Savings in the Every Day

 This has been a cold month.  Very very cold. Again that equals savings for me.  I don't like going out, so I'm not tempted to buy anything.  I also get creative with the freezer and the pantry.  Found some chicken drumsticks last night that were looking pretty frosty.  They were ok.  I tried a new recipe that was meh, but edible.  The salad made up for it.

Our groceries have cost a wee bit more this last month as I am only buying local.  In doing so have found some new brands that I really like, so that has been a win.

Personal expenses this month that were voluntary:

Party decor for grandbaby. (I will be able to reuse most of it for many years and I bought it on sale)

Starbucks for coffee out with a friend

Grabbed some frozen veg for kid #1 that they were out of and the store was on our way. (I don't expect $5 to reimburse me)

That comes to under $35 for Feb.

BUT there is a gift to kid #3 for travel.  Didn't get to go with the school like my other 2 kids because of both sports and covid.  So there is a trip planned that I will give 1/2 the cost.  This comes out of my "Kid account" that I have had for almost 15 years.  Separate from my everyday chequeing and savings.  I funnel any reimbursed expenses in there.  When kid #2 needed a vehicle I was able to help (only $1000 needed) without affecting my other 2 accounts at all.  In fact as I look back in my blog I think that I used this account for most of my older 2's travel expenses too.  So I will happily assist without affecting my savings plan.

The party will have 10 people for dinner.  I think I will just do the same menu as xmas day.  Turkey and all the fixin's.  It was easy to do much of it ahead of time + leftovers for me and the man for several days.  Plus I sent the kids home with a small lunch container.  I will need to buy a turkey today and then get it unthawed. 

Today its supposed to warm up to -20 C.  So I won't need my boots that come up to my knees, only my ankle boots! It makes it easier to walk around the store.  Maybe costco and I can grab some coffee too.  I didn't sleep last night, so I have had a very late start today after having a morning nap.  Still have wet hair this afternoon.  Thank god I didn't have to go to work.  I would have been a zombie and then more than exhausted for the rest of the week.  I've had a relaxing time typing this out, sitting in the sun from the window and not feeling guilty.

Now I'm going to do some yoga, read my book, do something with my hair and get my breading for the fish ready.  The man works with a fellow that has done a lot of ice fishing this year and the very cold lake pickerel is so good. Plus he fillets them perfectly.  Such a treat.  I think we have about 5 pounds from him.

The good things:

Savings

Babies

Sunshine and a glimpse of warmer weather

Things that suck:

GERD at night

Putting up with the news.

Low Spend Month

 For the month of January grocery expenses were under $300!!  It wasn't that hard when there is only 1.5 people to feed. There were only 4 trips for groceries mostly gingerale fresh fruit and veg. One was for  a few road trip snacks. I am not a big eater.  You wouldn't know that by all of the weight that has added in the last 5 years.  To that I give all of the credit to menopause and stress.  I'm still 15lbs over what I would like to be.  That isn't thin, that is just fit into my clothes better.

I also only had the older kids and grandbaby over x1 meal.  With the sickness that the man had I didn't want to spread it to the kids.  For that meal I only needed a few fresh vegetables.  Everything else was freezer and pantry.

This month will be a bit more as there is a big birthday with family I'm hosting and the man has his appetite back.  I grabbed a couple small beef roasts on sale as they are good for at least 2 meals for us.  They were $10 each.  Last month I got a tray of chicken breasts $5 off at Costco.  I divide them into bags of 2 after I hammer them /tenderize them flatter and remove the icky tendon.  Tonight is Honey Garlic chicken with noodles and broccoli.  Leftovers for tomorrow with a small salad.

Last night I made 2 doz gluten free banana muffins with a new recipe that called for some almond flour and sour cream.  They turned out awesome!  You cant tell that they are made with the gf flour.  As a bonus it cleaned up the frozen banana wasteland in the freezer and used all of the soon to expire sour cream.  They would be even better with walnuts or pecans but I had neither.  I also can't eat chocolate anymore as that seems to exacerbate my new autoimmune rash.  But chocolate chips would be great.

My love of reading is back in full swing it seems to be directly related to how cold it is outside.  Example -30 = lots of reading!!  In January I finished 4 books, and I'm starting #2 for Feb.  My genre is mystery and thrillers now.  And almost all women authors. Last year of my 25 books read only 2 were written by men. John Grisham (because none of my ordered books were ready yet and I do like a good lawyer story) and a highly recommended to me: Timothy Egan "A Fever in the Heartland".  A fictional book based on real events.  It explains much about below and somewhat here above the 49th parallel.  It was a very enlightening read.

Some of (my opinion) best reads in the last couple of months:

Ask for Andrea by Noelle H Ihli  

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (I know that I am late to the hype on this one!)

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

Our travel was survived (barely) with about 18 hours of driving there and back (including 2 pitstops).  I drove 4 hours there and 2 hours home.  The man came back and relapsed with his health.  He went to the mediclinic and came back with a mega dose of antibiotics for a week.  After 2 days he's better.  Our hotel had a small kitchen, I didn't cook, but the full sized fridge was nice instead of the little ones that always seem to freeze everything you put in.  I brought some food and snacks from home. So I was able to have a nice salad for dinner one night and milk for my cereal stayed cold. There was always coffee/tea/hot water plus a flavoured water available for guests in the lobby which was really nice. Also the coffee maker in the room.  So that saved a trip to starbucks.  There was a free daily big continental breakfast but with my dietary restrictions now I didn't have much.  The man ate pancakes bacon and eggs every morning.

Our kid did great!  It was nice to see him playing well and enjoying himself.

Well I need to get back to my doing "retirement things": laundry, cleaning, yoga session, reading and getting lunch (egg salad sandwiches) and dinner ready.  I may just add a little nap too :)

Things that are great:

kids

grandkid

trip away was not as $$ as feared

when a new recipe is better than you hope!

Things that suck:

the hellscape to the south

my parental units

If one more person asks "What do you do all day?" "Aren't you bored?"