Well today can only get better

It can only get better today. I have to do some shopping today with the coupons. Now I am really thinking of going home(Illinois). I was asked from a dear friend when I am coming home again. Well put it this way alot of heat and I may as well pack shorts and regular T-shirts. That is the fun part about the heat around there. Anyway another reason to start saveing money for the next couple of months also. Well between of the not knowing and the needing to get home, home is out ruleing everything again. My Mom had to laugh the last time I was in becuase I had a hard time rinseing my hair. At this point I am thinking even more coupons and a few other things around here to go even cheaper. I can get some stuff down in Illinois cheaper than up here of course. Never fails pluss most of my coupons are good down there also. Well today is one of them days of lets see how far I can get also around here. I am still cleaning today and will hit the store this morning while I am at it all. That is the fun part about the whole thing. Also with all the coupons the cashiers will freek out at any store that I go to anyway today. Well at least they don't have to lift anything for about 5 min. with me going thru the line. Ok folks have fun and play hard.

Laughing already

I had to laugh this morning when the Hippy asked me if we had store bought bread in the house. He likes it better for the truck. Well while he had went out already and since the Hippy would be out I told him to go over to the regular supermarket for me to pick some things up that I have forgot about. Should be under 10 dollars today for the stuff that I need for several dinners around here. The Hippy forgets that it is cheaper around here in the regular markets instead of going into the truck stops that he normally goes into. That is why I try to stock up on stuff that are in cans that he can cook on the engine of the big truck. I can find stuff that is cheaper at Walmart and between Wegman's and Tops also. The Truck Stops want 3 times than where I shop at since they know you are pretty much stuck in alot of ways. I diden't mind going at one point with him at all becuase, there were times where there was a store within walking distance of where he was loading or unloading at times. The Uni Leaver loads I dident mind niether. I could always hit thier dumpster out back for products that they coulden't sell becuase the box was crushed or a leaky bottle. You get real good at diveing for good stuff in the dumpsters after awhile. Just to save some money in the household. Also when a store has a shoppers card Get one. You get the sale items pluss you get double coupons off the cards depending on where you are at also. Another perk of the cards are the store sends out coupons for thier store also. I have been known to use 50 dollars at a time in coupons also. With the coupons in the blinky machines you can use an out of store coupon also. Now with the coupons there is a trick to it all and you have to read the print on the coupons also. Lets say there is a buy one get one free deal at the grocery store, the coupons says buy one get a dollar off. You can use 2 coupons when they say that becuase you are buying 2 even though you are getting one free. There are lots of things you can do with coupons. As I say it is a huge game at the stores. With the grocery store they set a price for the items and sales at times of the year to rope folks in. Some folks don't care if they pay full price for an item. I have coupons at all times with me in the luggage that I carry. Now what I will do is pull the coupons for the sale adds and carry the extra coupons for the sales that are not in the adds that come out. Now with myself in what I do is I get the meats and try to build meals around that. So lets say I have 6 packs of chicken in the cart I build the coupons with the sale items around the chicken. Then this way there is a hodge podge of extra side dishes in the cart from the coupons. You will never get board of eatting the same things over and over again. As I have said before I have some basics in my place at all times. Onions, garlic, flour, yeast, eggs, and bakeing powder. There is the basics for the most part in my place that I can build alot from there. I also keep raw potatoes, powdered milk and margerine/butter. The Hippy just shakes his head and lets me loose in the kitchen. I know the look when I have cooked to much of the chicken. He looks at me funny and starts flapping his arms and we both start laughing about it. So the next day I start cooking something else. Now I have heard some folks complain about coupon use for thier household. If you buy enough meats there are several ways to have side dishes also. All I am saying is mix it up at all times. Ok folks have fun and play hard.

Alot of work today

I have alot of work today that needs to be done. Pluss some running also while I am at it all. The nice thing about all of this is that I don't have any mouches here to get in the way of cleaning and the running that I have to do today. Also I need to start bakeing while I am at it all today. It will not be so bad once I get started on everything here. Just to get the motavation to get alot done is the problem that I have. Pluss get back before the Hippy does from work. Eather way I should make it without a problem at all and, get alot of the cleaning done here in the can. I have very little dishes to do here and they will be done quickly of course. With one or two people here in the place it makes it easier than haveing 3 folks here and one a total slob who just does not care at all becuase, he wanted a slave and a maid. At least now I can keep up without a problem now. Pluss the Hippy will not complain nor turn up his nose at my cooking also. I also have enough food at this point to last thru next month while I am at it without someone being greedy and useing it all up. Now normally I do not fry everything in the can. Most of the food is baked without any problems at all. Well according to the person that I let in everything had to be fried or he woulden't eat at all. So yes I did hide the cord to the deep frier at the last week the bump on the log was here. Well now as I sit here I am planning out meals also of what I have here in the place that is totally left. I had to go out this passed weekend to get chicken, and pork for the place along with a few other items that I ran out of altogeather. The bad part is, is that I can streach out what I got in one trip and go from there. I never got asked of what I was makeing for dinner at all with the 3 weeks that the Lazy bump on the log was here. As I was running out of food in both freezers I got told to go to the grocery store and get more meat from the lazy bum who never gave me a dime to go on. That was another reason why I threw him out also. So now since I have enough food once again along with rice in the can I will be eating pretty good once again during the week since I eat the leftovers first then start working with soups by the end of the week. Also I can get the meals under 5 dollars for 2 people once again instead of what the lazy bum wanted me to do and I refused to do. I do not get alot of steaks around here becuase it is doubled here in Ny State. Burger is alot cheaper along with chicken and pork. Ok folks have fun and play hard. It is time for me to start out once again.

