Frugal, Hungry and Single

Like I said the other day in my post about couponing at CVS, I am one of those people who likes couponing. I am usually pretty good with grocery and household purchases.  Yet, since moving on my own I have found keeping a food budget quite challenging!


I thought shopping for one would be easy.  After all, I am not feeding multiple people or caring for a big house, and I don't have a gaggle of teenagers or a house full of babies and picky toddlers. But single living brings its own challenges, here are a few I encountered (and some solutions).

Challenges of Cooking for One:

Recipes – While they can be adjusted relatively easily, most recipes are not designed for one person and need to be altered.

Time – Single people often find their time stretched in different ways than non-single people.  While I certainly don’t have as many responsibilities as I will when/if I have a spouse and family, my life as someone living alone is much less “home-based,” than it would be if I were living with family or even roommates.  I work multiple jobs, and all of my fellowship and family support is found outside of my home.  A lot of times that means my food budget is spent on drive- through meals and quick convenience foods.

Waste  - When you’re cooking for one food waste can be a big issue.  I have had fruit rot and yogurt mold before I could finish containers, and have tried my hand at batch cooking only to discover that I disliked the recipe or grew bored of the meal before I finished it.

Cost Saving Strategies Don’t Always Apply - When you’re cooking for one person, buying in bulk is out for perishable items.  Sure the cost per unit is less, but that doesn’t save you money when you simply can’t use the items before they will spoil.   The same can be true with Buy One Get One (or Two) sales.  

Overcoming the Challenges:

 Batch Cook Basics – If you are set on batch cooking, stick with basic items.  Cook a chicken, broccoli and rice casserole on Sunday night and you may easily be bored of it by Wednesday.  Bake some plain chicken breasts and you can have baked chicken and veggies one night, a chicken sandwich for lunch one afternoon and countless other meals throughout the week.

 Buy (Semi) Bulk of Things That Keep – It goes without saying, that non-perishables and paper products can be bought in bulk regardless of household size, but what about other items? While buying warehouse size packages of most perishable items is not the best idea for single-person households, there are some fresh produce items which keep well, and come in “semi” bulk packages.  While I would never buy a restaurant size package of apples or carrots, I can confidently buy things like 10 lb. bags of potatoes or large quantities of easily-freezable bananas. 

Buy Just What You Need for Things That Don’t – For the things which spoil quickly like fresh greens buy just what you intend to use in the next few days.  For fresh salad I often stop at my grocery’s salad bar.  While the cost per pound is significantly higher than regular produce, I am able to get a variety of salad veggies which I otherwise probably wouldn’t buy for just one person, and I don’t have to worry about anything going bad before it is eaten.   

Linked up At:

The Shine Blog Hop, Women With Intention, Works For Me Wednesday, Frugal Friday


Easter Greetings

To all of my Catholic, Protestant and other Christian readers - Happy Easter.  To all of my Orthodox and Eastern Catholic friends - Happy Holy Week.

And to all, regardless of denomination - Christ Is Risen!

 

 



Linked Up At:
The Modest Mom Blog

Debt & Money In The Bible

Today I am combining my participation in the AtoZ blogging challenge with participation in one of my favorite weekly linkups - 7 Quick Takes Friday. I decided pretty easily that letter "D" would be debt.  After all I have been reading Dave Ramsey, and I aspire to be debt free.  Then I realized that right now, I have been far from gazelle intense toward that goal.  I don't have one of those inspiring "getting out of debt" stories that I like to read on other peoples blogs.   But my letter D is still debt....

In one of his talks Dave discusses debt from a Biblical perspective, reminding us that debt is not a salvation issue, it is not something to send us to Hell, but still the Bible has nothing good to say about debt!  So for my inspiration and yours, here we have 7 quick takes on things the Bible does say about debt!

 

(1) Proverbs 22:7

"The borower is slave to the lender."

 

(2) Proverbs 6

"If you have put up security for a neighbor... free yourself like a gazelle from the hands of the hunter."
 

(3) Psalm 37:21
"The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives."

 

(4) Romans 13:8

"Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who has loved his neighbor has fulfilled the law."
 

(5) Deuteronomy 15:6 & 28:12
"You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow."

(6) Ecclesiastes 5:5

"It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay."
 

