OCTOBER challenge: Living Off Of Your Stockpile. WINNERS declared!

[cody82414]

Good will: $15.51
2 pairs of jeans for me (I had none)
A pair of sweat pants and Spider man shoes for DS1 to play in

Wal-Mart:$11.67
birthday gift for a classmate of DS1

Petsmart: $30.82
New fish and filters

Postage:$3.20

[kandpsmom]

Should be a no oop day again today. Nephew (13 months) is here and I just can't imagine anything that would appeal to me enough to take him and ds (2) in the store. My sister is expecting another in the spring. She is going to have her hands full with 2 under 2! She told me this morning she wants a cradle for the new baby. I asked her if she wanted the new baby to have brain damage from nephew dumping her(i think it's a girl ;) on her head all the time.

Todays meals will be from stockpile. I made cinnamon rolls this morning so my sister would eat when she dropped nephew off. She does not even eat enough so I try to make something whenever she comes over and I always make her plate for her and put twice as much as she usually eats.

[saving-n-va]

Wow 1/2 way through the month already. Where is time going? I might still meet my goal (thanks to rebates!). But I do have to change our eating habits. Ok I have to change mine and dh will like it or he will have to cook for himself. LOL. So it will be more produce, brown rice, beans and other low cal, low fat, high fiber foods.

So where does everyone get their dried beans from? At the stores I shop at the lowest I can find them is $1 for a 1 lb bag and I KNOW there has to be cheaper places. We are going to check out Costco this weekend and see if its worth the membership. I don't think they can beat the commissary on meat prices, but maybe beans, produce etc. (since the Farmer's markets will be closing in the next few weeks...bummer).

Shouldn't have any OOP today. It another cooking and cleaning day for me. Especially since its rainy and in the 40s....brrr..cold rain.

[loveebella]

I spent 10.00 last night . My budget is so busted,but that is OK. I read on another thread that it would be cheaper for me to buy convenience food without a coupon, than to go out to eat when we are pressed for time and just want to eat something different. So with that in mind I am busting my budget. I never really buy easy frozen stuff like pizza's and what nots.(we are new to stockpiling and as soon as I bring it in, it gets eaten) I was talking to my DH and I still do not know ifI am going to buy that stuff, but I am going to buy more grab and go like granola bars and stuff like that. We eat lot of sandwiches so i don't know what to do in that area as to me a sandwich is as easy as it gets. I tend to stick to real food when shopping like meats and veggies and Keebler cookies. I still have 10.00 left from last payday's grocery money 7.50 from the Purex rebate and hubs gets paid next Thurs so that will be another 100. So my budget is going to over by about 100. Maybe I should up my goal to 300. I am still fairly proud of us we have only eaten out 1 time all month I know we still have the rest of the month left but that is an improvement for us. Ds1 has been asking to go to McD he said can we just go in and get a drink? Then we passed by Long Johns and he said Dad can we go in that fish one right there.. I kind of started rambling I hope I made sense.

[nateNnatsmommy]

I wonder if this is my neighbor...sounds alot like him. (The UPS driver, I mean)

We have daily pick up at my work so he has to come in. But I absolutely love our regular driver. Not only is he nice to look at but he is super friendly. We like him so much at work that my boss buys him a gift card to his favorite resturant every Christmas. Now the Fedex guys I could do without. LOL

Hmm I'd ask around, see if someone in your area knows of any stores with the bulk bins?

So where does everyone get their dried beans from? At the stores I shop at the lowest I can find them is $1 for a 1 lb bag and I KNOW there has to be cheaper places. We are going to check out Costco this weekend and see if its worth the membership. I don't think they can beat the commissary on meat prices, but maybe beans, produce etc. (since the Farmer's markets will be closing in the next few weeks...bummer).

[saving-n-va]

Hmm I'd ask around, see if someone in your area knows of any stores with the bulk bins?

I would love to find a place with bulk bins. Does anyone know if Trader Joes or Whole Foods has them? I don't think I've seen them at TJs but never really looked. I do have an Aldis but haven't been there, don't care for the area its in.

My sweet dd is a health and fitness major in college and is taking nutrition this semester, so she is helping me come up with some better choices and ideas for better eating and still keep my picky hubby happy. Ok so I hide veggies in things when I can (puree them..). Trying some zuchinni/cauliflower blend to see if I can hide it in soup and pasta sauce. I already use sweet potato/carrot puree and dh doesn't mind that.

Well back to the kitchen...gotta finish the apples...

[W0Wme]

I got a few minutes before having to leave for a medical appt. & thought I would share what DH done for my Birthday last night after working 12 hours. He came in and baked me my birthday cake, German Chocolate of course. Then since my DS game was cancelled due to inclimate weather he decided to cook what he calls "Grand Master-piece-a-pie" (using accent, lol) instead of cooking our normal Wed. Night frozen pizza. You know we have our little thing where we say its going to be a "grand" night because of Grand Biscuits last month at triples, right? Well, it was another "grand" night, LOL. He took ground beef, chopped onion, a can of mixed veggies, cream of potatoe, cream of celery, cream of chicken, & shredded cheese mixed together with some water and put in a 9x13 dish and layered the top with ....guess.....yep, you're right...LOL...Grand biscuits! Cooked in oven according to biscuit directions and viola....it was actually good...I was impressed! I had to share this....I thought it was sweet & thoughtful of him. He gave me lots of birthday smiles ☺

[MoneySavinDiva]

No OOP yesterday, and a pretty rotten mail day too :sad: Just got the local freebie paper with the store ads and a parts catalog for hubs. I did send out two train and a trade envie though. I will definetely have OOP later today though, kitty is out of food, so I need to run to WalMart after my work meeting tonight (which is being held after I get off work, it's gonna be a lonnng day...)

Yesterday's Meals...

Breakfast - Poptarts
Lunch - I ate at work
Supper - I made some beef stew in the crockpot
Snacks - pears, animal crackers

[nateNnatsmommy]

I've never seen them in Trader Joes, but I googled "Whole Foods bulk bin" and the sites returned make it sound like they do indeed have bulk bins there, and with good prices too!

I would love to find a place with bulk bins. Does anyone know if Trader Joes or Whole Foods has them? I don't think I've seen them at TJs but never really looked. I do have an Aldis but haven't been there, don't care for the area its in.

[saving-n-va]

I've never seen them in Trader Joes, but I googled "Whole Foods bulk bin" and the sites returned make it sound like they do indeed have bulk bins there, and with good prices too!

Oh thank you! Silly me didn't think to google it. I think I have applesauce brain after 4 days of cooking sauce and making apple stuff...LOL

Cinnamon apples going in CP now.