Running late as normal

I have my days to where I just run totally behind all day long. That is what I get for not feeling good for a day the next day is just tourched for me. On Tuesday night I went out to eat for a change and guessing all the grease diden't agree with me at all. Show's in how often I really go out to eat anymore. Pluss I had coupons to boot where the Hippy and I went to. A 30 dollar bill got droped down to 14 dollars for 2 meals and drinks. And of course the left overs came home with me. Now with the Hippy being out on the road like he is all week, he is getting points on a card for a mini fridge and a few other things for the 18 wheeler. Every time he fules the truck it is at least 200 dollars if not more. Some places have a perks card. To where you can get showers and other items when you get enough points up. I know several Drivers out there that have crock pots, fridges, T.V.'s, and lots of other things in thier rigs. So it's like being at home without being at home. It gets very expensive if you have to eat out all of the time while you are on the road. That is why when I would go with him at times that I would bring a stack of coupons with me at all times. I have been getting coupons as of late around here to start in on that once again. So when I do the big trip to the store for shopping I can save money also. Many folks that are behind me just don't like to see my fistfull of coupons untill they hear the end total between the card and the coupons. Sometimes it takes 5-10 min for the cashier to go thru them. My moto is hit the new cashiers up when I go into the stores with a healthy stack of coupons. Anyway I had went on Sunday for the groceries and it wasen't to bad when I walked out of there. I had bought alot of chicken since the bump on the log decided that was all he wanted and to deep fry everything that he ate. Now with the frier that I have it does get hot and you have to pull it out from the wall and clear out the space for it. Pluss you can close the lid on the frier so the grease dosen't splatter also. Not the fool that was here useing it. I guess he wanted to see how fast a Trailer could go up with everyone inside. He would leave it against the wall and have a pile of papers and pot holders on and around the thing. I got to the point where I hid the cord to the frier altogeather and said there's the oven use it. So after all said and done he left the place with 2 pieces of chicken and a quart of milk and diden't bother to replace it becuase, he was too busy selling his food stamps that he got for this month. Things that some do while they are on welfare and the bump never went out to look for a job niether. Now he is working for the park once again off the books and collecting full wealfare. At this point my power bill will go down 50 dollars since to tossed him on his toush and out of my place and so will alot of other bills. The dish deturgant stayed the same since he diden't believe in useing soapy hot water for the dishes at all. That is the last person I do take into my place and I don't care anymore. Ok folks have fun and play hard. It is time for me to start cleaning again.