(7) Proverbs 22:26-27
"Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you."

This post is linked up at:
Blogging from AtoZ Challenge, This Ain't The Lyceum, 5 Minutes For Faith, Missional Women, Create With Joy's Friendship Friday The Modest Mom Blog, Grace and Truth Weekly Christian Link Up, Soul Survival Christian Living Link Up



Couponing and CVS

It is of little surprise to folks who know me in real life that I like to coupon.  I like saving money, watching others save money on Extreme Couponers.  Mostly I like the puzzle of seeing how I can use these coupons to get the best deal possible on my stuff. I am far from being an extreme coupon-er or joining the ranks of folks who write books and blogs like the Coupon Mom dedicated entirely to coupons, but I like to think I know a thing or two!

 

The main secret to my couponing success comes in three little letters - CVS.  While I do clip and use coupons at other stores, I always seem to get the best deals at CVS!

Here is last week's CVS "haul" which I brought home for a total $20.17
 

My "haul" included 2 All brand laundry detergents, 2 Cover Girl Mascaras, 6 bottles of Pantene shampoo and conditioner, 5 different hair styling products from Garnier & Pantene, hand lotion, and some feminine products.

 

My Tips for Couponing at CVS:

(1) Register your ExtraCare card.

Register your ExtraCare card online at CVS' website and receive coupons by email.  My $10 off $40 or more coupon was a big help in last week's deal.  Remember that if you have other coupons, the CVS money-off coupon can be applied before those other coupons.  (For example, my total came to about $42 before coupons, they took of the $10 off $40 coupon and I was still able to use other coupons).

(2) Print Coupons In Store

Make sure that your first stop every time you visit CVS is at the price-scanner and coupon printer where you can print additional coupons with your card.  These CVS store coupons can be combined with manufacturer's coupons and offer great additional deals.  Recently I have gotten 10% off Kotex products, 30% off hand lotion, and my favorite a $3 off $10 Garnier coupon which I combined with several other Garnier manufacturer's coupons for better savings.

(3) Multiple Transactions

While you should certainly be courteous of people behind you in line, don't be afraid to do multiple transactions, they are the key to great savings at CVS. Multiple transactions will allow you to best use those ExtraCare bucks that you earn when shopping sales.  Part of my success last week came from breaking up my transactions to that the $10 in ECB I received could be used toward other items I was buying.  I bought enough in one transaction to generate the ECBs and then did a second transaction in order to use those ExtraCare bucks immediately.  After all, who wants to lose free money?

(4) CVS Deal Blogs

Another great resource when coupon shopping at CVS is the blogs dedicated to doing exactly that!  They will tell you great deal scenarios and often have pictures of the next week's ad up well before you receive your Sunday paper. I <3 CVS is a blog dedicated exclusively to CVS but simply google "CVS coupon matchups" and you will find many other blogs discussing CVS deals!
 

Happy Couponing!

 

And I am curious readers - Do you coupon?  Want to try your hand at couponing at CVS?  I am giving away a $5 CVS gift card to one of my readers!  To enter please leave a comment answering one of these questions:

What is your favorite store to coupon at?  What are your best coupon tips?

This is not a sponsored post, all opinions are my own, as is the cost of the giveaway.  I will choose the winner at random on Sunday April 12th, I reserve the right to cancel the giveaway if there are insufficient entries. 





Budgets, Bagels and Blogs

I am still a day short and getting posts for A, B and likely C all up today!  I was a little late to the party this year so I never got hooked in to the Linky List but I am having fun with this anyway.

What are some of my favorite B things?
 

Budgets, Bagels and Blogs

Budgets

I have been slacking in the budget world the past few months, but I plan to get back on track because I have to say I love the freedom that comes with having a budget!  I love the guilt free spending of stopping for an iced coffee and knowing I can afford it, or being able to make an extra payment on my student loans :) 
Some of my favorite tools/websites for budgets are:

Dave Ramsey

LearnVest
SaveUp
The Penny Hoarder

Bagels

This one doesn't really fit in with the trend of links that are going on with my other two Bs, but I still enjoy bagels.  Specifically I love French Toast Bagels with Maple Cream Cheese from a little café near where I work!  If you are from Western MA it is definitely worth popping into Holyoke for a visit to the Dam Café.

