  A bit of a wasted day if you ask me, because I really didn't get much done, at least not what I had planned.

I did the grocery shopping this morning, and........I don't know, I almost feel defeated in a sense.  Everything is getting so expensive, the meats especially are ridiculously priced lately and I start wondering just how exactly they expect people to survive with prices so high.

For the past 15 years or so, I have pretty much kept the same grocery budget.  As prices have changed over the years, I have adapted and worked with it, changing the menus, making meals around what was on sale and on those months where money was extra tight, I would switch to filling but very simple meals.

It has worked, but it's now coming to the point where I don't know just how much longer I will be able to keep our budget going.   $250 for two weeks worth of groceries is really nothing, not when it also includes toiletries and pet food etc.

My husband always jokes that I'm just *that good*.  Hahahah

I really don't want to up the budget, but it may just be that I will have to very soon.  In the meantime, I will just continue working on good home cooked meals from scratch, the least packaged foods I can get, and if possible home made products.  So far it's worked and I'm sure with the Lord's help, it will continue.

Oh and if you're wondering, no, we have never starved or gone without, when you're organized and menu plan, you really can do a lot with a smaller food budget.

Anyway, now that I got that off my chest.

_MG_6210I got the groceries home and then came the job of putting everything away.  Quite frankly, it is the part I dislike the most, it seems to take forever.  Today it took even longer because I had to do the usual refrigerator clean up before putting in the new food.

I like to go through everything in there, check the expiration dates, throw out anything that is no longer good and also wash all the shelves and drawers etc.

One thing I have been wanting to do for a while, was to line the shelves with some paper to make clean ups easier, so when I went to put the food in the fridge today, I thought, well, might as well do it now.

Looking back on it, I now realize it probably would have been better to have done it another day because really, I was in the middle of putting groceries away and had all these bags all over the floor.  All in all, it took 2 hours to get everything finished.  What on earth???

But, I am very happy with the finished result and I know clean up will be a breeze.

There went my morning though and most of my afternoon, right after the kitchen job was done I moved on to the laundry.  It really is never ending and I don't know what else to do to stay on top of it, I mean, I do laundry every single day....more I just can't do.


As I type this, I have one last load in the dryer and one in the basket needing folding.  Blech!!!
See the lady above?  Look how chirpy and happy she is doing laundry, all I can think of is "I want whatever she's having".  LOL

So the embroidery project I wanted to get ironed and framed and hung?

It's still in the basket and will have to wait until tomorrow.  Oh well.

Hubby and the kids are watching Lord of the Rings, they want to do a marathon but I'm not sure just how many they will get through, these movies are like 500 hours long.  Right?  Well, maybe 3 but still, quite long.

Speaking of watching things, I'm now done with The Tudors and I'm so sad.  I always do this though, when I really love a series I feel heartbroken when it comes to an end, it's like you get so used to the characters and when they're gone for good you miss them.  Sounds quite crazy when you say it out loud doesn't it?  Hahaha

I need to find something else to watch, I may give The Borgias a try, I haven't watched that series yet, some people loved it, others said it wasn't good, so I am not quite sure what I'll think.

I would love to find something about the tudors again, but I'm not sure there is anything else out there to my liking.  If you do have any suggestions, please let me know.

Right, so I was going to sit in the living room with the family while they watched their movie, and slip on my headphones and watch something on the laptop, but I don't know, I can't sit on these touches too long with the laptop on my lap, it starts hurting my back and my legs.  It is quite uncomfortable, so I think I will just head on upstairs to my bedroom.

I'll fold the laundry and probably watch a documentary on Youtube or find something on Netflix to watch.

So, how has your Saturday been, have you done anything fun or interesting, or did you have a quiet one like mine?

13 comments:

Tasha said...

I cleaned our refridge today tomorrow will be shopping day for me. we planning on going to an waterfall tomorrow to sometimes. but thats the only thing i gotten done

Conny said...