Guessing that I need more help

Well after the past week here I need more help with stuff here. Well it doesen't help what a supposad friend tried to do to me also while I was dealing with a death. All I can do is shake my head on alot of things here. I do alot of things automaticly anyway for the can. I don't need a stupid person to try to tell me what to do in my own place also. And who I shoulden't take in becuase the supposad woman is a mental case on everyone. Well I have at this point pretty much stayed away from the person becuase I know if I don't I will not be so nice in person at all. In the time being I am still working on the budget and will do so untill I get it done. I haven't at all asked for a dime from anyone unlike some folks that I know here in the trailer park. So here I sit and wandering what I can do for the food budget also here and tie everything into play. As I have said before I don't give a rats behind on what people think of me at all becuase that is how I am at all times. Alot of folks have to be repetitive on what they do untill it feels right to the person of being cheap. There is no right or wrong of being cheap nor frugal also in my book. I have cut down on useing so much in my place to streach everything out. May as well get the most for the money that I do spend anyway. I admire the folks who have the solar pannals up at thier places also. That is another goal that I want to do in my life time is to have the solar pannels at my place besides the kitchen wood burning range. Pluss I have been stocking somewhat on coupons also for the place. May as well save when and where I can and I am not hurting anyone while I am doing all of this at all. I have been asked over and over again how I do what I do along with acouple of friends. Some of us do get togeather and compare notes in how we all do things that works for us. Between the free samples and the coupons and watching the prices at the stores and a few other things we all make things work for the households. And it scares the bejeebers out of some people I will admit to it. There are some places I can not live without and others I can really live without at this point in time. When I can get something on sale and I like the product I go for it and if I have a coupon for the sale item it is even better on me. What worries some folks is that I am dirt cheap for my place. And thanking my lucky stars that some have listened to me over the years and have got a wakeup call also in the mean time while we were at it all. Now she can go to the dollar stores and a few other places to shop at and not have to get hollared at. Nor belittled at the same time on alot of things that she has done. The both of us girls were laughing lastnight over it all. Even her Mom got a kick out of the whole thing also. All I said was rememmber the time that you were broke and you will rememmber all the things that the parents did to feed all of us. And a few other things that they all did to streach the dollar out also. When in doubt ask a grandparent on what they all did when they were kids. Now for this week for food leftovers tonight and maybe another casserole for tomarrow night for food and leftovers. What was funny was when I got home from Walmart yesterday afternoon. I had alot for what I had spent also. I have watched the dollars since I have been broke most of my life anyway. Alot of what I do I have learned from my Mom and put myown twist on alot of things here in my place. I have beat my father on alot of things also at my place. Going to the dollar stores and a few others doesen't hurt anyone at all. SOme will not be caught in any dollar stores anyway. Some things yes I do get like cearel and a few other things also becuase they are cheaper than Walmart.

Meatloaf in one house chicken in the other

Now I can start laughing becuase chicken in one meatloaf in the other with the households. Now without all the drama I just don't know what to do at this point in time at all. Eather produce the pic's or leave with the tail between the legs eather way. Now I can say that I am lucky. I have been cleaning all day and hollering and made everyone move to do something. Wierd when ya loose the voice and start throwing things. Not that I am sick I have lost my voice over the past week here. I normally don't talk as much as I have at all. Anyway at least dinner is done and waiting for the guys to start in on food. Now who ever is jelous walk into my shoes since some are crazy in the head on things along with the wishing and a wing on things. Things keep on getting wierder and wierder on alot of things around here. Now with today yes I went on the cheap end and why shoulden't I at this point. Well at least I have food in the can and can do alot of cooking at least. Pluss I don't have to beg my son's to pay my bills niether and send me out to where ever also. I have always lived under the pay checks to say the least and used coupons except today. It was an oddity that I had no coupons at all this time around. I can get the inserts for free but why bother rather pay for them myself at this time.

Trying to keep warm

The snow is already 2 feet and counting outside today. Now I hope that the back door doesen't freez up this year. The space heater is ready to go just in case if it does. What a day and thank goodness I made soup for dinner. Also I sent the Hippy off with a hot meal while I was at it. One of them days to start worrying becuase of the weather. We both seen someone slide off the 190 while I was paying a bill. Now I will deffanatly stay home. Even I was slideing around and I have some weight in the back of the van. Cat litter is a wanderfull thing for weight. Now for Winter driveing I do have stuff in the van. Like 2 blankets and a few other things. I haven't put a candle in there yet at all. Then again this year I am not going to far from the can neather. There comes a point in time to just stay home to be safe. Now a couple of friends of mine have went to the Tier to do things in thier place. The heater that they have is putting out heat but since they havent heated the place for awhile it is about 60 with the pellet stove going and the toilet still froze. If you are reading this you 2 put a space heater near the cammode and salt in the tank pluss the bowl. That is what I get for working in a cold wearhouse without heat for the most part. Pluss if you have a 2nd story bathroom after ya flush throw salt in the bowl. It wont hurt nothing at all and it will keep the pipes pretty much moveing. That and takeing the tank lid off with opening the cabnet doors on the sink. Sounds wierd but it works. The Hippy said anti freeze from the car works also. I was told salt and heat. Oh well now I am not to worried about the bathroom here freezing up since everything is open to the heat and that room is the warmest room of the place also. I even crack the kitchen lower cabnet doors open to let heat into there since it is the furthest from the heat. Heat tape is a wanderfull thing also. What heat tape does is it is like eletrical tape with a wire thru it, you plug it in and it turns on and off to keep the pipes from freezing up. Now for here yes the can is a trailer. It costs about 5 dollars a month to run the heat tape. I would rather spend 5 dollars extra for the power bill than have a 1000 dollar bill for a busted water pipe. Pluss the water bill to top it off. Now for here I can say that. When it is about 15 outside not includeing the wind chill if not lower than that at this point. Well as I had said before I have worked in pretty ronchy conditions in my life. Where 3 space heaters should have took the room to about 90 it was about 32 in the room with all 3 going. It was about 12 below without the heat in the building. Even though some of us had good laughes out of the one building. Between the snow drifts, the raccons, mice placed in computers, and the burning of the pants. There were alot of laughs and pokeing fun at. In one day I hit 2 mouse houses and several ones that were petrifide on top of it. All I asked of the guys was to dump the bucket that I had becuase I am short. Nothing scares me except for when my Sister-In-Law was around. That is why the guys never put live nor dead mice or rats in what I was pulling apart. And the wall of power supplies on my desk with a space heater. I was warmer than the 2 others at the time with a frog heater going. Mettal conducts heat and I found a way to keep warm. If I could have figured out a way to make a roof for the wall I would have done it. And of course there was the shake up and I survived that one with the skin of my teeth becuase I was still on medical at the time and the doors still shut becuase the boss switched the bosses around once again on the floor. Oh well on it now Alot of folks have been laid off and or the doors to a company have shut tight on them. Now with myself every time I am on unenjoyment(unemployment) I cut way back on alot of things here in the can. And I always do try to live below what I bring in anyway around here. Some months it is hard I won't deny that at all. This is why I say take a look at the budget that is there and are some things really nessesary like the coffee at Starbucks while you are looking for a job?????? Or that cute outfit that is full price at the time? Now with my budget I don't go out to get coffee nor the cute outfit at all when I know that Food and other things are more important. Pluss I have not went out to eat for at least a month at all. I have started cooking at home from scratch once again and the cheaper the better in my book. Leftovers are even better the next day. Alot of the times some folks have told and asked me why bother with leftovers. All I can say is it is food and I don't have to cook for a couple of days. Pluss there is soups around here also. I do not have to pull from the deep freezer everyday to feed myself at all. Nor go outside to heat up a grill also to cook on becuase of no gas in the place. Yes I have eletric appliances and it does me no good if the power goes out. Eather way I get to eat around here. Ok folks have fun and play hard.

