Frustrated.

 Can't get my reading list up on blogspot so I can not read everyone's post today.

 Been jumping hoops for over a  month to get my Humira refilled and was told that it is still pending and my injection due on Sunday and I am out. Stupid pharmacy told me to ask my doctor for a sample. I turned that person in to their boss. Clueless totally clueless. 

This one has been a battle for over a month. We didn't have a direct number to the company that manages our medication and does the approval. I do now as the Medical side gave it to me but they are doing battle now with why it's been pending since 7/10 and they did say if my doctor can't get it through to go back to HR from where Hubby retired and get them to put pressure on them. 

Freaking stress of trying to get my Humira approved after 2 yrs. of taking it, is going to trigger a flare up.

Rascal is now shaking his head like he has something in his ears. I washed them out and it seems like he is doing that less. I might wash them out again later today. If he is still doing it tomorrow morning we will be taking him to the vet by himself.

On the good side:

 I sent Hubby yesterday to TSC as he had a coupon for $10. that was expiring. Since he had got 4 pairs of pants the other day for $29.50 I told him to check if they had any more in his size and if not then get dog food. He got pants, they were $39.50 (none were on sale or clearance). The casher couldn't get them to ring up so she got the manager. The manager couldn't get them to ring up so she used a different pants that was $34.50 And he pointed that out to the manager and then she gave him the $10 off coupon he had and another $10 for standing in line for 10 minutes to get it to go through. We still have another coupon to use next week on dogfood.

Wilbur is coughing less and sleeping through the night again, voice comes and goes.  When he is sleeping he leaks SIGH. That's just his meds but he has 2 more weeks of it. I have protectors on the bed, couch and 3 chairs he will crawl up in. Thankful we have solid wood floors especially since he coughs up water (no food so that is good). He has more energy, not like he had before getting sick but he is walking pretty much the full perimeter again with me now at least twice a day. 

Have a good day.

Update on Wilbur

 He still has symptoms of bronchitis but his lungs (and heart) are clear. So Vet is thinking non bacterial as neither of the other dogs are sick. Meaning... he was breathing something that caused it... like the hazy smoke in the skies or the chemical spray the English farmer across the road sprayed. So another med was added to the first one since he is better but not well and still has next to no voice. At 87 lbs. he looks thin to us *he's always weighed around 95-100 and that was down 50 lbs. from living with Daughter 2* but the vet said that is his healthy weight especially for being 13 yrs only which is also not usual for his breed. 

He likes the one med... I have to hide the other one in a vitamin *which I get for meds only* but I have to give it to him in the morning as this med might cause him to potty in house. 

He is eating decent and willing to walk part way around the perimeter with me once a day.  

A complete change from last Tuesday when we thought we were losing him. Now if he got his energy back (better but not good) and his voice. I would be happier. 

what was frugal this week

 Hubby found work pants for $29, cheaper than the $35-$50 of normal range. He was able to try them on before buying that .. that is a big step for him as usually I have to get them, bring them home and then take them back half the time. 

We ate from pantry and gardens except for a friend's cook out we hadn't seen in 2 yrs. due to covid. We took what we had from the pantry instead of buying stuff at the store.

We used gas buddy to find the cheapest gas.

Hubby stopped at Save A Lot for milk instead of getting it at the gas station when he got fuel. He saved $2/gal. as he checked the price when he went in to get receipt. 

I put a post it note at the paper towels to use dish cloth. I found myself getting a paper towel (half sheet torn in two) to wipe jar edges with vinegar while canning. I used 6 half sheets last week. Zero this week.

I found some old PVC pipe in the garden shed under a bunch of pots that I am giving to an Amish lady.  I am using them in a couple of my garden beds to put row cover over for this winter. 

We  used the grill to keep the  main propane tank usage down to no more than 1 %. If we can keep it at that range we will be able to reduce our amount for the year by 1 tank (300 gals) saving at least $600. 

We paid off two loans that had 8% interest that will save us $60 a month. 

I moved some of the laundry (bedding , furniture throws, dog beds etc.) up from Friday/Saturday to do during the week as rain was to come in over the weekend. So I didn't have to use the dryer or only be able to do one thing a day due to having only 2 drying racks.

I updated the pantry inventory. Adjusted amounts of things still needed. 

I dehydrated basil, cilantro and carrot tops.