Blogs

Since one of my goals in the AtoZ challenge is to build and participate in community, I thought I would share with you a few of my favorite blogs.  It is an eclectic list, but these (in no special order) are the blogs I find myself visiting most frequently.

Modern Modesty
The Pioneer Woman

 The Humbled Homemaker
The Modest Mom Blog

Conversion Diary


This post is linked up at the following:
Create With Joy Friendship Friday, AtoZ Blog Challenge,SHINE Blog Hop



7 QT - Grateful for the New & Old Years

Yesterday I wrote about my theme for 2015 - Year of Gratefulness.  I am only two days into the new year, but thus far I am enjoying my theme!  As one year closes and another begins, I decided to share some of the things I am grateful for from 2014.
Linked up over at This Ain't the Lyceum for 7QT Friday.

 

(1) Memories

I am grateful for all the fun times and good memories from 2014.  Some of my highlights included: frequent meals at a new favorite restaurant Mexicali; spending a week w/ my family at the beach; a special birthday date; a visit from my long-distance friend from grad school including a day trip down to Rhode Island & Mystic with her as well as an evening in Boston; seeing the Improv Asylum in Boston with friends from College; St. Patrick's Day Parade weekend;  a daytrip to Mystic Aquarium & the beach; a family weekend trip to CT to celebrate my grandfather's 90th Birthday!; and a lot of fun holiday celebrations to round out the year.

 

(2) Dating a Great Guy

We are going through a season of change right now and not really sure where our relationship will go, but I am still grateful I had the chance to love and be loved by a really awesome guy, and to have a lot of fun together.

 

(3) New Friends

I am happy that 2014 gave me the opportunity to make new friends, and deepen some existing friendships.  I am glad I have a great group of ladies with whom I can enjoy both fun times and fellowship.

 

(4) Family

This one is nothing new, but I am still very grateful for my family!

 

(5) My Job(s)

As of October I have now been at my full-time job for a little over a year.  I recently had the chance to help with the training of some newer employees, and it really made me realize just how much I have learned in those fifteen months. I am really grateful to have a job I enjoy, the opportunity to work with good co-workers and a supervisor who I can learn a lot from.  I am also grateful to work for a company which treats its employees well, and where there is opportunity for career growth.

 

(6) Learning About Relationships

Before dating that great guy I mentioned in take 2, I didn't really have much dating experience.  I had been on dates but no real serious relationships.  As someone with mental illness, relationships have always been a struggle for me.  Whether it is a friendship a love relationship etc. I always struggle with knowing when to open up and how much. I act confident, but still constantly worry what others think of me. I wondered if I was even capable of love. I am grateful that 2014 taught me that I am lovable and capable of love.

 

(7) God's Faithfulness

I am grateful that God remains faithful to us at all times!


Linked up at This Ain't the Lyceum for 7 QT Friday.  Also linked up at:
Missional Women



2015 - Year of Gratefulness

I did make some career goals for 2015, and I do want to increase my fitness so that I can enjoy hiking this summer, but I am not really into the New Year's resolution thing this year. So, in lieu of a New Year's Resolution, I have adopted a theme for the year 2015:


YEAR OF GRATEFULNESS

 

In 2015 I am challenging myself - and you - to be grateful.

At first glance this seems like a very simple challenge.  After all, everyone reading this no doubt already has a lot to be grateful for.  A computer or mobile device and internet access to start (and I can only assume you made sure your basic needs were taken care of first).  I am sure most of us already spent the holiday season in appreciation for time with family, gifts received, time off work etc.  But I am not challenging us to be grateful on Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I am not challenging us to be grateful on the good days.  I am challenging us to be grateful not only on the days of family parties, payday, birthdays and happy moments, but on every day in between as well.

 

I am challenging you to be thankful on the just okay days.  And the less than okay days.  And the flat out crappy days.

 

 I challenge you, and me, to find at least one thing to be grateful for.  Every. single. day.

 

Throughout the year I will be sharing many of the things I am thankful for.  Here on my blog and also on Facebook and other social media, using #yearofgratefulness.  Please join me!

Linked up at:
The Modest Mom Blog, Spiritual Sundays, Serving Joyfully , Missional Women