Now I realize of why

Now I know why I DOn't go down to the St. Louis area for family anymore.  My belly did the flip flop when my one Aunt walke thru the door at my grandmothers house.  Here I am on my own never ever asked for a dime from my grandmother and here comes the mouch of the family once again.  Now with most of the holidays in the December month I don't make cookies as a rule in my household.  Sorry for the people who love my cookies that I bake.  I have seen what my family went thru for the holidays for the dozens and dozens of cookies that I coulden't touch.  Now for the one Aunt that I just can't stand it has been going on since I was a little bitty thing growing up and watching her just ooooooo poor pitty me deal with my grandparents.  It gets old.  Thank God for the woman who raised me and taught me to be cheap thru out my life and never ask for a dang dime.  Pluss I learned years ago if I asked for money from the one side of the family I would get it held over my head untill whenever also.  So with me over the past 20 years I have done it on my own for the most part and a great support system from the Real Women of both sides of the families.  There was alot that I had to learn on my own of course on cooking, cleaning, and being cheap in my own place.  Now with some of the cooking here within the past maybe 5 years if not less I ran into the Hillbillyhousewife site.  So a HUGE thanks to the folks who have ran the site for this long.  There are things that I never realized that I could do with cooking on the frugal/cheap side of life.  With some of it it was an extra push in what I could do for my kitchen also.  Here in January I will be shopping once a month again for the household around here.  It will drive more folks just compleatly nuts of course and I don't mind it at all.  As long as I am streaching out the dollars more than some folks that I know and moved 14 hrs away from the St. Louis area I am good to go.  I can't get blamed for what the others are doing also now a days.  Ok folks have fun and play even harder today.

Well another day today

I did get alot done yesterday and need to get alot more done today.  Yesterday was just another Monday busy as normal and still trying to get stuff done.  Today will be wierd becuase I have to scrub anyway and that is ok by me.  My place will be picked up by the time Friday comes and I am hopeing that I won't have a flour bomb go off once again this year.  With the made from scratch pies and breads around here.  I am hopeing to find a pie crust made from butter instead of the shortning.  I will find the recipie for that also.  That is another thing added to my list.  So lets see what I can find for the holidays this year since I did crack my grandmothers bird stuffing for Thanksgiveing.  The drool diden't stop since then from my place.  I was asked if I was gonna make it again here.  Well at least it will be a good year this year again.  No fights at all once again.  I kindda miss that around here in a sick way.  Nice and calm holiday what is that around here of course.  With me cooking and cleaning all day of course.  Well this meal will be under 30 dollars once again for Friday and I will have leftovers as normal for the week around here.  I can say that I have fed my household off of 20 dollars a week for a good while.  And still had meat around here off of the 20 dollars a week.  That was with the kids in the can also.  When you dont get paid to babysit children and they get dumped at your place then you know I had to go way cheap around here.  When I could sit here and plan a meal out with hardly anything in the place and make meals thru the month and go with it all the kids remembered what I had done.  It all stopped for the most part when I had the first knee surgery up here.  Now I don't babysit at all.  Becuase over the past 5 years have been totally just nuts here and I never knew if and when I would get a child dumped on me from the court system from PA or here in NY state.  Now the children who I thought were gonna get dumped on me never made it to my place thank goodness.  I had alot to teach them and they all passed it up.  To bad on thier parts now and I will pass the recipies that I have to a child who will be thankfull for it.  Now I have noticed alot lately that some folks have a 200 dollar grocery bill every week.  I am lucky if it is 50 dollars a week in my place.  So now I will be clipping more coupons and shopping at the cheaper stores for food and other things.  The funny thing is that a friend of mine admitted that he likes Aldi food.  I started laughing becuase I have shopped there for years and he liked what I baked and cooked for the place here.  Ok folks I am off to find the one recipie for the pie crust so have fun and play hard today.