I harvested and canned purple beans, green beans, carrots.

I harvested onions to cure and mini eggplants, radishes, blackberries, green onions and cherry tomatoes.

I deadheaded the sunflower so it would grow more flowers and the zinnia that started as 4 plants.

We went over the budget line by line and made adjustments, waited 3 days and went back over it and made more adjustments. Goal is to get house paid off so we can live on Social Security only and use IRAs for medical and big items... like roof or different vehicle. 

How is your week going?

Budget.

 Deep breathe... we can do this... Deep breathe

First.

We refinanced the house on a lower interest rate and got rid of the PMI. A PMI is Private Mortgage insurance that you pay for so if something bad happens the mortgage gets paid off . You have to have 20 -22 % equity in your home before dropping this unless like us you have an FHA loan and then you have to pay off the loan.

Refinancing dropped the payment from $1600 to $1000. House ins. and property taxes increased by $50 a month.  Bill now $1450.02 including ins and taxes, was $2000.Still a good deal with the refinance. We decided to pay $2000 so extra is going on the principal. 

Second.

With monitoring we are making our propane last until winter fill(Which is late Sept) instead of getting a summer fill. Means more grilling and using canning stove (which is on a grill propane tank also). On the other side, to get a fill we have to be at 30% . I called the manager at the company we get our propane and he crunched numbers and called back. IF we can use only 1% a week and get to Dec we will have dropped another tank of fuel compared to last year. That's a savings of of almost $600. So every Sunday I go out and check the gauge. So far even with canning in the house, we are not using more than 1% and with good possibility  get clear into Dec.  

Third we paid off the following:

Cement for the basement ramp.

Hubby's life insurance loan.

My life insurance loan.

Hubby's hearing aids.

J is not willing to give a bill for the rest of the ramp until the ramp is up to his standard. BUT that might be mid to late Aug as he is finishing one home and trying to get hay and oats in. UPDATE, he is now laying foundation for his brother in law's barn that burned down Saturday afternoon. No one hurt. No animals hurt. First two crops of hay GONE up in fire. 

We went line by line of the budget... then waited 3 days and went back over line by line. We agreed it starts September 1st. First mortgage payment is due then.

Hubby mentioned there was no budget for clothes. I said nope, what we have starting September first is what we have for the until end of 2022. He went shopping by himself for jeans. He even tried them on at the store. Glad I was sitting down when he came in and showed me. He knew I had said the price for them was between $35 to $50 as he wears work jeans that are heavier material than regular jeans. He also wears carpenter style jeans which always runs a bit higher. He got 4 pairs. I just pitched 2 pairs that weren't any good for even rags( I sent the zippers to a friend) last week and have mended 2 more pairs three times this week.  He also got them at $29 as they were on clearance. He is still looking for a carhart coat and hood as this spring it got tossed. He is one to wear rags if you don't keep on him and it's not a good image for business.  I still need pants for winter. If I don't find any then I will be wearing sweat pants that need rolled at (maybe 2 rolls)waist band at home. I will wear thermal underwear under long dresses and dress slacks when going out if needed. 

What ever we don't spend due to not needing it etc. Gets set aside in a savings acct (mine) for when it's needed later.

Each month:

I deleted the misc. line completely. Hubby called it piddling money. When he earns extra (not business related) he can spend that. I get what ever I earn also.

Office supplies $25. 

Paper goods $10 

Personal items is $25.

Food processing is down to $25. I am stocked for enough jars, vacuum bags, freezer bags, canning lids, clear jel, pectin, etc.

Garden: $75. We will need some compost for sure. I need to check seeds for starting plants this winter.

Truck maintenance , Not work truck, the business pays that. $100. 

Home maintenance NOT big projects (that comes from savings) $25. We usually use the Menards rebates from buying the big project stuff for home maintenance but I do have to order humidifiers filters from Amazon.

Cleaning $10

Savings $200

Fuel for Truck $200. That is 2 tank fulls.

Dogs $150... that is an average. This month will be higher due to Wilbur being sick, April was higher due to Rascal's shots. Dec will be higher due to Charlotte and Wilbur shots. Jan is all 3 get dog tags. 

Christmas $110($25/person) 

Graduation $50

Birthdays $45

Kindle $11.

