When I started using coupons I also started Stockpiling. Well what I thought was stockpiling until I read about The Prudent Homemaker. She has given me a whole new prospective on the idea of stockpiling.
What I have been doing is getting lots of cereal and granola bars and juice and stuff and saving it all up and called it a stockpile. Now I am going to rename it to and EXTRA supply. I am starting to realize that while it is nice that I have not had to buy cereal in quite a while I also realize we can not live on cereal alone.
My plan now is to buy a little extra every month to start a real stock pile. This month I have already purchased Sugar and Baking Soda. I am running low on Baking Soda so I do not expect it to last us too long, but I plan to add a little more any chance I get. One of the things I am looking forward to buying is a Whirley-Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper. Yes I know this is not food, but I plan to buy a 50 lb bag of popcorn from sams club to use with it. We often have youth over our house for Bible studies and movie nights and this would be perfect for entertaining on a budget, just add some tea or lemonade.
the Whirley-Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper is only $21.99 at Target
the Popcorn is only $16.58 for 50 lbs at Sams Club. That is alot of Popcorn!
My guess is this will last us close to a year or more. after the initail cost of the popper, it will be a great healthy snack.
Also on my list is to buy bulk pinto beans, rice, noodles, salt, sugar , and flour.
These things will help to make many meals. I already bought yeast in bulk, and it is lasting us quite a while.
Yesterday my kids and I enjoyed a great lunch of Mini corn Dogs and Home made fries, but what made it even more enjoyable it was free! I signed up about a week ago to get free schwans delivered to my house. A friend had tons of potatoes given to her so they shared the wealth of potatoes with our family. So I made Home made fries while the Mini corn dogs were baking. I did have to pay for the ketchup and mustard (oh wait that was free too with coupons) and the Oil (which I plan to reuse). Eating free for 3 people is pretty awesome in my book.
I started my eating from the pantry challenge a while back and I had not stepped foot in a grocery store till tonight. I did go to Walgreens last night though. (picked up toothbrushes more on that later) So at the end of my challenge I went to make dinner tonight and I have been craving mexican food, I am running out of a lot of things so I thought about what I could make.
I came up with enchilada casserole.
I used 1/2 lb beef already cooked from the freezer
5 tortillas made on baking day last week
1 can enchilada sauce (green chili)
1/2 cup leftover refried beans
3 slices of Cheese
and a handful of mozzerella
Layered and baked in a casserole dish till cooked through and cheese was starting to brown.
Result Wonderful!!! I loved it and the rest of my family seemed too also. The best part was the tortiallas were pretty hard and I probably would have thrown them out, I know I would have thrown out the beans had they not been used. So all in all We made out pretty good.
I served the enchilada casserole with cantelope and some leftover chips from when we had company.
Pumpkin Muffins Done!
Blueberry Banana Waffles Done!
40 Minute rolls done!
Raspberry Muffins done!
The Apple sauce muffins are in the oven.
And I am not sure yet if i will get the turkey spaghetti bake done we shall see!
I am going to try to fill up my freezer with special baked goodies today. I enjoy doing a baking day every week or so, to keep my freezer stocked with a variety of things. Having my freezer stocked with muffins or waffles helps us not to eat cereal EVERY DAY! So Who is going to join me in this adventure?
My list of things to make today is pretty small since I do have other errands to run today for my church. So here goes:
Waffles
Pumpkin Muffins
Apple Sauce Muffins
Raspberry Muffins
40 Minute Rolls
Turkey Spaghetti Bake
I might try and bake some brownies too depending on how fast I can get this done, I will be going out of town next week and I want there to be good things for the road and good things for my hubby who will be staying here.
We had tortilla pizzas for lunch today at my house. I used 3 tortillas ( free from sale and coupon) leftover spaghetti sauce ( also free with sale and coupon) Cheese, and a banana on the side.
So the only things we paid for in this lunch was the Cheese and the Banana. My estimates on the cost of these 2 things is about .50 ( bananas were on sale too.)