Went really well

It went really well yesterday at Aldi.  But then again in the Niagara Falls store it is always nuts in there.  I got out of there for under 100 dollars yesterday.  So it was a really good day.  The Hippy was impressed on it.  I can really laugh with the poor woman that was behind me also.  A BIG thanks to her for holding the cart while I was pulling the big stuff out.  Had 3 cases of caned vegies and 8 bags of flour.  So with alot of stuff I am stocked on and I still go thru somethings like water. It's the flour during the holidays of course and alot of hand towles.  So I will be keeping the basket for the towles that I go thru this year near the end of the counter.  I need at least 1 for the fresh bread again this up coming week.  Now this year I kindda cheated for one pie crust for the Honey Oatmeal pie.  The recipie is on the http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ or at least the base recipie at least that I use.  Ok folks I have to get a move on here so have fun and play even harder.

Good day today

Well good day today got the shipment and the breaks done.  Pluss a trip to Walmart today.  Well I had to pick some things up today and get the breaks bleed a bit longer.  Love my shop guy.  I am a happy happy girl at this point.  Cooking with what I love to cook with and good food in the kitchen coming out yummy.  I can say being cheap is well worth the trouble around my place.  I saved at least 30 dollars without coupons today at Walmart.  And that was just the sales alone.  I diden't pick up another turkey becuase they ran out of the 19 cents per pound birds today so it saved me dropping one on my foot this time.  Well Walmart is cheaper than the regular grocery chains up here at this point in time.  Now if I had brought coupons on top of it today the cashier would have been loveing me kinda along with the cans.  The poor guy was just plain hungery today.  The gal infront of me was going to make blueberry pies I'm makeing the honey oatmeal.  I felt sorry for the guy checking us out.  And Aldi will being visited tomarrow also.  I am not done shopping at all this month.  I have been running low of course but haven't bothered to run to the store except for the little things.  Well almost 50 dollars later at Walmart today and a ton of food of course I really need canned goods also.  And most of the next Thursdays meal is here in the can.  Real mashed taters with sour cream, cheese and a few other things mixed in, pluss the green bean casserole yummy.  I am craveing alot of the holliday dishes already.  Do it cheap as you can.  Folks wont know the differance anyway.  Ok have fun and play even harder.

Makeing dinner

Well a whole bird in the oven.  Chicken of course.  Even though I have 3 turkeys in the deep freezer at this point in time.  For a whole chicken there's at least a weeks worth of meals for me here.  Now for some family's there's 2 nights or lunch the next day.  It depends on the size of the bird also.  There are alot of ways to make chicken.  And it is cheap also for families.  At least around here in NY it is.  If you can pick it up on sale it is even better.  Alot of times I will get the whole chicken when it is on sale for 79 cents a pound.  And serveral of them of course.  Look for the sale ads of course and what is on sale.  Then figure what is right for your household and plan meals for 2 weeks.  See how that goes then add another 5 days to that.  That is how most of us have started out.  Now it is like the 30 day planners are a drop in the bucket to most of us also for meals.  I can laugh sometimes becuase there is always another way to cook for the household.  I have alot of rice and pasta still in the can.  Rice is a big thing with me.  And always will be of course.  So see what you can make from scratch and go from there.  Not only that it is cheaper on the grocery budget also.  Now with 8 bags of flour in my can it will go for bread, pizza, muffins, and many other things for the household.  There has been plenty of times where I have been out and I check the pie prices at the bakeries at the stores.  They want at least 7 dollars per pie up here.  When I can make it for about 3 dollars a pie from scratch at home.  Pluss I know what is in it when I make it myself.  Most of the pie recipies came from the http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/.  Now for some of the recipies yank them off the can of the pie filling.  As I say tweek the recipie to fit your household.  Now here we go thru alot of onions and garlic also.  So that is another couple of staples in the household.  When folks say that they can feed a family for so much a month it depends on the household also.  Also 70 dollars goes along way for my place once again.  Now for munchies in the truck I go alot to the dollar stores.  It seems strange I know but, it also works.  I can also cook off of a detroit diesal also.  Seems strange and you can cook off the 18 weelers engin block.  Ok enough of the off ball things you can do. Have fun and play even harder.