Amazon $12 (ending Sam's club membership)

My cell phone $55. Business pays Hubby's

Microsoft 365 $12. 

Health insurance $900

Health: out of pocket/deductible $500 (any not used goes to saving for when surgery etc. happens) 

OTC meds/ first aid etc $25

Family life ins . $111.

Vehicle ins $93 (farm ins and property taxes in escrow as required by mortgage)

Internet/ land line $90. We save $20/ month having the land line. They are the only company in this area.

Trash service $17 No recycling. We have to take recycling to the township hall once a month.

Water softener (hard well water) $65 salt delivered (and put in if we want. )

Electric $150 average.

Propane $200.

Daughter 4 $2242. (Ends Dec 31st) 

Mortgage. $1450.02. We decide to pay $2000 (what we were paying) to help get it paid off. We will look at paying more after we run this budget a few months. 

When Daughter 4 goes off our budget, that money is planned to go over on the mortgage unless we need to replace the truck. 

Groceries ... we set it at $500 even with how we eat cheese. I don't see it being that high with the way the garden is coming in. I updated my pantry inventory so I know exactly what I need to go a year.

Eating out is our entertainment. Set at $250. 

Fingers crossed 

 

 

Update on Wilbur

 

Vet said could be congestion heart failure or cancer or bronchitis... SO he is treating him for bronchitis and seeing if the meds work. He wasn't looking to have Wilbur go through all the testing at his age nor run up close over $1000 bill for us at his age that would have showed cancer or heart failure but the fact he got in and out of the truck on his own and actually dragged me in the vet's office (which he does NOT like to go to ) made us and Doc think bronchitis. 

 I took this when him and Charlotte (that's her foot at his face)were laying on the couch this morning. He still isn't eating dog food...lost 20 lbs., but that actually put him at the weight he should be for his size and age. But Vet wants him closer to 90-95 lbs.  He hasn't gotten sick but the only thing he has ate is his treats (which included his meds being used as one of his treats) and I got 1/3rd of a slice of crustless bread (Charlotte and Rascal got the crust sections) down him. Later I will try eggs, they are due for their eggs (helps with dry coats) anyways. He isn't snoring like he was and the cough is not as wet sounding.  He took his pill this morning without me faking him with a treat.

Vet said he should be closer to normal by late Thursday or Friday if it is bronchitis. 

what a week.

 Wednesday.

 I harvested more purple beans, cherry tomatoes, mini eggplant (patio eggplant from Burpee), carrots, last of the lettuce (now pulled), 2 green tomatoes, basil, 2 red raspberries and some blackberries. 

I planted  2 types of peas and 1 type of be for dried pea, navy beans, zucchini, cucumbers, 2 types of runner beans, Italian bush beans, and Cannellini beans.

We are supposed to get 1-3 inches of rain over the weekend so I held off on planting fall crops including lettuces and some of the winter crops that I will cover with a low tunnel since the green house isn't going to be done this fall due to having correction work done on basement ramp. 

At this point after E told J how bad J's workers did of building the forms for the ramp... the workers did not get paid. E "donated" his time as he knew we hired J on his recommendation and he felt that it's just neighbor helping neighbor like we do for them. J is coming over to E to get horseshoes and said he would stop over to look as what can be done to fix it right. Hubby thinks it just needs a finish coat except for one spot and that will need to be reframed and cement poured that a bag of cement would be more than enough to fix it. I am hoping Hubby is correct. I imagine J is hoping so also. UPDATE J stopped over, he is going to add a finish layer to all of the concrete and a sealer. The one area that needs reframed will be taken care off. J was really really upset.

We had leftover lasagna rolls with odds and ends of garden

Thursday

I got all the furniture throws and dogs beds washed along with the regular laundry.

I made the list up of what to finish planting for fall and what to plant for winter.

I rearranged somethings in the kitchen, pulled out things that I don't use ever for Son 2 to check and see if he wants since he is back to cooking. Made note of a couple things that needed replaced so ordered them after supper. 

Hubby was out delivering messages to some of the Amish and Land A stopped him to let me know my beets were ready to pick up Friday morning or I could wait 2 weeks and get the next batch if I was already busy with other things. I will go tomorrow and get them.

We had gas station pizza for $10 that Hubby got from delivering messages.

Friday

I picked up beets, KY wonder beans, zucchini, and a head of cabbage from A. M then sent over cucumbers, zucchini and yellow crookneck squash. 