All in all this was a very nice lunch, I enjoyed it very much after lunch we each had a fudge shoppe cookie ( also free with coupon and sales.)
No pictures sorry! But we ate it so fast I didn't get a chance to get one. If only every meal was for .50!! That would be amazing. So this is proof that couponing matched with sales can be terrific. By the way this fed 3 people.
I did not get all of my baking done today, there were some more pressing personal things to do. But I DID get to make the Pumpkin Muffins, and the Amish bread both were very good, I will hopefully post a recipe soon.
I Hope if any of you did a baking day today that you got more accomplished. Have a nice night all I will be back on tomorrow!
Today is baking day at my house. On my list to do today is:
Pumpkin Muffins
Amish Bread
Waffles
Banana Muffins
Pictures to come! I will be updating as to my progress, So far the Pumpkin Muffins are in the oven and I am waiting for the dishes to be done so I can start the Amish Bread!
BREAKFASTS
pancakes
banana muffins ( from the freezer)
Cereal
homemade biscuits
cereal
Waffles
LUNCHES
Pb & Banana
Baked potatoes with Roast
Potato Soup
PB& J on Home made Amish Bread
Loaded Tortillas
Roasted Chicken, Carrots, Overnight Rolls
Left Overs
DINNERS
Hash ( hamburger and Potatoes) Cooked Carrots
Chicken Tacos
Ham Steak, Corn, Black Berries, Chocolate chip cookies
Hot roast sandwiches on Amish Bread
Chicken Enchiladas
Dinner out (Ladies Event at the church!)
SNACKS
Fruit snacks
Granola bars
Carrot Sticks
Home made bread with butter and honey
Ice Cream! Yum!
I did my weekly shopping today, i must say there are a lot of people in the store on saturdays. Here is What I got:
Some of the best deals in my opinion were the FREE Fudge shoppe cookies, the bogo Roasts, and the Ham!!! I have not bought meat in a while. WOW did I stock up. My only problem now is I am out of Large freezer bags.
Here is what I spent:
Walgreens: Total OOP $1.43 ( recieved $6 RR)
Rembrant $5.99 (used $5 RR)
Albertsons : Total OOP $30.33
3 Old El Paso Taco Shells $3
4 Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce $4
2 Rump Roasts $12.89 ( Bogo)
2 Whole Fryer Chickens 3.85 + 3.70= $7.55 ( these were half price due to a Rain Check i had.)
1 Ham $8.99 They cut it for me it was only .99 lb! I was about to buy a ham steak for $3.99 lb I got a way better deal on the whole ham.
Total= 36.43
Bag Discount .10
Used RR from Walgreens $ 6 * I have heard of Albies accepting them and THEY DO!!!
TOTAL OOP $30.33
Safeway Total OOP $3.90
3 Fudge Shoppe cookie pkgs used 3 .55 coupons which doubled= FREE
3 Raisin Brans $ 5 used 3 $1 coupons = $2 for 3 boxes!
2 Rosarita Beans $2
.1o Bag Discount
Total OOP $3.90
King Soopers Total OOP $19.29
2 Gallons milk 1.67 each
napkins .99 ( needed them)
5 lemons and 5 limes $2
Country Crock 2.49
Kroger Green Chili .79
Pace Picante Sauce 1.99 used .50 coupon doubled = $1
Vegetable Oil 2.76 Needed
3 pkgs black berries $3 each
10 lb bag potatoes $2.99
-.15 bag Discount
Total OOP $ 19.29
All in all I Spent $54.95 My weekly Budget is $50 but I had some money left from last week so I have $1.48 left! I mat use this to go and buy some eggs on sale at Kingsoopers for $1 for 18 ct. They were out of stock when I went. But I got a rain Check! If you do not get rain checks when sale itemms are out of stock then you should this is a great way to get the things you want and generally you have 30 days to get the item for that price. That really comes in handy if you are low one week on your grocery budget.