Well now that I am feeling better

Ok I am feeling better about pinching pennies really hard now.  It seems the harder that I pinch the broker the electrition gets now.  Im seeing this in a new light now.  Now what I want to do is try to take what I know to the next level around here and try for the ultra cheap for 5 days a week now.  Since I know I can do this I will have to work on it for weeks to come to get into a way of thinking and makeing it all happen.  It is a rutine that takes practice and work to achieve.  Yes I will still be walking to and from places for the most part during the week and picking up soda cans soda bottles and glass bottles to save up for a kitchen wood burning stove.  It is a slow go for now, but, I will get there of course.  Saveing money is hard sometimes.  I do it one penny and nickle at a time around here.  It all adds up with going cheaper than what I am now.  Pluss streaching everything out to the max here in the can.  So yes I am saveing money by streaching everything out.  Just like the 3 turkeys that I have bought here reacently.  They were on sale.  And fairly cheap to streach the grocery budget.  Since I married a Truck Driver there are times of the year when you end up streaching more than you want to also.  And I have got back into the grove around here to start streaching out everything again.  Some by force only becuase knowing of what happends.  I do not mind being without a car at all becuase it is a long walk to get to work.  I need the excersize anyway and I get to pick up nickles along the way to where I am going to.  Pluss why give NY State extra money when they do not desirve it at all.  A friend of mine today asked how I was manageing so far since he stopped by my place.  I told him straight out streaching out everything makeing pennies scream more than once before I let them go and eating alot of soups, pastas, and rice dishes.  I use less of everything that is called for and shop for the best deals out there that I can.  It takes alot of practice to do this and changeing the mind set in alot of things.  It takes alot of time and reading also to figure what is best for you and your household.  There were times where the Hippy just totally bucked on what I was doing around here that I almost gave up.  I stuck to my guns on alot of it though and now we can both laugh about it and what I had to do to make the household run.  Alot of it now is like second nature to me in shopping the bargin racks at the stores going to the dollar stores and getting meats on sale.  I even went dumpster diveing still do at times.  Pluss being at the right place at the right time to get free products at some places.  There has been struggles and good laughs also along the way also in the past 14 years of me being up here in NY.  I was also asked a couple of weeks ago in how to set up a budget without feeling like they were going without all the time.  I said by not eating out of the vending machines and takeing lunch to work.  Going to the knock off stores to get groceries also helps on the budget instead of where they are going now.  I have several stores that I do go to also.  By choise of course and habbit also.  Ok folks have fun and play harder.

What a weekend

This has been a long weekend around here again.  There's another pile of dishes waiting on me to get them done and they can wait untill tomarrow.  And the place looks like a disaster went off around here.  I sat down and clipped coupons for this morning.  Between the house being a disaster area and myself being totally tired from cooking all weekend for the Hippy and a bit of shopping that I did I am totally done for the day.  I did have over 7 dollars today in coupons not the best that I have done and not the worst niether.  I have to get into the swing of things again for the coupons.  Well Monday is another day to get things done around here.  While everyone is out of the can.  At least the big freezer is packed full of food along with the little freezer out in the kitchen on very little money of course.  Sales and coupons are a wanderfull thing with me.  Pluss theres 3 big turkeys in the big freezer.  What else can I say I have heat I have gas to cook with unlike some people I know around the park and other areas also.  And it will get chilly tonight of course.  Since the weather is changeing like this in early October I tend to listen and watch more.  I know there will be at least 4 feet of snow on the first dumping this year.  Just one of them feelings of course.  So I blocked up what I could so far and will be doing more to save on the gas and power bills again this year.  Today was somewhat chilly but not bad enough to say I needed a heavy jacket on yet.  Pluss I grabed the heavier insolated sweat jacket out of the van before it went out to Collins.  So I will be washing more blankets here shortly also so everyone can keep warm here in the can.  This is what I get for haveing a drafty place.  Ok folks have fun and play even harder.

What I always have on hand

What I have on hand in the pantry and the freezer that always makes a dinner or breakfast.