I canned 6 pints of purple beans, 10 pints of KY wonder beans, 5 pints of plain beets. I made refrigerator pickles out of cucumbers and called it a day.

 We had braised beef from the freezer in tortilla wraps.

Saturday

Picked up a bug so nothing today, I had chicken noodle soup, Hubby fixed grilled cheese... at 11:50 pm got a call from Daughter 2 that had been ignoring our phone  calls and texts since Father's day when we delivered the bar and firewood rack that she was suppose to pay for on delivery and wasn't there. Her man only said she had issues she had to take care of. 

 Rule has always been not to call after 10 unless it's emergency, accident, or you are in jail (we have family and kids that are night owls that will call just to yack at 2 am and we get up at 4-6 am) . 

First words out of her mouth was "I was in jail". Last time she called me and told me she just got out of jail was because she called the cops on Daughter 3's ex that was trying to beat on both of them and she got hauled to jail also for non payment of her city taxes. ..(Daughter 4 holds the record for the most stupid reason of getting arrested; she didn't pay a $50 water bill and blew off court, got picked up when her friend got pulled over who got arrested for no license and then they verified who Daughter 4 was and off to jail she went also).   

 First offense OVI ( Daughter 2's first OVI, she bruised her own 

butt kicking herself)in Dec 2019 was license suspended 2 yrs  and 3 days in rehab *could have been jail* was postponed due to covid. It got postponed 3 times due to covid. She moved, made sure the court and her lawyer had her new address... they sent the summons to the old address. Her lawyer didn't call her when she was a no show. MEAN TIME, since she was under suspension she was getting rides to work. Her ride didn't show and instead of calling her son who could have came and got her and took her to work... she drove ... and got pulled over and then the cop let her know she had a warrant out for her also. So a week in jail, $1500 in fines and another year added to the suspension. AND still has the rehab to do. SIGH... she down loaded all the negative about everyone. After 3 hrs. of non stop complaining she made the mistake and asking what I thought... I quietly told her more than once through the years that the way she has treated us and her siblings was going to come back and bite her in the BUTT.  I really hope this" bite" changes how she is but I doubt it. I really do, she is so much like her biologic dad in how she treats people. He wasn't that way when we got married but after we lost the twins when I was 5 months along and his brother a year later , he changed . 

At 4 am she almost fell asleep talking to me so I got her to hang up as she said she was on the couch. She probably just slept there. 

UPDATE Just got the message from one of Daughter 2's son saying she was coming home from work not going to work and she got busted for another OVI. That she is NOT divorced like she has been telling everyone including the guy that she moved in with. He told her to find a place to move  but he wasn't going to put her on the streets. Grandson that was living with her moved to his Dad's and his stepmom is bitching about that. To her he is 18 so he should be on his own... he is a senior in high school. His older brother is trying to get a place for him to keep him in the school district as he is counting on a football scholarship to go to college.  We have offered to pay for her 1st month rent and deposit for her to get a place. She will have to figure out how to get to work. SIGH KIDS>>> 

BUT since I was no longer sleepy I got up, made coffee and at 5 Hubby got up (his usually time) and asked why I was talking to Son 2 or Brother at midnight... two of the night owls. Wrong night owl. SIGH. 

BEING SUNDAY 

I checked what I needed to finish the canning for this week. I am totally out of onions and what is in the garden isn't big enough yet. I made grocery list. We decided to step back and see what Daughter 2 does. We had take out at local restuarant.

Monday

I had doctor appt 2 hrs. away. Daughter 4 needed me to pick up canning jars and bring her bar soap and dill pickles. Her daughter needed the secretary desk we had for her baby's bedroom. So that all worked out as we just made a loop that didn't add any miles. While driving down to appt. Daughter 2 texted me that she needed a name of a lawyer to get her divorce and didn't want to text Son 2 who started his new job. I texted Daughter 4 a and got the info on her lawyer that she used for her divorce as he is in that area. SO MAYBE she is taking steps towards getting her life around??? One can only hope. 

