Frugal February Chatter

[Frugal Lisa]

I think that may be where I am 'failing' on my budget and meal plan. I am 5 weeks into it and I feel like I am repeating the same 10-15 meals over and over. I think I should still once a week or every second week splurge a little and try a brand new recipe. I am getting sick of chilli... that one can use to be changed out for a bit! I also can't wait for bbq season, my hubbie will likely start that again soon and that will help change up my meals!

[jasperandchar]

1 more day for "Frugal February" and then it's over



BUT head over to

"Frugal March" marching on with savings

[amandabananda]

lecale - that's a great site, thanks for sharing! I love trying new recipes, I try for one every week...but in reality it's more like 1 a month.

There's another site I like for recipes and OAMC (Once a month cooking). They recently changed it so you have to pay for the menu's, but the recipes are pretty yummy http://onceamonthmom.com/

[jasperandchar]

I'm trying to also figure out what if anything I can do differently in March than I did in February, hmmmmm.

DH has been on board for Feb and is on for March and later as we have to catch up on the LOC, we always make more than our min. payment but with dh's pays not being the same all the time it's hard to budget. We did manage to live off his pay cheques for most of Feb but there were a few really tight weeks, we have decided to continue on living off his pays for March but come April I think we'll have to maybe switch to my cheque which is always consistent. Dh works at a school and is not permanent so he won't be getting paid during March March break so I may rethink this before I commit to his pay versus my pay for March.....it's sounding more & more like we should live off mine....hmmmm

We've done all our dessert baking in February with the exception of a 50% pie I purchased last Sat. for our out of town guests, I felt so guilty buying the pie but I just had no desserts, cookies, etc to offer them.

I have learned through my budget for February that the 3rd week or the week that falls on the 24th is our most difficult week so I am planning in March to make smaller payments on the larger bills over the whole month, this way I still make the full payment and it's broken up over a longer period of time.

My stockpile is pitiful, the kids and dh are shocked with how much stuff we ate that we already had.

My freezers can almost be combined to 1, however, I must admit there really isn't much left in there that I want to eat (lol). Porc chops x 8 packages, 4x chicken breasts, 7 x market cut highliner talapia fish, lots of frozen EB Tuscan Blend & Sweet patatoes but I'm sick of them (lol).

I will stock up on meat in March is a fabulous sale comes along on ground beef (not the tubes), porc loin (would be nice), I didn't buy any meat in February and it shows.

My family knows all too much of Frugal February and they are not sad to see it go, however, like I said a few things will change during March but not much.

[Frugal Lisa]

I have lived on my own for 9 years and I have just now started a realistic budget. I moved out when I was 18 and had no real idea of how to grocery shop or use a coupon or how to make a budget. I hope that my children learn these things before they move out.

[jasperandchar]

My kids know all about coupons and how they save us so much $, never too young to start or never too late to start in other peoples cases, great that you are teaching your kids lifeskills.

I have lived on my own for 9 years and I have just now started a realistic budget. I moved out when I was 18 and had no real idea of how to grocery shop or use a coupon or how to make a budget. I hope that my children learn these things before they move out.

[Frugal Lisa]

My 8 year old gets it, he gets all excited about freebies! My 2 year old just likes to hand the cashier my coupons (or poopons as she calls them)

[Caseythegoalie]

So the gym will cost me about $18 biweekly. Its not exactly frugal but I think I need it for stress release and the hours are great. I'm going to get income taxes done tomorrow so I'm going to pay the year in cash (I hate monthly payments) when I get my refund.

On another note its pretty yuck outside, very slushy and not good for migraines!
We are having leftover chicken noodle soup and toasted tuna sandwiches...very exciting
Last night though I did up a sexy(food haha) pork tenderloin in the crock pot with baked wedgies (olive oil, seasoning salt) and california veggies. Very yummy, in fact NO leftovers! So tonight I"m taking it easy lol.
Wish I could price it out but I"m totally clueless

What are you having for supper?

[Frugal Lisa]

I'm making tacos tonight for dinner. The kids love taco night!! :D and I actually made a pork tenderlion last night too!

[Caseythegoalie]

I just found this blog again, I love it!
Even though this family is in the US I find lots of her tips handy and she makes many things from scratch.
Check it out!
http://baconinmypocket.blogspot.ca/

[Frugal Lisa]

I have seen that one I believe through pintrest

[Insane]

I'm making tacos tonight for dinner. The kids love taco night!! :D and I actually made a pork tenderlion last night too!

I made tacos last night! I even made the tortillas and the taco seasoning! The dinner table was eearily quiet...they were too busy eating to be yelling at each other!

[macw1960]

Not sure what I am having yet but there is a variety of left overs in the fridge.

[Caseythegoalie]

I made tacos last night! I even made the tortillas and the taco seasoning! The dinner table was eearily quiet...they were too busy eating to be yelling at each other!

Would love to try making tortillas! Easy?

[matty's mom]

Supper?

Chicken Teryaki- it is DS favourite so we usually have it every two weeks- and I have cauliflower that needs to be eaten. In my house: Cauliflower MUST be disguised.

Jasperandchar:
Along the vein of soup, try this for your tuscan blend veggies:
http://recipes.todaysparent.com/Reci...ortellini_Soup

I made the soup and just threw in the bag (after I had partially thawed and chopped them). It is really easy to tweak to your family preferences. My family has decided that they don't like those veggies on their own, so for us- it is either this soup or a Frittata. I still have 8 bags left. It was a great coupon/bargain LOL !


We got our chapman's coupon (from DS making "sundaaaaays") so starting March off with a burning coupon in our pocket!