2   5lb or larger bags of flour
1-2  dozen eggs
1-2 bullets of hamberger (1lbs)
1-2  bullets of sausage    (1lbs)
1    bag of onions and potatoes
1    3 pack of yeast
1    can of bakeing powder
1    big huge bag of rice
1-2 packages of flat noodles
1     tub of margerine
1     can of crushed tomatoes
1     5lb bag of sugar
1      thing of oragano and baisle
1-2  cans of condinced milk
and 1 box at least of powdered milk

Now for most folks you will have regular milk in the fridge becuase of kids in the household.  I don't drink milk as a rule.  So it is easier for me to have the powdered milk for bakeing so I can mix up what I need for the day.  If I don't need any then it does not get made.  Now there are times when I am at Aldi and I will get everything there.  Since I won't have a car during the week I will walk over to Walmart for the things I have put down today.  And since I am good on those items I really dont have to get out untill I go pay the lot rent for the month.  Now normally I shop once a month so I pick up like 8 bags of flour a month and 3 dozen eggs at a time.  Pluss I make bread from scratch most times.  And I will really start when there is just me in the can.  It is cheaper on me to do that and there is nobody to complain about it.  And yes I have alot of caned goods in the house hold.  Now it depends on what is going on and if the frozen vegies are cheaper for that week.  When they are really on sale that is when I buy more.  With what I put down is the very basic for the household for the week.  Now I have servived on less than what I had put down.  Rice is versatal in so many ways so it the flour and eggs.  I have been known to make muffins for breakfast for the week.  They can be warmed up in the morning if you have leftovers from the day before and there is a hot breakfast.  With everything going sky high in the stores now a days that you have to plan out alot more for meals.  Now if your family is not big on leftovers they will be if you do not cook the next day for dinner.  Also in the winter there are soups to be made and chili also.  I have found that if I can get a good beaf or ham bone I can boil it so I can make a soup stock.  With chicken soup boil the chicken for at least an hour and make sure you have enough water in the pot to work with.  If you think you do not have enough water add more becuase you are usually right on the first guess.  Now when I go to makeing soups from scratch I always make more than what I need.  Why?????????   Becuase I pull the left overs Split it up and off to the big freezer with it.  Then I have some for a later date.  Now with me I like to plan out meals and write them down for the month.  I have a weekly/monthly planer.  I pick up the yearly calander for weekly/daily from Office Max.  Now in the Winter what I will do when I walk is I go over to the Sonoco for a big coffee and walk home to keep warm with.  There is one guy at the Sonoco that knows me real well there.  So it works out.  Now I will say that I have 3 roll bags otherwise known as granny bags.  It has helped out with walking to the stores.  Now a gallon of bleach gets heavy after awhile.  So does the 10lbs of cat litter.  Some of the stores are about a mile away from my place depending on the route I go.  It is nothing unusual for me to walk to the stores.  Now that I will start walking again it clears my mind on alot of things.  Pluss all the fresh air helps me to think more clear on the house.  I have to laugh sometimes becuase since High School I have gained 70 pounds.  The weight will start coming off again when I start walking.  So eather way I will win by saveing gas money and wear and tear on the van then loss of wheight.  Ok folks have fun and play even harder.

What a day so far

Ok I never said I was lazy at all.  I had to run for the hippy thank goodness he got the job today.  So now he is off to the DMV to get the enhanced license.  Now I have to pretty much break my toush to get the hippy's laundery ready including bedding for the truck.  Pluss there is food for the truck also.  Well he can take the rest of the gallon of milk that is in the fridge and I will make the powdered milk for the house.  Well I will say this With everyone out of the house and not here my bills will go down in alot of ways.  And I can have everything off during the day all togeather.  Which means the modem is off along with the computer the T.V. is off during the day and all of the lights.  And what I mean by off is even the power strip is turned off.  So the power bill just may make it under 80 from now on while I am here alone without anyone here.  I will have candles going of course.  And ahhhhhhhhhhh no SYFY channel going unless it is for Wensday nights.  So there is a pluss side to everything around here.  Cooking for just one person is hard to do.  That is why I like the hippy here with me all of the time.  I start cooking then theres just enough for leftovers the next day for lunch.  Now to figure out in what to do besides re organize the place with everyone not in my hair again.  Then to go and make a dish and have enough left overs for the next 4 days.  So now the real frugal will break out in me.  Now let the fun begin with this and I will make it work this time whithout someone here.  I will let you know the results on it all.  Ok folks have fun and play even harder.