Tuesday

It's going to be a rough day. Wilbur has stopped eating, I bribed him with treats to get something in him and then he was throwing up white foam through the night. His dementia is worse. He is not smiling, dancing for his treats , not walking the perimeter, barely goes out to potty. We are taking him (alone instead of all of them like planned for nails to be clipped) to the vet this morning. We don't expect to bring him home. This dog was Daughter 2's dog that I took because she was homeless and wasn't taking care of her sons let alone Wilbur and Charlotte. The first month we had them we spent over $3000 in surgeries and meds on the two of them. My grandkids grew up with him... the whole family is going to grieve hard. 

Frugal week

  We are sticking to our budget except for medical. Hubby's blood work bill just got in (just in time to get blood work again) and we had hour hearing tests. Hubby needs hearing aids (we figured he would). We were going to use our cash back card but the owner(small business in our area) gave us 5% discount if we paid by check and we could make payments, he just would not get the hearing aids until paid in full. I paid it out of my account (which is not in the budget but I've left Daddy's ins in it for just this bill and the basement instead of pulling for savings). It was $2660.50, based on his hearing loss, Bluetooth  and under warranty for 3 yrs with repairs possible instead of auto replacement like some places do. The doctor also let Hubby know he mumbles and twice did not even move his mouth when Hubby thought he answered. Glad to see I am not the only one he does that to. 

Hubby got fuel saving 50 cents/gal because he drove around the block due to an accident and realized the other gas station was cheaper. 

We went to Walmart after the hearing appts and got 50 lbs. of sugar. I was down 100 lbs. between us and M.( M sent 50 lbs. over last night)  I also picked up some ingredients for some dishes I want to try before I take them to a friends' annual cook out . It's been 2 yrs since we have seen them. There will be about 20 of us. Friends are providing the main dish. Their older son usually helps in that also. 

We didn't eat out like we usually do on Tuesdays. We had some leftovers with lettuce from the gardens.

Electric bill came in $19 under budget. 

IF we can make it 10 more weeks before needing the propane filled (water heater/cook stove is propane besides furnace) we will save around $550. We both checked the gauge which is at 50% on the tank. Refill is at 30% (or our stove has issues when it drops below that) SO I focus on not using more than 2 % a week. Since I am canning , I am using the air fryer or grill for our meals. Microwave if a reheat or veggie. Air fryer heats up the surrounding area by 10 degrees so it's in the mudroom away from the thermostat and where we are NOT much in. 

I started processing the garlic that had cured. Bulbs that are not going to hold will be dehydrated this probably starting on Sunday as that is when we aren't suppose to get rain and I dehydrate onions and garlic OUTSIDE..onion smell would make dogs sick and I don't want my house to smell like either for weeks. I use my oldest dehydrator for this. 

Blackberries and purple beans are going on. I hope the scarlet runner beans start making beans this week also. 

E talked( he blasted according to M) to his brother in law J whose workers had built the support for the concrete for the basement ramp. J asked for Hubby to stop over after 7 this week as E made it clear the work done was poor and because of that the finish of the concrete was not like is should have been. Several areas will need concrete to smooth it out. I would like J to come over and refinish it himself. Hubby wants to just do it himself and no pay for the work that was done. I told him time was money and then to pay E or J if he is doing it himself...NO workers. I know Hubby has tremors and that isn't good with doing finish concrete.

Weather wise... chance of rain every day... but only get it maybe every 3rd day and then barely enough.

Blessed Be Everyone

 

Calendars are in

 So I sat down and put in Aug and Sept. what to eat. Won't be necessarily the day it's written on but the thought it to cross off what we eat. 

Hubby asked if Daughter 4 had been up as it is definitely what she has done in the past. He did ask if we were going to start this month... I said no, we are going to east what is coming in from the gardens or what we pick up from Amish instead.

He then asked if I thought the grocery budget would go down and I brought up the eat out budget needed to go down first. 

I won't do the finance calendar until I get the paperwork from the new mortgage. Mortgage guy made sure the escrow was transferred since the farm ins is due in Sept. 

I pulled lasagna rolls from barn freezer for supper. Veggies and fruit will be what ever is ready in the gardens. 

Have a blessed day.

In the Pantry/ food budget/ eating out budget.

 My pantry is also 4 deep freezers and 3 frigs along with canned and dehydrated goods. I have some cured food like garlic etc also,

As of this morning ALL deep freezers and frig freezers are FULL. I have 4 casseroles in the one I will need to get ate before corn comes in and I freeze it. I will need a turkey for Tday, a rib roast for Christmas, pork ribs or roast for NY day and lamb for Easter. I should have enough meat (might not be what we want). We have plenty of meat, maybe not what we will want on a certain day or time but we will eat what we have.

