Changes in grocery shopping

  We have cut back from once a week, then every other week to one major shopping to 4-6 wks and only getting a gallon of milk or milk and a loaf of bread between. We spent about $325 a month.

Yesterday as we stopped and I ordered the prime rib for Christmas eve, I brought up reducing the grocery list and using what we don't spend on paying off the house. 

Then we talked about limiting the grocery list. I had used Kroger's app to finger out what he thought we could buy for $100 a MONTH.... I figured it to be $50 a month using the list I had on me. 

I brought up the book I had reread, Prepper's pantry and that we had in the pantry everything to stay healthy evenif we wasn't taking a vitamin pill so that took that worry off. No sense doing something that is going to make your health worse. 

He came back with let's just buy milk (I can make yogurt and ice cream). 

I added heavy cream and or half and half once a month or every other month for whip topping and custards.

Then he suggested we split the savings between stocking back up and the mortgage. Suggested we start Jan 1st. and go to Lent.

I said NO, now. I already paid for the prime rib and that's the only thing that would not be regular groceries. We would do the next 14 wks (around Lent) and see how that goes.

Going to be an interesting year.

quick update

 Hubby's younger brother text last night his wife is going back in for heart treatment  on Friday(day before their mother's service) and might not be there. This is the 6th time she's had the treatment trying to get her heart to stay in rhythm. This is basically the same issue MIL had last couple years. * She was there but said they were looking at her getting a pacemaker.

FIL doing okay, said he just focuses on that fact she can sleep (was only sleeping 2 hrs before the shortness of breath would wake her) and he isn't worried about going to get groceries and coming home to find her on the floor where she fell and something broken.

Using drying rack almost daily even after hanging on the line. Can't tell wheither something is damp or just cold.

Largest turkey that was in freezer is canned. Second turkey thawing. Three beef roasts thawed to can in chuncks this morning.

Carrots and celery to blanche for freezer today also.

We have below freezing weather coming in tomorrow so I will finish hanging the last of the winter curtains also.

Doc told Hubby to get his steps in as he isn't losing the weight like he needs to,otherwise we are in good health and I am still off meds.

Everyone be safe, have a good holiday 

Blessed be

Odds and ends

 

Son2 moaned over this. Daughters 1,2,3 and 4 crabbed. Guess who uses this ...

Washer repair guy told us to replace the washer as the gear box seal went bad and the oil was on the floor. Gave us a couple suggestions , Maytag, Whirpool and Speed Queen but make sure we had a local repair guy for Speed Queen as they don't do those repairs. Got  a Magtag at Menards with 11 % rebate. Lowes had some on sale but they were too small.  

I wrote down while sick, 30 casseroles, 30 soups, 30 beef main dishes, 30 pork main dishes 30 poultry main dishes ,etc. As I use that dish I mark it off. Has worked well. I did scan the lists to my computers so I don't have to rethink it again LOL. The hog and 1/2 beef is paid in full. 

Took this last week. Snow is starting to go away,supposed to get a warm up to 40s/50s this coming weekend. We will reload the wood and coals then.

Hubby's dad let us know his bowel blockage (cancer) is back for the 3rd time. Then called to let us know Hubby's mom had a heart attack. She had congestion heart failure for years and has had several bad attacks. This time she passed. Miss her but glad she's not suffering any more. Her service is Saturday. His Dad told the 4 kids if they wanted to go to lawyer about her will, that was fine. He will update his the following week and the 4 kids are welcome to go with him. 

Amish neighbor's families had 6 deaths in the last 2 wks.

Got our vaccines. Hubby usually has a mild reaction, this time it was me, just achy. 

Got the beef freezer defosted,inventoried and organized. Poultry/veggie chest freezer the last one. 

I started thawing the largest turkey I had in freezer to can this week, probably will be doing the other 3 between now and Tday as 2 are on the small side. Will make a good size hole for pork that is coming in as it's in the pork freezer. 

Hope everyone is well, stay safe

Prayers for peace

Blessed Be

Here's a rainbow for everyone

 Faint in the back ground but it's there.

Hubby is doing well... our clothes washer stopped spinning out and I am now recovering from a nasty bout of flu (Doc said due to worrying about Hubby) that involved dry heaves.I think I picked it up at Walmart when I went to get my glasses fixed (yes they broke of course) and went and got bread. The store was packed!!! Since I have the flu, I rescheduled the repairman for the washer, no sense sharing this crap. He was grateful as his grandmother (80s) lives with him. THEN my filling came out of my tooth  SIGH. That will be fixed after I quit runing a fever for 5 days.

House needs cleaned but it has been aired out daily for at least an hour. Wood stove is back on after 4 days off. Means windows are open to keep the temp below 80. We air out daily when wood stove is on, Doc told us to do it even with regular furnance is on... I used to when the kids were in school and my kids didn't get sick like the other kids did.

After laying on the bathroom floor for 2 days I took to laying on the bed for another day. Yesterday I moved around slowly. Did work on the budget for next year.

The hog and 1/2 side of beef we bought is paid in full. That will be processed end of Nov or middle of Dec. That will give us enough meat for at least 1 yr if not a yr and a couple months. I asked an Elder Amish lady (just her and her hubby) how she makes sure she has enough and she gave some good advice since I am now trying to get away from the stores as much. She processes her meat then divides it out by month... say she processes 120 lbs of pork, and she wants it to last 14 months (says you always want a few month extra incase of bad times). That means pork is served 8 times a month. I will still have to buy my smoked sausage. Do the same with beef. I can do that with poultry , just have to think about getting it done. She thought it would help with meal planning also... She does 14 meals of beef, 8 meals of pork, 16 meals of poultry, 12 meals of eggs and 10 meals of beans and 30 meals of leftovers as soup or casserole... that's eating 3 times a day for a month. She used to go to the store twice a month.... I was shocked until she told me what she was getting was to fill in. So she started growing winter squash for when potatoes run low, and using more soup beans.Cut her costs in half. To use up stale bread she made French toast or bread pudding or stuffing or all of it. 

Anyways. Since I am still not wanting to eat much at all LOL.I did decide to work on the menu so that info helps.I have pushed grocery store to every 6 wks except for milk every two weeks. I cut the food budget down to half, even with helping Son2 with groceries.He should be okay now if he stays careful with his shopping. 

Blessed be everyone

Stay safe. 

prayers for peace