Happy New Year!!! It's been a crazy couple of weeks and I have not had a chance to blog... The good thing about being too busy is that I have gotten a couple of new clients and I am starting to make some money again.... Just in time for the new year!
One of the presents my loving husband gave me for Christmas was a compact chest freezer - it's perfect!!! Yesterday - I set it up in my office - it's small enough to not be in the way and close enough to the kitchen to not be a pain in the back side to reach.... After it cooled down - I tossed all the meat bargains I had purchased in December... My goal is to keep my weeks food in the freezer in the kitchen so I have exactly what I need on hand.
Today - I clipped some coupons... Went to Target and shopped for groceries for two weeks... In addition to food - I purchased kitty litter - laundry detergent (coupon $2.00 All detergent) - dog food (coupon $1.50 Pedigree) - and a couple of other household necessities.... With the coupons - I saved a little over $10 and using my Target credit card (I pay the balance each month) - I saved an additional $ 5.88... The only thing I could not find at Target was garlic cloves, biscuits (they were sold out), and frozen hamburger meat..
By the way - the month of December we ate fast food once and it was last night - My daughters and I went to Carl's Jr and got cheeseburgers and fries.. January was to start the no fast food rule but I decided to try and cut back in December and I did pretty good... - this is a family that eats fast food regularly.. Last night - When I purchased the cheeseburgers I did not buy sodas like I typically do and I realized that just by doing that - I saved almost $6.00.. crazy isn't it?
So tonight's Menu... Chicken Fried Steak, mash potatoes, country gravy, corn, and biscuits..
The steak - I purchased cubed steak in a buy one get one free at Albertson's last month...
4 steaks = $3.80
Mashed potatoes = I used the bag of frozen potatoes I had in the fridge since Thanksgiving.
Corn - $.90
biscuits = $1
gravy = $1
Flour = $1 or less
eggs - 3 = .75
Total: $8.45
Recipe for easy chicken fried steak..
Season steak lightly with seasoning salt.
dip steak in flour - tenderize steak by lightly pounding
dip steak in flour again.... dip in egg and then dip in flour..
pour 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in skillet - heat skillet till it gently pops if you flick a drop of water in it.. (that's how I test it any way.. lol)
Cook each side approximately 4 minutes until a golden brown using med/high heat..
I really did not get a chance to take a final picture - the potatoes were ready to be mixed and the biscuits buzzer was going off and the gravy was starting to boil... You know how it gets....
Tomorrow - I'm trying a Chicken and rice crock-pot dish with broccoli.... And the chicken I also purchased on a buy one get one free... Love those!
You did good! It's amazing what you can save by just thinking about it and being aware of costs!
ReplyDeleteI do fix most of our meals at home too. We still do a meal a week out, but we bring it in just for the reason you found out: you can save a lot of money when you don't buy the drink. In fact, when eating out, have found ordering water a better bet both on the change purse and being healthier for you.
ReplyDeleteWell the family is certainly not missing ANYTHING by not eating out with a yummy menu like that! You go girl!
ReplyDeleteGood for you!
ReplyDeleteIt is seriously ridiculous how much money you can save by simply cooking at home. True you run out of stuff faster (I'm reading backwards) but overall ~ you will be so proud of yourself at month end.
Happy (albeit belated) New Year!