Tonight I can peach butter tomorrow will be mixed berry pie filling after that will be cherry pie filling.

I plan to grow more peas to freeze so I need room for that also. Since I am making mixed berry pie filling this week, that should pull out 6 lbs. of mixed berries to give more room.

I wrote out what we still need.

I will can green beans, Italian green beans, French style green beans and maybe some purple beans if they come on a bit more. Right now they are at just enough for a meal stage every two to three days.

I will can turnips, beets, tomatoes (sauce/ whole/juice), pasta sauce, apple sauce, apple butter, apple pie filling, caramel apple pie filling, cherry pie filling and maybe depending on the blackberries coming in ... more blackberry pie filling. 

I have no red raspberries and we won't have black raspberries (plants died again) either so most likely that is a buy or go without. That goes for mincemeat pie filling also and mild hot pickled cauliflower. 

 I have dried peas and dried diced carrots that I can use for peas and carrots especially with my fried rice or casseroles.

If possible I will add winter squashes and pumpkin to the storage in the fall. 

I told all the kids and grandkids that if they need help... they can come get 1 month of what I chose to give them. Everyone except Daughter 4 is back to work full time. Even she has stocked for 2 months herself using what she has earned with Door Dash. Son 2 has stocked 1 large package of TP for each of his 3 sisters and 1 niece that live in his area so they don't have to drive 4 hrs. round trip for just TP.  

When I get my Flylady calendar https://shop.flylady.net/p/_Calendar  

I will write what we can eat on each month and cross it off as we eat it...Daughter 4 used to do this years ago.  I inventoried and figured it out. 

Tomatoes is any of the tomatoes, sauce, pasta sauce, whole , or juice.

July/Sept/Nov/Jan/March and May we need to eat these fruits/veggies.

Tomatoes, corn, any of the  green beans, pickle beets, spinach, hominy, asparagus, dried vegetable including dried potatoes, dried or canned beans or lentils, frozen fruit, peaches and applesauce once a week

dried fruit once a day

4 oz. juice once a day 

Green tomato apple pie filling, beets, canned green tomatoes, pumpkin and canned mushrooms 2 times a month

mandarin oranges, and canned potatoes  3 times a month

once a month : peas, bean sprouts, veg all, wax beans, canned carrots, snowpeas, pineapple rings, pineapple chunks, pineapple tidbits, crushed pineapple, blackberries, plums, apples, cranberry sauce, fruit cocktail, mango, cherry pie filling, plum pie filling, mixed berry pie filling, peach pie filling, apple pie filling, and strawberry pie filling. ( Just a note Pie filling usually makes us 2 -3 meals of fruit)

Aug/Oct/Dec/Feb/April/June we need to eat these fruits

Tomatoes, corn, any of the green beans, pickle beets, spinach, hominy, asparagus, dried vegetable including dried potatoes, dried or canned beans or lentils, frozen fruit, peaches and applesauce once a week

dried fruit once a day

4 oz. juice once a day 

Green tomato apple pie filling beets, canned green tomatoes, pumpkin and canned mushrooms 2 times a month

mandarin oranges and canned potatoes 3 times a month

once a month: snow peas, peas, bean sprouts, veg all, wax beans, canned carrots, tropical fruit, strawberries, pears, fruit cocktail, mango, pineapple rings, pineapple chunks, pineapple tidbits, crushed pineapple, blackberries, caramel apple pie filling, apple pie filling, mixed berry pie filling, plum pie filling, peach pie filling, strawberry pie filling.

In the fall I will stock sweet potatoes, potatoes and onions along with winter squashes.  I will buy carrots, celery, colored bell peppers and fresh mushrooms and I will buy kraut, frozen broccoli, frozen cauliflower and frozen California blend vegs. as needed.

We set the grocery budget after checking out https://www.fns.usda.gov/cnpp/usda-food-plans-cost-food-reports-monthly-reports.

We decided on low cost... $504.70/ month. THEN we decide to figure out what we averaged on take out during the pandemic.  