The cake is in

The cake is in the oven.  It is not bad for the first run on the recipie.  Lets see in how it turns out tonight.  Pluss I will be makeing a chocolate cake also for myself.  One wanted yellow and I wanted chocolate so guess what we both win today.  The pen is still in the base of my pony tail so I can check off the list I have for the moment.  At least I will not loose it this way.  So I will let you know in how much of a hit the yellow cake went over.  Then it had to rain today also.  All I can say is bummer.  At least I will have people over and the Electrition to share the b-day with.  Along with his wifes daughter same b-day as mine.  This could be fun with all 3 of us within 2 days.  Well within the matter of minuts I got the taters and onions done pluss one of the cakes is cooling.  Pluss the trip to Walmart dident hurt as bad as I thought it would.  46.60 for the bill not includeing the .60 that I had in bottle returns(that wasen't all of them).  So 46 dollars later and I have everything for the party tonight and tomarrow.  Like that's a bad thing.  And that is the dollar fifty that I picked up in cans also for today and tomarrow for the beer.  So I guess it isen't as bad as I thought it would be for today.  Going shopping always did scare me in some ways.  The trick is DO NOT TAKE ANYONE WITH YOU.  I found out the hard way with my ex hubby and the hippy now.  Sometimes all I can do is shake my head.  And I still forget stuff at the store.  Then there is always more in the cart also by the time I leave the stores nomatter where I go with someone.  So most of the run was for myself and food for others in the household.  The one bullet of ground meat was on sale today so there are the burgers then of course I had to buy the heat doggies while I was there (hot dogs).  Much cheaper than the chain stores around here for the same thing.  The BarS Hot Dogs are good.  They are cheaper than most but that is ok by me.  instead of 2 for something it is 88 cents for a package of 8 heat doggies.  Pluss they taste better than the name brand stuff out there.  It may be a northern thing not sure as of yet.  So have fun everyone and play harder.

Cutting your bills

Cutting down or cutting out on the bills are worth every effort in the household. Now for me it is useing coupons and turning stuff off in the household. Pluss several other things that I do. Just like I DO NOT eat out at resturants as a general rule in the household. It is ok on the rare occation but not all of the time. The only way to get me out to eat is free stuff like sandwiches or free of something and it really has to be a big saveings for me. Now another thing that I do is when I hit the grocery stor or the Walmart super center is that I look for the cheaper cuts of meat. You will be surprized If you know how to tenderize cuts of meat that are tough. Pluss there are this day only specials at the meat counters also. I really like to sweet talk the butchers and I can get more soup bones and other things for cheap. Like deli ends are a good thing around my house. A chest freezer is a nice thing to have also. When whole chickens or turkeys go on sale for like below 50 cents a pound that is the time to buy them and put them back for later use. There are sales all over the place now adays. If you can catch the sale item pluss use a coupon it drives the cost down even more. Just like the Buy one Get one Free stuff did you know you can use 2 coupons for that sale. Just like last month there were frozen pizzas that were 2.50 a piece. I had several coupons for 2 dollars off of a piticular brand. So it is really up to you in what you want to do with it all on the coupon part. I know some people don't use coupons at all. I say if they are out there the companies want you to use them. They would rather take a loss on some of us folks becuase they know some people like to pay full price on the items that they offer. Well with the power bills shooting up now a days and new TAXES being on them in some MONEY HUNGERY STATES some of us have figured out how to keep the cost of that down also. In the summer time I hang out laundery to save from extra heat not going into the household. The washer is energy star rated and it was worth the extra 100 dollars on it for everything like useing less water also. It costs maybe at most 3 dollars a month to run the thing at all times. I genorate alot of laundery in my house hold also. I try to use the dryer as little as possible anyway only becuase it uses alot of power to use it. Now for the computer I do use mine more times than not. There are days that I have it totally off along with the modem also. The only bad thing is that the phone is on the modem also. I have a cell phone to make alot of calls off also. And it does help when the power goes out around here. People say drop one for the other and I say what if MYSELF or OTHERS are stranded out on the road. The kindness of people help and I have returned the favor that was done to myself also on that. But shop around for the best plans for the cell phones. Another thing about the power bills are that you have to unplug the PHANTOM DRAINERS. Like power cords that are not in use. I have saved over 50 dollars on the power bill by unplugging charger cords that are not in use. Pluss I have alot that is unpluged also while I am at it. You don't need the mixer plugged in 24/7 do you? All of the appliances in the kitchen are unpluged untill we need them in my house. Most of the lights are not burning niether. I may have one light going if that during the day. Pluss during the winter months I have a candle burning when I am in the kitchen. Another energy drainer is when you leave the computer going 24/7. Mine gets shut down at night. Pluss it saves on the mother board and hard drive. And it gets shut down when I leave the house also. Another good thing is if you have the bundle packages for alot of things like the cable, internet, and phone on one bill. It saves money most times. Now for my household also I have had to learn that a quiet house is a good thing around here. I can say after you get use to the idea that it is quiet you may not want stuff on like the T.V. or the radio on constantly. Now there are times when I do an alday search on recipies. Eather from the cookbooks that I have or over the internet. Then I mix them up to make them my own. All I can say is be creative on it and do not overload your husband and kids with a week of new recipies. Do it maybe once a week or so and see if the kids and others will like them if its not a hit then toss the recipie. Also I have learned over the years that some kids are very picky eaters. As the old saying goes if the parents put thier foot down then the problem wouldent be there. Unless there are food alergies. Anyway there is still alot of tricks of the traid out there and more that I dident mention so far in this one. So try new things and do not be scared to do so niether.