We miss the commissary ... my husband didn't retire from the Army so no privileges :( ... but thank goodness for Aldi by us!! They have inexpensive (mostly!) items - and decent produce. And yet, I agree - the groceries get more & more expensive. AND my kids are getting BIGGER and eating more! LOL
We had kind of a weird day too - my husband worked an extra shift from midnight to 8 a.m. so we've tried to let him rest ... which means lots of tv shows on DVD and such!

carrie@northwoods scrapbook said...

Did you ever watch the white queen series on starz? It was on last year. It's set during the war of roses period and mainly focuses on the women during that time (husbands fighting for English throne). I think another series (the red queen) is supposed to come out next.

Cheri said...

I was complaining to my husband about this very thing. Groceries have gotten terribly high especially if you want healthy items- so frustrating!

Anabela said...

I agree with your husband, you're clearly THAT good, keeping the same grocery budget that long, requires a serious feat of juggling, or sorcery :)
This year I have decided that in order to save, I am starting a vegetable and herb garden. Even though my thumbs are black, I feel I have to try something... Herbs are ridiculously priced, and even vegetable prices are scary, I tried to buy a cucumber the other day - ZAR 20 :(

Primitive Stars said...

Morning, yes, you are that good. Keeping a grocery budget is hard I find, everything so costly now it seems. Blessings Francine.

Simply Quaint said...

Sandra I can't imagine raising a family now....we had four children all teenagers when hubby and I married it was so expensive w/ food, clothing, sports... Our olkdest is 31 youngest 26 now and for hubby and I a grocery budget is still a must... I don't no longer work out of the home, I am a primitive artist but you can not always count on those sales....I shop aldi's a budget grocery store for all my produce that we don't how grow...we have a local potatoes farm so we can buy 50 lbs of potatoes red or white for $10.00 we buy our beef from my relatives who raise them so we order a quarter every 6 months I can and freeze as much as possible tomorrow we are going to Amish country which is 30 minutes away for bushel of peaches, banana peppers and then hopefully green beans this will get us through another winter. I shp sams club for tpaper, paper towels, garbage bags, laundry soaps etc this last 6 months or more. Its a lot of work but benefits our budget... I love love the linning the shelf's in refridge idea what is you used?
Have a great day and cudos to keeping a family of 6 this including fur babies on a budget if 250.00 biweekly...

Carla said...

This is something that is awfully fresh on my mind as my husband I did spent Saturday afternoon going over the budget. Painful. We have realized that our food budget has hiked since our last PCS. Eeep! (And as a side note, can I just say Commissary prices do NOT seem the same everywhere. Every base we have been to has been different price wise.) We discussed ways to get it down and things we could cut out. Organic is important to us, so that makes it hard to keep things down, but I do well considering.

For produce, we belong to a co-op. I know there is one in the Midwest called Bountiful Baskets. We were part of when we lived in ND. Big box of produce for $25($35 for organic). I can't wait until we are no longer in base housing and we can garden.

What paper did you line your refrigerator shelves with? I never thought to do that!

Erika said...

You really should see of there is an Aldi in your area. I buy most of my food there and save so much money by shopping there. I still have to buy a few items else where. I really recommend it.

Deb J. in Utah said...

Our grocery budget has been $100 a week for years. Usually we come in way under that now that we only have one left at home, but even when we had all four with us, $100 a week would do it ~ if we were careful. Of course stocking up on a needed item that is on sale will blow the budget, but is a good thing for the long run. We used to shop at Aldi when we lived in Illinois and that helped with our budget, but we are now in Arizona with no Aldis around. I don't think there are any in the West ~ it is a mid-west/Easter chain.

Unknown said...

I spend about 300 - 350 per month for me and the two girls - including all toiletries and cat food, etc. Meat is CRAZY! We eat chicken 3-4 times a week because I can get it for 1.99 a pound. Thank God for the farmer's market this time of the year - I bought a cart full of fruits and veggies and paid 20 bucks!

jolene's spot said...

Hey Sandra! I never get to talk to you anymore since you're not on Facebook:( boo :((( I have missed you. I was wondering if you ever watch the series Arrow? I know you like period dramas but this seems like a show you might like. My husband talked me into watching it and I can't get enough:) hope you're doing well:)

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