 We set our budget for $250 a month including anything that we buy for stocking the pantry (food only). We also set the eating out budget at $250 a month. That is what we averaged since the pandemic hit. Granted we were trying to help our local restaurants but I really don't see us continuing to order take out once to twice a week. I don't see us going twice a week. I have a slip of paper taped to the wall under the budget and I deduct what we spend from the $250. IF there is some left in that budget at end of month, it get's put in savings. Same with grocery budget for when prices goes up or I need extra for stock up.  Right now I am down 60 lbs. of sugar and 50 lbs. of flour.

We went through the pantry and moved somethings around (I found more green beans) so everything is together not here and there. 

Fingers crossed. 

Blessed Be   

July goals

 Finish the basement ramp.

Repair garden box that side came lose.

Add rail to grape harbors to start guiding the veins along.

Hang the cedar birdhouse that was repaired

Add trellis to more of the garden beds

Lay weed barrier between rest of garden beds.

Finish laying gravel after basement ramp cement is cured (some of gravel will fill in where there is no dirt)

Repair deck board

Cut board for twin bed support

Install tower for tv antenna

Decide what to do with fuel tank (either fill it with fuel or take to scrap yard or sell it?)

Continue to water, weed, harvest, process, and plant gardens. Blackberries are coming on, a few small blueberries is coming on and purple beans are coming on.

There was mention of doing the front porch... I just don't see it as I walk on it several times a day to get to the gardens and compost pile.. Maybe in Sept 

Daughter 4 and saving/spending money

 Daughter 4 had her surgery for removal of ovary and a tumor on the lining of her stomach a week ago. Was a rough week as she refused pain meds, feared it would trigger her addiction and she's been in recovery 8 yrs. By the 4th day she was doing fine. She starts radiation today for 4 weeks Mon-Fri. and will be taking a chemo pill nightly for 4 wks. Then the plan is physical therapy for 4 wks. She is hoping to cut that by 2 wks and get released to go to work  so she could have her 1st pay check Labor day weekend.

In June we spent only on necessities until the closing of the refinance loan. I put everything that broke (grinder for herbs, cheese grater, immersion blender, instant read thermometer, oil/candy thermometer) ... I think the kitchen took the worst hit) on a wish list and waited. Day after the loan was notarized. Mortgage guy who had warned us to not buy much of anything and thought it was funny things were breaking ..said order LOL.  I went through Brandy's website to Amazon. I added to the wish list and to order a raised dog food dish as Rascal's cardboard box bit the dust. I ordered 3 as I figure Wilbur could use a raised one also and Charlotte shouldn't be left out  HA HA. I saved 38% on them.  It will be easier to keep them clean also helping keeping flies down. Living between two farms that has horses, cows and chickens and manure that goes on 3 pastures around us... flies are common.

I bought cherries to make mixed berry pie filling, jam and freeze. $6. OFF a pound bringing it down to $1.25/pound. I still need to pit the rest of them (jam is done and in freezer)

I got blueberries 50% off. I froze them , some for the mixed berry pie filling and some for eating. Ours is very small  so I decided fresh eating and for muffins this winter so I froze those also.

I ordered 2 Flylady calendars. One is for appts... we have used this for years. Love the big calendar with big squares. The other I will use to keep track of what to use in the pantry... another post. I had a code that I got $17.46 off the order.

I ordered one file pocket calendar using code for 10% off , this is the calendar for finances only. 

Hubby sold the Honda motorcycle since he has the one he bought off son 2 tagged and insured lowering the ins by $50/month.

Today I took the last of the peaches and last year's peach puree and started cooking it down for peach butter.

I harvested purple beans (like green beans but purple) for our supper tonight.

We discussed and debated and then went a couple more rounds... we want storage for paper goods/cleaning products in the barn. Barn means possible mice. Hubby didn't want wood... I wasn't thrilled with the price of the metal one he wanted. He did some searching and found almost the exact same thing but instead of holding 150 lbs per shelf it's 400 lbs per shelf AND $250 LESS per cabinet. We got 2. Hubby thinks paper goods in one, cleaning in the other. I saved an additional 10% and got a free $50 tool rolling seat cart that Hubby can use instead of sitting on an upside down 5 gal bucket.  

M sent over a bag of peas. They had enough for a meal  and what was left wasn't enough to can for them. I shelled them and froze them and now have another 6 meals in the freezer.

How is your summer going? 

Blessed Be